Time Management Tools
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Searching for the Perfect Productivity Tool
Jan 27th
How many productivity systems, methodologies, strategies or tools have you tried so far? Do you already use something that fits your needs perfectly, or are you just doing OK, still have a feeling that something could be better?
Many people want to find the perfect productivity system or tool. Having such goal, they consider the “searching phase” as something bad. They think about it as time they have to waste for experimenting.
If you still haven’t found your Holy Grail of Productivity – don’t worry. No one said you have to. Maybe there’s even no such thing in your case. That’s perfectly fine and doesn’t mean you cannot be more productive than others.
Searching is not a waste of time
Searching for the perfect solution may be frustrating (that’s completely normal), yet it doesn’t have to be. Even changing your attitude may work – turning “wasting my time” into “getting experience” can do wonders. Think that all this trying, searching and experimenting is in fact learning about yourself, your habits, what solutions fit you, and which methods are good.
Of course this is a perfect example of truism. People know these things, but unfortunately they make use of such hints rarely. I always remind others (and want to be reminded as well!) to think in a way that will make them search for opportunities and “lessons learned” instead of wining that something didn’t turn out as expected.
So how exactly is searching for a productivity system good for you? The keyword here is “routine,” but routine cannot occur when you’re constantly changing something, right?
Here is how I see it: when you find a way to be productive, like GTD for example, you stick to the system’s or tool’s rules. Even if you are just using a tool, like a calendar or a web app that helps you organize your to-do lists. After we use a tool or process for some time we tend to not have to think about it as much. We eventually become productivity machines and do things automatically.
This may not sound very tempting when we put it that way, yet it’s what most of us would like to achieve; to become productivity ninjas. But when we fail over and over, trying out new patterns, tools, and strategies, we get frustrated or filled with other negative emotions. And that’s where I ask, “why?”
We’re all children – new things mean fun
When I was in school and had to do projects or homework I usually visualized myself sitting at my desk, getting bored and feeling like I’m wasting my youth. It’s hard to concentrate when you’re a kid. But I found a way to cheat; I simply bought something new that I thought would help me.
In such situations I went to a shop and got myself a new pen, pencil, notebook (not a laptop — we wrote directly on paper then), an eraser, a ruler and a compass (if it was math) or whatever I needed or wanted. All that stuff was cheap, but it was new and selected by me, hence I liked it. And I simply wanted to start using it; I just needed a reason.
This is the same thing that happens when a child gets a new toy and wants to play with it immediately. Who would waste time to say “thank you” to auntie who bought it? Let’s play NOW!
How’s this relevant? When you find a new tool or system, you’re excited and you want to use it. After all, you thought it over a few times and even if you’re not sure whether it’s perfect, you’re at least eager to find out. You’re full of optimism and happiness and you have fun organizing your work. Even if the tool isn’t perfect, there’s a good chance that you’re more productive than not using the tool or methodology at all.
Done is better than perfect
Of course you’d like the perfect methodology – we all would. But you won’t find it without trying. So, keep at it.
And in the meantime, just think this: you’re not wasting time if you’re already productive; it’s just that you haven’t found the perfect tool yet. You’re still on the journey to get to it.
Jan Makulec works as a copywriter in the online payments industry. He also does some guest posting and runs a few blogs himself, including Across the Board - his company blog, where he writes on various topics. Feel free to contact him on Google+ or any other way - you'll find all the contact info here: Jan Makulec.
Creating Silence from Chaos
Jan 27th
Post written by Leo Babauta.
We are often afraid of silence, because its emptiness feels idle, boring, unproductive, and scary. And so we fill our lives with chaos, noise, clutter.
But silence can be lovely, and therapeutic, and powerful.
It can be the remedy for our stress and the habits that crush us.
If we want quiet in our lives, how do we create it?
I’ve been exploring this myself. As a father of six kids, I have to admit that I don’t always have silence in my life. That’s not a complaint — I love the messy noise that my family brings — but silence can be a welcome refuge from that noise at times.
I create silence by subtracting, and not filling the resulting emptiness withe noise or clutter.
And so my life is a constant experimentation with subtracting. When I’ve subtracted, and learn to love the empty silence, I subtract some more. Subtraction is a beautiful process.
Prefer subtraction over addition.
Learn to be content with little, or nothing.
Realize that silence is beautiful.
Find yourself in the empty space that results.
Empty a room, and put almost nothing back except that which produces quiet.
Speak less, listen more, contemplate even more.
Walk in silence. Watch the leaves quiver, fall in silence, whisper in the wind.
Sit and do nothing. Listen to your mind make noise in the silence, allow it to subside.
Eschew video, iPods, books, the Internet, mobile devices, social networks, and other purveyors of noise.
Be quiet, so that life may speak.
—
A Mini-Course in Meditation
I will be leading an online mini-course in February on creating the habit of meditation. It will be very simple, but in those few minutes of meditation every morning, you will find lovely silence.
The mini-course will be available only to Premium Members of Zen Habits, which is a paid membership I haven’t announced yet. What will the membership consist of? Exclusive bonus articles, videos, interviews, live webinars each month on simplicity, habits, clutter, fitness, finances, creating a business around your passion, families and more. Mini-courses every 2-4 months on topics you choose. Guest experts on all these topics. The ability to ask me questions about anything.
More next week. Thanks, my friends.
10 Killer Cooking / Kitchen Hacks
Jan 27th
I love to cook. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a tasty home-cooked meal that I have prepared and made myself. It’s satisfying knowing that my effort has paid off and I have produced something that I can be proud to share.
However, if you’re a novice, it can take time to learn some of the tricks and hacks that can improve your cooking skills or speed up your kitchen prowess.
Then there is the cleaning up afterwards — a sink full of dishes that gets in the way whilst you are cooking that no one wants to deal with.
Here are a few tips I’ve learned to improve your kitchen capabilities:
- Plan what you need to do. Whatever takes the longest, do first. Warming up an oven, boiling up some water. Put those on first. It takes about 10 mins for an oven to heat up to the right temperature, and about 5 minutes for the water to boil where its constantly bubbling. Get that going first before you need to prep the food.
- Defrost meats in advance. If you plan what you are going to eat you can preserve the quality of meat. Leaving it on a counter top to defrost will increase bacteria levels, nuking it in the microwave will leave you with a cooked outside and frozen middle. Put it in the fridge for 2 days in advance. If you’re in a hurry, defrost in water.
- To open an impossible-to-open jar lid, hold the jar upside down and put it over the cooker flame for a couple of seconds. Alternatively if you are going to use the whole jar, stab the lid with a sharp knife to break the vacuum.
- Don’t have a steamer? Put your vegetables into a colander and put it into a pan with boiling water that fits. Make sure the colander doesn’t reach the water and then cover it with a lid. The lid may not fit perfectly, but it does the job.
- Get more juice out of lemons and oranges by warming them up. You can do this in your hand or in some warm water.
- Wash while you cook. This removes wasted waiting time and keeps you on top of the cleaning. When you put some meat in the pan and need to turn it over in a couple of minutes, fill the sink with water and start washing up. After you’ve washed a couple of items, it’s time to turn the mean. You can use this as a method to time your cooking.
- Shell boiled eggs with ease. You can do so by breaking a small hole at both ends and blowing into one end.
- Recipes are guidelines, they do not need to be followed to the letter. Love ginger? Put some in.
- Avoiding wheat but need to make a crispy coating without using bread? Oats do a great job. Put them into a food mixer and you have a coating that can be applied to almost anything.
- Short on time and need to make a roast? Chop it up into smaller pieces. Your cooking time will be vastly reduced.
These are just some of the hacks I use when cooking. Do you have any to share?
(Photo credit: Chef Woman via Shutterstock)
10 Things I Am Not Going to Do Today
Jan 27th
Today’s checklist is inspired by “10 Things To Stop Doing Now… To Get More Done!”
Here are 10 things that I am not going to do today…
10 Things Not To Do Today
- Second Guess Decisions - Few decisions cannot be changed later if needed. Better to take action that wallow in inaction.
- Waste Time at the Proverbial Water-cooler - Some people waste a large percentage of their day “chatting it up” in the workplace. Instead, get your work done, and get out.
- Check Email 50 Times - I love it when someone asks, “Did you get my email?” Um, when did you send it? “Like 10 minutes ago.” No. No, I didn’t. Check email periodically when it makes sense in your schedule. And turn off those new mail dings and notifications.
- Answer the Phone - I won’t answer the phone while in the middle of something, meeting with someone else, or especially if I don’t know who is calling.
- Wait For the Perfect Plan - A good plan now, always beats a perfect plan next week. Circumstances are never going to be perfect. Don’t wait. (See #1)
- Attend Unnecessary Meetings – Meetings are the single biggest time-waster in the workplace. Practice the “right to decline” when you do not need to be in attendance.
- Work During Meetings – I will check my tech at the door during meetings. No open laptops. No phones or tablets. And no, you can’t work during my meeting either.
- Put If Off – When it comes to the tasks I don’t want to do, I will adopt a “Just Do It Now” attitude. Do those unsavory tasks early in the day and get them out-of-the-way.
- Take On Unnecessary Tasks – I will say “No” where appropriate to tasks that are outside my domain. After all, you can’t get your work done if you are doing everyone else’s job.
- Start Before I Finish – I will complete tasks to done, before starting new ones. Better to have finished the few important ones, that to have started lots of little ones.
Question: What’s on your “not to do” list today?
Do You Actually Work 40+ Hours?
Jan 27th
The last few months, I’ve been wondering about something. I am self-employed. I work in an office by myself. No one watches me or looks over my shoulder. I work flexible hours. Do those hours really add up to 40 or more a week?
My Productivity Experiment
I did an experiment in which I calculated all of the hours I was actually working (i.e. writing, attending phone meetings, pursuing leads, responding to business-related e-mails) versus doing personal tasks or surfing the Internet.
It turns out that I do indeed work 40 or more hours a week, but those hours aren’t organized in 5, 8-hour chunks like the hours of traditional employees. Rather, I am able to complete several administrative and business development tasks for my business in the morning and do heavy lifting writing in the late afternoon, when my energy level is highest.
Especially if I’m sitting at my computer the whole time, I definitely lose steam between 11AM and 3PM, and again between 6PM and 9PM. But it’s not uncommon for me to continue working with all cylinders firing after my children are in bed.
9 to 5 as inefficient?
Even though I’m pretty efficient overall, my rate of efficiency during the “traditional” 9 to 5 work day is not that great. And yet I suspect I’m not alone. I don’t think most employers would be thrilled that people are tooling around on social media for hours every work day, but this is common and part of being human.
Human beings only have the ability to focus intensely for a few hours at a time, at which point our energy slackens and we switch to an activity that requires less brain power. In the days when most of us worked in the fields or in factories, it didn’t matter if we were able to concentrate because so much of the work was rote. But a great deal of today’s work relies on creativity, analytical ability, and strategic thinking, and for that, we need to be sharp.
Long Breaks for the Self-Employed
Everyone’s productivity cycle is different, and as a result of my research, I’m learning how to manage mine. After working for a few hours in the morning, I go to the gym, run errands, grab lunch outside, or take a nap during my low energy time in the early afternoon. I write like a fiend in the late afternoon and continue through the early evening, and then, after a two hour break engaging with my kids and having dinner with my husband, I’ll sit down at the computer and finish a project or catch up on e-mails.
Unfortunately, if you’re employed in a traditional business environment, you can’t have a schedule like a self-employed person. You are expected to work productively for 8 hours straight, and at some point during this long stretch, you are likely kidding yourself. Coffee can only do so much. The typical office culture does not allow you to recoup your energy in an effective way, so you sit at your desk clicking mindlessly or staring into space. This isn’t good for anyone.
The Solution for the Average Employee
Given that productivity cycles vary by individual, knowledge workers are most effective if they set their own hours and leave the workspace to do something else when their energy depletes. Thanks to technology, being tied into the business from home 24/7 is now feasible.
However, I’m a realist, and I don’t think the majority of workplaces are ready to employ telecommuting on a grand scale (although I can see this happening in the next 10 years). What employers can do is encourage flex-time. Let your people come and go as they please provided the work is getting done with great results.
Get them up and away from their desks by setting up fitness and recreation programs onsite or nearby, and create a culture where eating meals is a social and/or networking activity instead of yet another thing to be done in front of the computer. When people are permitted to work when they feel their best, productivity will improve across the board.
(Photo credit: Image of business documents on workplace via Shutterstock)
Alexandra Levit is a career and workplace expert at the Intuit Quickbase Blog , a daily source for advice on how to be exceptional at your job. You can follow her on Twitter at @alevit.
How to Wake Up Like a Dog
Jan 26th
Before I get started, some of you must be thinking that I’ve gone completely mad suggesting that we should be waking up like a dog — or any other animal for that matter.
Let me explain. Each morning here at my home (without fail), one of my Lhasa Apso dogs (a boy named Chester) starts to prop himself up at the side of my bed at about 6:30 am to see if I’m getting up yet.
He does this even if it’s still completely dark outside — like it usually is during our Canadian winter season this early in the morning. He must have some type of internal alarm clock that wakes him up that early each morning. Fortunately for me, he doesn’t start the day barking which would really annoy me.
I’m quite used to this, of course, since he and his sister (named Roxie) are already six years of age. But for some reason, it dawned on me today that he is actually setting a pretty darn good example for me — and probably everyone else out there.
Waking Up with Enthusiasm Each Day
When he gets up each morning, he is wide awake and full of energy and enthusiasm. It is almost like he is showing me that he is ready to take on another day no matter what’s on the agenda.
Chester must have already decided that it was going to be a great day no matter what. He made the decision to be super-positive and his resulting energy first thing in the morning each day certainly shows!
This is definitely something the rest of us can learn. We make the decisions on how we feel for any given situation — whether it be positive or negative. It is us who really decides how we will face each new day.
If we choose to be negative first thing in the morning, then we will likely have a pretty rotten day. On the other hand, if we choose to be positive when we wake up we will be more successful at living our day — even if full of challenges — with more energy and gusto.
Vibes From Positive People
I’m sure that we can all think of at least one person we all know — whether at the office or some other place — who always seems to be cheerful and happy. It’s almost infectious for the rest of us. The positive vibes that such people have seem to wake the rest of us up. This is why I think it’s so important to be among like-minded people on a regular basis.
In my case, it’s my dog who is displaying this type of positive vibe on a daily basis right in front of me. This is yet another example of how my pets have taught me something useful. I had originally thought that my dogs taught me only about compassion and responsibility — which were already great lessons in life. Now it seem that my dogs also have the capacity to teach me more about motivation and how I should approach each new day.
Think about it. You have the power to determine how you feel and how you start your day. If you want to have a great day, you make the decision to do so…just like how my dog Chester does each morning.
If you know people who always seem to be super positive, feel free to share below how they have affected you. Also, if you have learned something from a pet, feel free to share that as well in the comments below.
Clint Cora is a motivational speaker, author & Karate World Champion based near Toronto, Canada. Get his FREE 3-part Personal Development Video Series on how to expand your comfort zone and finally conquer even your most daunting goals in life.
Get the Salary Increase You Deserve
Jan 26th
The fact is that all of life is a contest of some kind. You are in competition with everyone else who wants a salary increase and promotion, whether you like it or not. A race is on and you are in it. Your job is to move yourself into the lead and then figure out how to move ahead faster than the other people around you.
Fortunately, there are proven and tested ways to get ahead and stay ahead. One of the most important of these strategies is for you to continually ask for more responsibility. Volunteer for every assignment.
Go to your boss at least once every week and ask him or her if there is something more that you can do.
Get Paid More and Promoted Faster
At staff meetings, people are always making suggestions about things that should or could be done to solve problems or achieve company goals faster. Whenever you see your boss buying in to one of these ideas, you should volunteer for the additional task.
Raise your hand. Grab the new job as a football player would grab a fumble and run for yardage. Then, do the job quickly.
Most people in the world of work have never thought of this simple strategy. They do only what is asked of them, when it is asked of them. They even think it is clever to get by doing the very least possible. But you do the opposite. You keep asking for more tasks and responsibilities. You then move to complete these tasks quickly and dependably.
Don’t worry about being taken advantage of. By asking for more and more responsibility, you are actually taking advantage of your company and your boss. You are expanding and increasing your knowledge and skill, your ability to get results. You are building a better and better reputation for contributing value to your organization. This will always benefit you, both in the short term and throughout your career.
Few strategies are better for helping you to get paid more and promoted faster than for you to develop a reputation for offering to do more than anyone else. Whatever extra effort or sacrifice you have to make, treat every assignment that you receive as if it were a test upon which your future career depended, and then go to work to complete it quickly and well.
Ask for What You Want
Asking for what you want is one of the success principles. It is one of the most important actions you can take to get paid more than you are getting today. The future belongs to the askers. The future does not belong to those people who sit back, wishing and hoping that things will improve. The future belongs to those people who step up and ask for what they want. And if they don’t get it right away, they ask, again and again, until they do get it.
Ask your boss what you have to do to qualify for an increase in pay. There is no point in your working very hard if you do not know exactly what you have to do to get ahead. Clarity is essential. Go to your boss and ask, and ask again if you are still not clear.
If you want more money, you must ask for it. It is not going to fall on you out of the sky. The best way to ask is by building a case, as a lawyer would build a case, for the amount that you want to receive. Put your case in writing, like a business proposal. Instead of saying that you need more money, as most people do, your strategy should be different. You should put together a list of the jobs that you are doing and the additional experience and skills you have developed since your last increase. You should explain the financial impact of your work on the overall operations of the company and the contribution that you are making as a top employee.
You should then present all this information exactly as if you were making a sales presentation to your boss and tell him or her that based on your proof of performance, you would like an increase of a specific amount of money per month or per year. In many cases, you will get the increase simply by asking for it in an intelligent way. In some cases, you will get less than you requested. If this happens, ask what you will have to do in the future to get the rest of the increase that you have asked for. How can you make yourself more valuable?
Treat your request for an increase as if it were an important negotiation, with long-term consequences, because it is. Arrange a meeting with your boss in advance. Be sure the timing is convenient and that you aren’t rushed. Sometimes such a meeting is best scheduled at the end of the day, when everything has settled down and there are no interruptions. Be relaxed, calm, and positive. Then ask for what you want with confidence, courage, and an attitude of positive expectancy.
If your request for an increase is turned down completely, remain calm and positive. Ask exactly what you will have to do in the future to get the increase you requested, and exactly when that increase will be payable. Be specific. Be clear. And don’t be afraid to ask.
Of course, you should ask politely. Ask courteously. Ask in a warm and friendly way. Ask cheerfully. Ask expectantly. Ask confidently. And ask persistently, if necessary. But be sure to ask. The future belongs to the people who continually ask for what they want, in every area of life. The more you ask for the things you want, the more likely you are to get them. Try this asking strategy at every opportunity and you will be amazed at the good things that happen to you.
Thank you for reading this post. Please leave a comment or share with a friend if you feel what you read resonates with you!
Productivity Made Simple: How to Keep Your Projects from Killing You
Jan 26th
Some projects can be a real pain in the you know what. Not all of them, of course. But there are some that just keep us awake at night. There can be many reasons of such a situation. Sometimes the tasks that need to be done are simply difficult to perform. Other times it’s the amount of time required that frightens us.
But sometimes the most frightening thing of them all is that we don’t know what’s going on in a project, and can’t seem to find a way to plan everything out and get a clear picture of what needs to be done.
In the previous parts of the series we were discussing what to do once everything is perfectly laid out. Once we’re clear about the exact tasks that need to be done, and once we even know when we want to take care of them. But there’s one part missing, and that’s of course the part of planning your projects and selecting your priorities.
Most projects we decide to execute should be defined and planned according to five main steps. These are:
- Setting goals and rules.
- Defining your vision for the end result.
- Brainstorming.
- Organizing.
- Selecting next tasks.
Of course, not every project requires such an elaborate sequence of steps. Some projects are really simple, and defining things like goals or visions would be a complete overkill.
If you just want to get your car fixed then you don’t need any smart rules to be able to get it done … you probably know what needs to be done without any additional help.
However, GTD was designed to be able to handle any kind of project, no matter how big or small.
The steps mentioned above are doing just that. They can be applied to anything. And after you go through all of them you can be sure that your project will be clear and understandable. This, in the end, will improve your chance of executing the project successfully.
To explain this whole thing we’ll have to leave our simple examples and take on something a bit more complicated… So imagine that you’re buying a new apartment for you and your family.
1. Setting goals and rules.
This is the part where you answer the questions of why and what for.
For our example the question is: Why do you want a new apartment?
Some possible answers: you want to live closer to your workplace, you want your kids to live closer to school, you want to have more space for yourself and your family, you want to live in the city center because all the interesting things are happening there, you want a more modern environment, and so on.
The reasons behind every project are of course different. Furthermore, personal projects are entirely different in nature from business-centered projects. But they still have a lot in common. If, for example, instead of buying a new apartment you’re starting a business then the question remains – why do you want to start a business?
So no matter what you’re thinking of doing you always need to start with your goals and rules. Goals we have covered (it’s the why). Rules are even easier to grasp.
Going back to our example; some rules: what is your budget? where do you want to live (what neighborhood)? do you want to get one room for everybody? do you need a garage? and so on.
Once you have all these things lined up you can go to the next step.
2. Defining your vision for the end result.
This is where you’re answering the question of what.
Create a complete vision of what you want to get as the end result of the project. The more details the better.
Your vision reflects the goals and rules you’ve set in the previous step. The goals are the main guidelines on what should and shouldn’t be done inside a given project. So now, you’re using these goals to come up with your vision for the final result of the project.
A possible vision for our project:
I want a 4 bedroom apartment in the city center. At least X square meters of space. Large kitchen. It must have a garage. The price should be less than X. Modern furniture.
This sounds like a good vision. Of course there’s a lot more things we could include here, but for now it’ll do.
The next step is to take this vision and do some brainstorming around it.
3. Brainstorming.
Brainstorming is probably the most creative activity for any project. You’ve been doing it many times, I’m sure. However, brainstorming has very little point when done prior to executing the two previous steps.
A brainstorming session always has to be created around a strongly defined main idea, so we have some guidance and know where we’re going with it. And this is exactly what defining goals and vision gives us.
The brainstorming session itself is a very simple thing to do. Essentially, it’s the answer to the question of how.
Some people like to set some restrictions, for example, time constraints. This is good if we’re working on a given project at work, and more than one person is doing the brainstorming. But if it’s just you then you can spend as much time as you want. Of course, within reason.
Start by taking your goals and visions and placing them in a visible place. Then simply let your creative mind loose and write down every idea that comes to mind about the things you might do in the project. And I mean EVERY.
This is not the time to assess the ideas and erase the bad ones. Not now. This is the time to write everything down, no matter how stupid it sounds at first.
Our example: call the real estate agency, go to IKEA, hire a contractor, ask around and find out if it’s a good neighborhood or not, choose paint colors, get a full-size Elvis sculpture, get an internet connection, get a bank loan, hire a van, check all the installations (electricity, etc.), and so on. The list for such an example can go on and on, so we’ll just stop here.
Once you reach a point when you can’t think of anything else it’s probably a good moment to stop brainstorming and go to the next step.
4. Organizing.
Yes, this is where you get to select the good ideas and remove the bad ones. Brainstorming should give you a lot of both.
Why brainstorming and organizing at the same time is not the best choice? Because these activities are opposing to one another. On one hand you have to be creative and invent stuff, but on the other you have to get back to the ground and be reasonable while assessing it. Doing this at the same time simply doesn’t work. That’s why organizing is a separate step.
The process is simple. Just look at your brainstorming list and remove everything that doesn’t have much to do with your goals and visions, or is simply stupid (like the Elvis sculpture … or is it?).
Once you spend some time on looking through all those things your brain will automatically start to arrange things according to their priorities and what needs to be done first. You should use this state of mind and quickly shift to the final step.
5. Selecting next tasks.
This is where our old friend – the Next Tasks List – comes back into play.
At this point selecting the next task for your project should be easy. After the phase of organizing all ideas you should have a nice set of actionable things that are in tune with your goals and visions. Things that are absolutely crucial for implementing the project. Now, simply select your next task for the project.
Everything you have at this point goes into your Projects List. And the next possible task goes to your Next Tasks List. From that point on you can go back to your usual work (GTD style). This is where everything ties together.
What’s next?
Basically, that’s it. All you have to do now is use the system to help you get more organized and execute your projects more effectively. Both in personal life and in business.
Just to recap, and point you towards the specific parts in this series.
- Start with the brain dump exercise.
- Create your first Next Tasks List, and remember about the rules of choosing which tasks to handle at any point in time.
- Plan your projects according to the strategy in this post.
- Put all seven main elements of productivity in place.
- Remember to work according to your daily graph of activity.
I admit, there’s a lot to do if you want to have GTD fully implemented in your daily life. But would you rather be running around like a chicken with its head cut off because you don’t have a clue what to do next? Probably not.
One final encouragement for you: if you think you don’t have time for playing around with such methodologies then suspend your disbelief for a moment and have a little trust because after you implement GTD you will find time for everything.
Feel free to share how GTD is working for you. I’m curious to know. I, for example, have been using it since 2009 and it truly works like a charm.
(Photo credit: Productivity or Motivation via Shutterstock)
9 Healthy Habits to Help You Manage Email Overload
Jan 26th
Today, having an email address has become as normal as having a surname. My seven year old son and my seventy six year old mother have email addresses. We can safely say that the email overload phenomenon is nothing new. Since 1971 we have been sending emails, but since 1971 a large percentage of us have not learned how to most effectively use email and how to avoid it becoming a cross we have to bear.
Here are 9 healthy habits you can adopt to prevent you from suffering from the Email Overload phenomenon
Write better emails
Some people treat email as an opportunity to have a chat but that is not the purpose of email. If you are arranging a meeting get to the point rather than send an email that will open up a 10 part communication consider sending an email that is concise.
“Hi, are you free Friday at 11 to discuss the Project A? We could meet at Starbucks on the corner of Merrion Street.”
When, where and why are all available, now all the person has to say is yes if it suits them or suggest alternative arrangements if it doesn’t.
Pick up the Phone
A more efficient way to deal with arranging a meeting would be a telephone call. People often avoid making phone calls because they think it will take up too much time. Not true, arranging a time and place is much more efficient when you are speaking to someone in person, this way you can debate time and place more efficiently both parties being able to check calendars at the same time. Also if you send fewer emails you will logically receive fewer emails.
Remove yourself
Remove yourself from all newsletter lists, group emails etc. If you want to subscribe to email newsletters best have a dedicated email address so not to clutter up your work inbox and also to avoid them disturbing your focus and concentration.
Chunk it up
Check emails in chunks; don’t get tempted to check emails consistently. Smart phones and tablet devices are really awesome but they are not so cool when people start to use them to check emails at all hours of the day, I’ve even know people who check them in bed (gasp!). What you can also do is advise people that you only check your emails twice a day and if they need a reply to something urgently they should rather call you.
Turn it off
Switch off all notifications of emails, on your PC and any other device that you receive email on. Never allow a ding or a bell disturb your focus from what you are working on. It may be an email telling you that you have landed a 1 million dollar deal but it could also be spam or an email from your aunt in Australia to tell you her dog is sick.
Keep it brief
Email is not a medium for spilling your heart out. Keep your messages brief and to the point. The less you write the more likely your question or query will be answered. Even though you want to send and receive less email it is still a better idea to send an email per topic, you are more likely to get an answer to all your questions and it also leaves a better trail if you need to find an email at a later date.
Process your email twice a day
When we say I have to check my email, it usually means you scan your email to see if there is anything urgent or interesting that you want to read or deal with. Checking email is the action to blame which can ultimately lead us to chaos, clutter and stress. It may seem like an exaggeration but if we let it go untended it can end up with thousands of emails sitting in you inbox without knowledge of whether they are actionable or dealt with. We need to substitute check for process. Processing is when we make a decision. We can Do, Delegate, Delete or Defer or we can use the Barabara Hemphill’s FAT method, File, Act or Trash.
Organize your email
The emails you need to keep for reference should be filed in a logical system and the emails that require action should be either moved to your calendar or your task system. All those that don’t fall into these categories should be trashed.
Get a Life
Remember that your email doesn’t own you. You are the adult around here and you need to take control. Follow these actions advised and before long you will be hanging out in your empty Inbox wondering why you feel so calm and peaceful.
(Photo credit: An image of some flying envelopes via Shutterstock)
Ciara Conlon is a Personal Productivity Coach and author. Her mission is to help people achieve their best through working efficiently and being positive and present. “With Productivity and Positivity there is little you can’t achieve” Find out more about Ciara and sign up for her tips, articles and links at Productivity & Positivity
How You Can Cut Through Your Tasks Like a Laser
Jan 26th
Some days are overwhelming.
Some days come at us with a vengeance.
Too many tasks, too many emergencies.
How do you cut through the chaos to get to what is important?
Some days it seems that you need a laser to blast through all your tasks.
It’s All About Focus
Lasers are powerful because they focus an extreme amount of energy down to a small focal point.
This is good analogy for our productivity.
“To maximize your effectiveness, you must bring your productivity into focus on what is most important.”
If you bring your efforts to bear on the things that matter most, you will quickly find yourself cutting thought the chaff and getting things done.
Laser-Guide Your Work
If you don’t focus your productivity, you will not accomplish much. You’ll end up with 57 things started, and nothing done.
Instead, direct your efforts on to what’s most important.
Here’s “How to Blast Through Your Day Like a Laser:”
- Find Your Focus - Just like a laser needs to focus its energy, you must do the same with your efforts. Focusing on the smallest number of tasks will often product the greatest results.
- Blast Through Obstacles - Don’t let obstacles shut down your productivity. Most productivity-stoppers can be overcome with a little extra effort or strategy. Don’t let the walls keep you from your goals.
- Cut Though the Clutter - Some people may need a laser to clean up their desk. Take the extra time to clean up your work area. A clean workspace is key to getting important tasks done and letting you see your work.
- Destroy Fire Drills and Other Urgencies - Don’t let fire drills take you off task unless absolutely necessary. Sometimes a few minutes of laser attention can extinguish what appears to be an urgency, and you can return to the task at hand.
- Melt Through Resistance – People are attracted to those that are getting things done. Instead of creating friction with co-workers, melt through their resistance by getting things done. Soon you will see others wanting to participate in your accomplishments.
- Shine a Laser On What’s Important - A recent Harvard Business article suggested that using todo lists was a bad idea. I disagree. If you don’t know what you are supposed to be doing you, how are you going to do it? Inevitably, you will forget things. It is also difficult to prioritize when you cannot see all your tasks.
- Heat up Your Productivity - Action leads to more action. Heat up your productivity by building momentum. Completing a small, but important, task early can lead to increased success throughout your day.
- Laser-Guide Your Efforts - Don’t just flit from task-to-task or place-to place. Otherwise, you will suddenly find that the workday is over and you haven’t even gotten to what you intended to do that day. Go to your calendar and schedule time with your most important work.
Focus Your Productivity
Don’t let your productivity spread itself out to any and all tasks.
Instead, focus your productivity like a laser.
Concentrate on the few important tasks.
Stay on target.
Cut through the chaos.
And soon you’ll be blasting through those tasks.
Question: What do you need to focus your productivity on today?
Photo credit Guitarfool5931.