Maximize Your Time: 10 Tips for “Extreme Productivity”
Copyright 2006 Synergy Strategies
1) Know your work style and use the tools that match. If
you work well with technology, use your computer and PALM
for your scheduling and organization. If you are a visual
person, consider using a paper calendar and written to-do
list. If you are a people person, develop a team around
you to compliment your strengths. If you work alone, find
time to focus and remain distraction free. If you are a
morning person, attack the most important tasks early in
the day.
2) Use ONE calendar. Sometimes people will have several
calendars. One for family, work, computer, personal
appointments, etc. Keep ONE calendar for everything. Use
different colors or type styles to differentiate categories.
3) Make a to-do list at the end of each day. Your mind
naturally begins to work on the list as you sleep. When you
awake, you are ready to work, are very productive and
organized. Estimate how much time each thing will take you
and only put on your next day to do list what is reasonable
to get done.
4) “Eat your frog first”. A Brian Tracy concept, do the
hardest thing you have to do all day, first, before you do
anything else. Doing this will provide you with the feeling
of success in having a “burden” off you back and momentum
to accomplish the remaining tasks.
5) Have a clear goal and read it daily. When you have a
goal you know what to focus on and work toward. If you do
not have this at the front of your mind, it is easy to get
caught up with the urgent things of the day or trapped in
reacting to e-mail, phone calls, interruptions and other
people’s emergencies.
6) Have a “power hour”. Designate one hour each day to
close the door, shut down e-mail, turn off the ringer on
the phone and guard yourself from interruptions. Have a
pre-picked project that you will work on during this time
only. Make sure to go to the bathroom, get a drink, and do
whatever else you need to in order to ensure you do not
leave once this hour starts. Give yourself 30 min. after
this hour to return calls, e-mails and care for people with
whom you need to follow-up that you missed during the POWER
HOUR.
7) Touch it once. E-mail, mail, papers, etc. Touch it and
make a decision. File it, toss it or put it in a place for
action. Sorting bins are helpful for this. Label your bins,
folders, e-mails, etc. Sorting bins often have labels like,
things to: read, file, do this week, urgent, bills, etc. If
your subject lines in e-mails are accurate it is easy for
you and the recipient to find the e-mail. Paper, soft copy
(computer), e-mail folders should have matching labels.
8) Have daily habits. After you develop a routine of things
that are simple but important, your body will naturally do
them. This is important because we can get distracted by
our regular routines and use them as vices to interrupt,
procrastinate and prolong important things that really need
to get done. If you start your day right, you will be ready
to do those urgent and important tasks, increasing your
every day productivity.
9) Pre-prep. Have you ever been amazed on cooking shows how
they make a complicated dish in 10 minutes? Ok, part is
edited TV time, but they also have everything pre-prepped
for quick assembly. Why not do the same? Prepare your
information packets and new client folders, turn common
documents into a template, set up e-mail group/
distribution lists for teams, etc.
10) Maximize car systems. Listen to a book on cd/tape to
maximize your windshield time and learn. Have a bin to put
important things rather than having them all over the car.
Have a trash bag to catch the liter. Always have a bottle
of water in the car with you; dehydration causes fatigue,
memory loss and low concentration. Make sure your contacts
are portable (palm, planner, business card file book, etc.)
so you keep people and numbers at your fingertips (call if
running late, caught in traffic, remember something while
out and a quick call can take car of it). Enjoy relaxing,
breathing and taking in the day while driving (rather than
cleaning, talking on the phone, etc.)
Be the master of your domain. When you implement a few
simple productivity strategies and develop them as time
saving habits, you will quickly enjoy the benefit of more
time and energy and overall increased productivity.
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Christy Geiger, owner of Synergy Strategies, offers
coaching & training programs designed to build solid
visions, goals and strategies that increase organizational
and employee effectiveness, saving time, energy and money.
Christy will work with you to design a program that will
maximize your strengths and address your needs so that you
and your people operate with passion, purpose and
productivity. To get connected with the resources you need
to drive, thrive, and play to win, visit Christy online at
http://www.synergystrategies.com/ or through email at
Christy@synergystrategies.com!
