Want More Time? Follow These 6 Strategies

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We all want more time to do the things we enjoy whether that’s in our business or family.  Here are some tips on time management that can give you back your time.

  • Email can be a big time leak.  I remember hearing a colleague tell me they reviewed their email only two times a day—at noon and then again at the end of the business day.  This method ensured that they picked up email from the morning to address, and any email in the afternoon was addressed at the end of the day which would be ready for the recipient in the morning.  Also, turn off the nasty email tone “you got mail!”  It’s a distraction.  Unless you work in a life threatening business, no email is that important where it can’t wait.
  • Choose the most important goal or task that you want to accomplish each week.  This should be given Zen like focus to accomplish and helps you prioritize other items that come up.
  • Know your work habits of when you are most productive.  Some people are “morning” folks who like to get up and get going.  Others are better off later in the morning or afternoon.   Also, don’t confuse the “urgent” with the “important” otherwise you can get off track.
  • Take breaks to prevent any burnout during the day.  Get up from your desk grab some water and if necessary go outside to take a short walk.  Not only can it be refreshing, but it can also give you a different venue and thereby a different perspective on an issue that you are trying to solve.
  • Skip meetings that really are not adding to your ability to accomplish you goals.  If you are required to attend make sure there is a clear agenda and time frame so that it does not simply drag on and become a distraction.
  • Sometimes you have to use the word “no.”  Accepting requests for meetings, introductions, or joining projects can be flattering, but they can also be a productivity drain.  Its difficult to strike a balance with it, but you also run the risk of feeling resentful which will not help you at either work or home.

Implement these 9 strategies and find yourself with more time to do the things you want to do, and not have to do!

Mike

Productivity Hacks

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It’s been said that if we can make a 1% improvement per month in areas that we want to make a difference, then by the end of the year we have improved our productivity by 12%.  Over three years, that’s an impressive 36% gain!  Much like compound interest, it’s the cumulative impact that can make a big difference.

Here are some tips to achieve a 1% gain:

1.      Use a schedule

 Take 15 minutes each day to plan your day ahead


2.      Take breaks

 Using the Pomodoro technique, take a break every 60 to 90 minutes for 15 minutes.  Take a walk,              meditate, or stretch


3.      Stop using technology 1 hour before bed

Set a timer that goes off to tell you to shut it off, and get a good night’s sleep


4.      Organize your files

Use the OHIO approach (Only Handle It Once): Throw it out, file it, email it, call about it, but don’t               leave it hanging!


5.      Eliminate 1 daily annoyance from your list

Turn off you email notification and answer email only once or twice a day


6.      Time blocking

Experiment with different blocks of time to do focused work.  Like the Pomodoro technique                         mentioned above and further definition on the web:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique


7.      Exercise regularly

Even 20 minutes of walking a day can make a big difference not just physically but also mentally

8.      Make a MIT list…Most Important Task list

Dedicate a specific time that you work best and focus only on the MIT activity you want to accomplish

These are just a few ideas on gaining productivity.  There are many others, but the main take-away is to begin with action and do a 1% change each month that will lead to tremendous gain in the long term.  

Just remember:  Business, like life, is a marathon, not a sprint.  Stay in it to win it.

Here’s to your newly found productivity!

Mike

6 Tips for Increasing Productivity

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Is increasing your productivity one of your New Year’s resolutions?

I recently read an article by Stephanie Vozza that outlined a number of productivity tips she culled from various CEOs and entrepreneurs.  Given how connected we are in today’s 24/7 world, one of their universal frustrations was getting focused work done.  Here are 6 ideas for you from Vozza’s article:

  1. Keep one day a week meeting free.  Meetings are a necessary way to communicate among your team and the verbal communication can be critical for understanding. However, meetings are also a disruption to getting work done.  One person’s meeting is another person’s disruption.  CEO Dustin Moskovitz at Asana has implemented a “no meeting Wednesdays” rule so actual work free of disruptions happens.
  2. Take a nap.  Many of the top CEOs and business owners take a nap during the workday to recharge.  Studies have revealed higher levels of productivity occur when you take a 10-20 minute nap daily.  The timing of the nap depends on your optimal work cycle.  Some people take a nap after lunch as they digest their food, and others take one following their afternoon coffee.  The caffeine from the coffee doesn’t kick in until about 20-30 minutes later, just enough time to nap and then get a jump start on your next cycle of work.
  3. Allow downtime to think.  Downtime is critical for a business owner to think about their business strategically.  “Doing” all the time does not allow for space for planning.  Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx, lives near her office, however, she does a “fake commute” where she drives aimlessly around so she can have her thoughts come to her in the quiet car ride commute to work.  She can then write down an idea and be ready for the day.  Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, would take “think weeks” and retreat to a secluded location to read and think about the business.
  4. Be email specific and send fewer emails.  CEO Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn sends as few emails as possible.  He noticed that most of his email clutter was the result of response threads in emails where too many people were copied who felt they needed to respond.  After he decided to write and respond to only the absolutely necessary emails, he noticed a dramatic decrease in the volume coming to his inbox.  Another tip is to give a specific deadline in your email to help shorten the back and forth.
  5. Decide quickly.  Have you ever experienced the “paralysis by analysis” over an issue when people get frozen in their decision making? Meg Whitman, former CEO of Hewlett Packard, said “a fast no is better than a long-extended no or long-extended yes.  It helps knowing that when you make mistakes, you can always fix mistakes.”
  6. Make a list.  I start each week with a list of activities that I want to accomplish for myself and my clients.  It helps me prioritize what needs to get done and when.  Brian Chesk, CEO of Airbnb, says he “makes a list of everything you want to accomplish that day.  Be as exhaustive as possible…. grouping similar tasks together.”  This helps me ensure as much as possible that things don’t fall through the cracks.  While the system is not perfect, it is a way to help stay on track.

Productivity and time management have always been a key component of an effective leader.  Today with all of the distractions that surround us, it’s even more important to stay vigilant on maintaining our productivity to help us win each day. 

Cheers to increasing your productivity!

Mike

Are You Open to Re-Examining Your Methods?

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Several years ago, I read an article about things in everyday life that most people do incorrectly. Why do they do them incorrectly?  In many instances, it’s simply the way they’ve always done them. 

For example, would you believe that only 5 percent of all Americans wash their hands correctly? The correct way involves 20 seconds of vigorous rubbing with soap and water.  Most people learn to wash their hands as children.  Although soap and water are parts of the routine, only 5 to 10 seconds of washing is the norm in my observation.  But, washing the right way lessens your chances of contracting flu and other illnesses.

It seems that some of the instruction we get at various points in life is of dubious value.  One of my favorite quotes is from the great American author Mark Twain. “It isn’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just isn’t so.”

People tend to latch onto an idea, often learned at a young age, and never let go of it. They believe it to be the truth, and it’s extremely difficult to convince them otherwise – even when the evidence against their idea is overwhelming. 

If you like the idea of constant improvement, as most entrepreneurs do, you have to keep an open mind and reexamine notions about the things you do daily.

What You Re-Examine Might Be Age Dependent

So, what are the things you do every day in your business that ought to be re-examined? The answer can depend on how long you have been in business. 

Business owners in their fifties came into business in an entirely different economic and technology environment than we have today.  Many notions about avoidance of debt are rooted in the double-digit interest rate environment of the 1980s.  Obviously, the interest rate scenario has changed greatly, meaning carrying debt is less of an issue than when they got started in business.

Some owners in their fifties are also slow to update websites because of outdated ideas about the costs involved.  Website development costs are significantly lower than they were just a few years ago. If an owner has been putting off a refresh of capital or technology, it’s time to revisit these issues.

Many business owners in their forties will benefit from paying more attention to accounting and legal issues. In their early years of business, most entrepreneurs are pretty casual about their business relationships.  At this stage of your business life, the stakes are a bit higher; it’s time to put your important business agreements in writing. 

For example, did you choose to operate as a proprietorship because it was the cheap and easy choice to make ten years ago?  You might want to revisit the matter depending on your goals.  If you are worried about scaling a company and limiting your liability, a Limited Liability Company, S-Corp. or C-Corp would be the better choice.  A proprietorship is unlimited liability.   Also, it might make sense, now, to take a course in accounting from a local college.  It’s hard to achieve peak performance unless you are well-versed in how to keep score and the numbers in business is how you measure winning from losing.

As you re-examine your business make sure that you have a written plan with strategies and numbers.  A plan helps provide important guidepost for making decisions about the business, or to explain your thought process, and your vision to employees and business partners.  The plan does not have to be a 100 page novel.  As a matter of fact, good plans can be one or a few pages of well thought out information and numbers.  Being concise and clear with your vision can help you execute and iterate faster.

Small Changes Lead to Big Productivity Results

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Some people seem to have the golden secret to being highly productive. They may be naturally motivated and organized, but in truth, everyone has the power to increase their productivity. It’s all about habits. There are small, very feasible changes that when done repeatedly become habits. Even people who seem inflexible and stuck in their ways can learn to be productive.

We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite productivity tips below:

  • Prioritize. It’s fine to write a 5-page to-do list, but make sure to separate the “must happen today” list from the “must happen this week/month/year” list. There’s also the “would be nice if it ever happens” list. You get the picture. There is a saying about the “power of three” which I use for my daily work.  Listing only three priorities on my daily “to do” list in order of priority.  I start on the first priority on the list, and I don’t go to the second one until the first one is completed.
  • Give yourself deadlines. Deadlines are powerful psychological tools. If you are expected to give a presentation on Friday, you would get everything done, even if you cram it in at the last minute, right? For most people, simply having the intention to do something “soon” or “eventually” means there’s a good chance it won’t get done at all. The more time you must do something, the longer it will take you to do it.  Set a date and stick to it!
  • Make work time work time. Have a specific work area and everything ready to go when it’s work time. Keep distractions at a minimum. Stay focused and avoid podcasts, TV, social media, online shopping, email, and unplanned phone calls. Turn off all unnecessary notifications and alarms. You’ll be amazed at how your production skyrockets. Find the time of the day you feel best suits your energy levels and block off a 3-4-hour chunk of time to do your deep work.
  • Keep your free time free. Time is not renewable, so honor yours. It’s quite easy to cram too much into a day and feel guilty when you don’t get everything done. It’s ok to say no to someone if it is not a priority that fits into your day. Resist the temptation to rearrange your schedule to make room for more obligations. As Derek Sivers, founder of CDBaby.com, says about making commitments:  “If it is not a heck yeah, it is a no!”
  • Take a walk. It’s not new news that physical activity is good for you. Add “increased productivity” to the list of walking benefits. Walks are refreshing and they provide much needed breaks, fresh air, and renewed energy. Don’t think you have time for it? A 5-10 minute walk will do the body (and mind) good.
  • Drink water. This is another one that we hear all the time. That’s because your body and your mind need enough water (2.5 liters/day for women and 3.5 liters/day for men) to operate at 100%. Dehydration impacts cognitive and motor functions, skin, mood, and more.
  • Take regular breaks. Everyone is different so be mindful of what you need for optimal productivity. Some people do best by working 25 minutes followed by a 5-minute break (pomodoro technique), while others do better work for an hour then taking a 10-minute break. These mini breaks are powerful when used correctly and can drastically improve a person’s ability to focus. Feel free to set a timer if it helps you to stay on track!
  • Prepare the night before. A day that begins by scrambling to find matching shoes, a coat, lunch, medication, your laptop, workout clothes, etc., is not fun. In fact, it’s stressful. I don’t regret waking up feeling prepared for the day ahead. So go ahead and make that list ahead of time.

While this list of tips might seem simple, implementing these small changes into your daily schedule can lead to big results. You will feel more productive in your work time, and you might even feel as if you have more free time.