The Veritable To-Do List
Ambling through a local office supply store I pass shelf after shelf of expensive but cool things that would look good on my desk. A set of steel balls suspended in parallel by wires, allowing the transfer of energy from one end to the other. As far as I can reckon, this apparatus serves no other function but to induce a trance-like state akin to… meditation?
Who knows.
What I was really shopping for is an item I consider so valuable to my productivity that I’d brave the sub-zero temperatures we have here to replenish my supply. So is it?
A package of 3″ x 5″ index cards.
I know what you’re thinking… (Yawn…)
Well, it isn’t the cards so much. It’s what I do with the cards and how I set out the next days priority items. Over the years I have developed a shorthand method of itemizing the tasks and tracking the progress on them. At the end of my workday I’ll make up my list for the next day. I try to keep the descriptions brief and I also estimate the time it takes to do each task (my accuracy isn’t great).
My little twist on the to-do list: I draw a circle on the left hand margin beside each task and color in my progress throughout the day, either in thirds or quarters. I don’t know how to explain it exactly, but the best explanation I can give is — it just feels good to see my progress on paper and gives me a little shot of motivation to continue on. Crazy? maybe… but I like doing it.
The thing about these cards is they are easy to store and they stack nicely. When I complete the items on my list I toss them into a small compartment on my desk where they fit perfectly. During moments of fatigue I refer to my completed pile of cards for a quick reminder that I can be, indeed, productive. Even though I have an iphone with to-do apps galore, the visceral impact isn’t the same. Go figure.
Try it out for just for the fun of it.
Read better and faster
I couldn’t help notice how long it took my wife to read a book. She was immersed in a hefty 1002-page soft cover fiction. I asked if when she reads does she hear (or sound out) the words in her head. She nodded and ignored me.
Proceeding to expound on the technical virtues of “finger tracing”, “double fixations”, and “chunking”, I launched into an eloquent discourse of the aforementioned techniques. Of course, she would hear none of that. (A productivity “prophet” is without honor in his own country)…
Many of us read, not because we have to, but because we want to. It pains me to realize that there are volumes upon volumes of great works I’ll never have time to read because there’s only a finite amount of free time available. I have to be picky and choosy about the books I invest my time in because time is a non-renewable resource. When it’s gone, it’s gone.
So how can you get better results from the time you allot to reading?
How can you read more and comprehend more of what you read?
How do you know if you’re improving on your speed?
The answers to the questions are: assessment, training, practice, and reassessment. (I haven’t figured a fancy acronym for this yet).
- Assessment: What do you need? A countdown timer, a book, a notepad, a comfortable chair and some “quiet” time. The instructions are easy. Choose a chapter out of the book. Set the timer for 5 minutes and start reading. When the alarm sounds, mark the end and tally up the words. Record the number and divide by 5 to get the words per minute. This is your baseline and the figure that were going to improve upon.
- Training. For learning purposes I’m arbitrarily going to pick the “fixation” technique to use. (More on the other techniques in future articles). Choose another chapter and rather than reading every word, I want you to “fixate” or pause on a spot at the beginning of the sentence and another spot at the end of the sentence.
- Practice. Go down the page, sentence by sentence, starting and stopping at the fixation points. Go at slower pace to develop a rhythm. Read using this method for week or so.
- Reassessment. Repeat step 1.
When I initially did this test I doubled my reading speed. That’s a big deal. I sub-vocalized the words I read which meant I was reading far slower than my potential. After doing the training exercise for a short interval I read twice as much in the same amount of time.
With the barrage of email and the sheer volume of information being posted on the internet daily, this little bit of training and practice will help you process more stuff than ever before.
So, does my wife care if she doubles her speed? Not really. She’s wrapped up in the story and “enjoying it thank-you-very-much”.
I’m betting you solo-workers who have to plod through page after page of dull technical reports are interested in getting through that stuff faster. Am I right? Talk to me about it.
An hour and half?! You’re kidding, right?
inexpensive timer
Just over a hundred years ago an obscure economist noticed that a mere 20% of the population controlled 80% of the wealth.
This is the basis for the principle we’ve come to know as the 80/20 rule.
Simply stated: 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort…
I think the rule is fascinating and worth a closer look. Can the rule be applied to our own sense of time management and productivity?
Certainly. Although I log in ten hours a day, most of us would agree that the 8-hour workday is the standard.
How many of us would say that we are completely productive during those 8 hours? I see a few hands went down.
If my math and our economist ‘s calculation are correct we have about 96 minutes of our day that produces the day’s result. Only a measly hour and half of productivity (I know I ran across that figure in some study done somewhere but I can’t seem to find it right now… I’ll keep looking).
Sounds pretty dismal doesn’t it? Maybe it’s not too hard believe given the fact that we’re bombarded with phone calls, tweets, emails, and meetings. Add those distractions and interruptions together then consider this: It takes roughly 15 or so minutes to get momentum back after being interrupted.
Start, stop, start, and stop… no wonder we’re buried under minutiae…
So, how do we counter this? My favorite technique to use is a countdown timer and a little self-discipline…
I borrowed the tip from a copywriter named Eugene Schwartz. Mr. Schwartz’s productivity as a copywriter was legendary. He never sat down to work without setting his kitchen timer to 33 minutes. He wouldn’t move or do anything other than work on the project before him for that 33 minute interval. Even if it meant staring at a blank sheet of paper for the whole time.
Let’s give that a shot.
If we work the 33 minutes less the 15 minutes it takes to gain momentum, we have about 18 minutes of good productivity.
If we take the total workday less coffee breaks and lunch and divide by our 33 minute work interval we get about 11 work sessions… give or take.
Let’s see… that’s 18 min x 11 sessions = 198 minutes of solid work! Pretty decent increase in productivity I’d say. We’ve more than doubled our output simply by changing how we handle the clock.
Just a minor tweak to our work habits can have a huge effect. Buy an inexpensive timer and give it a go! If it works for you, tell me about it here.
Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines…
Why do we need deadlines?
Because deadlines work. Period.
My tendency is to bite off more than I can chew. Add a pinch of procrastination, mix in some laziness and serve. Bad recipe.
Often, my mouth is ahead of my brain…
“No, you can’t have it yesterday!… er, (sigh) well… just a sec, lemme see what I can do”…
There isn’t anything like the feeling of dread staring down a looming deadline, especially when I’m not even close to completion.
On the other hand, I hate to disappoint my clients because happy clients turn into long term clients. And every marketer knows that the cost to acquire a new client is many times greater than the cost to keep a current client happy.
So, miraculously, I rarely miss deadlines I’ve agreed to.
So there it is. But what to do? How do you avoid client disappointment and keep all of your hair?
Two things…
First: Planning. The second: An understanding of Parkinson’s Law.
The first requires a pen, paper, and a calendar.
Second, who’s Parkinson anyhow?
Parkinson is the fellow who postulated the theory …“the demand upon a resource always expands to match the supply of that resource.”
(loosely paraphrased for our purposes)… “any activity will expand to fill the time allotted for it”.
That’s close enough.
Working backwards from the target completion date, count the available days and calculate the working hours. Subtract any time you need to complete current projects.
Is this amount of time enough to cover the extra assignment? If not, can you postpone a current job or squeeze in extra time in the early morning or evening?
Find every extra hour you can. Total ’em up and that’s all you have to work with. Will it be enough?
You’d be surprised.
I don’t have empirical data to support this claim other than my own anecdotal evidence. I do have a theory though.
As long as you understand the scope of the work involved, I think having a deadline puts you into a resourceful and productive frame of mind. It forces you to move and act regardless of inspiration. And, because I’m results-oriented, the added impetus of meeting the client’s expectation is a huge motivator.
If the completion date is vague, then the drive needed to finish the project will likely be unfocused and diffused.
Having a firm date and time eliminates all of that stuff.
Have you had a similar experience? Tell me about it.
Why You Don’t Need To Worry About Unemployment
Scanning the headlines today I ran across an article talking about the unemployment rate in the United States. The writer of the article quoted The Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke about the fact that the unemployment rate will not drop to pre-financial crisis levels for a few years.
The U.S. economy simply isn’t creating enough jobs to cover the new workers entering the labor force.
It’s just my personal observation but If you’re employed and you like your job, now is a good time to work on increasing your value to your employer.
In fact, I think it’s essential.
Should things tighten up in the company you’re working for it would be nice to have an edge on the others who work for the same company. You get that edge by using time management tips and techniques to squeeze more out of your working hours.
Aim to be a top producer. Whatever position you hold be it sales, administrative or technical– apply the principles of time management, goal-setting, and productivity. When the time comes to lighten the payroll burden your boss will think twice before laying you off.
Knowing that jobs aren’t being created fast enough should provide the impetus to keep improving your own skills and productivity.
By becoming a better planner, organizer, and do-er, you’ll solidify your position as being a valuable asset. Make it painful for the employer to let you go.
The Humble hPDA…
Talk about sheer inspiration and maybe even a smattering of genius…
I gotta admit — I love technology. Especially the shiny, glitzy and uber-intuitive kind of technology — iphones, ipads, notebooks, and on and on… and particularly when it comes to playing… er, working with to-do lists and contact management software.
But when I read about Merlin Mann’s hPDA (oh so cutting edge!) I was awed and befuddled at the spartan simplicity of it while simultaneously cursing myself for not thinking of it first…
Everyone is familiar with the Personal Data Assistant, right? Of course. I’ve owned several but this one is radically different.
The Hipster Parietal Disgorgement Aid is crude but incredibly efficient, user-centric, and cost-effective alternative (an understatement if there ever was one).
Boasting an impressive benefit list that would excite even the most vacant salesman… The Hipster PDA allows you to:
- shuffle and organize all your current projects quickly
- physical size permits comfortable carry along
- eliminate costly battery replacement
- data entry method: user friendly stylus
- permits use of intuitive text and graphic
- allows creative and freeform brainstorming; limited only by imagination
- easily expandable
- friendly to the environment; recyclable
- no instruction manual required; completely intuitive
- without a doubt the lowest-priced PDA on the market
And as if that isn’t impressive enough — consider the immediate boost in status when you flash this one by an ego-centric iphone enthusiast!
Probably the best and most overlooked benefit is the ability to construct one yourself. Here’s how…
First, buy a stack of 3 x 5 index cards; and a binder clip.
You can use the writing implement of your choice. I recommend the bic because its comfortable, cost effective and permits long writing life.
Next: assemble cards; start with a dozen or so; and clip together. Done.
That’s it folks. Use it to capture, plan, and corral all those great ideas on the fly. Create and organize your to-do list. Draw an impromptu graphic map of your travel tour. Record and share information with others efficiently. Make your shopping list, play games… I love it.
There really, really is no better bang for your buck than this fantastic device. Seriously…
Let me know how you use it and we’ll share your insights here.
Get To Maximum Speed… Tomorrow Morning
“Hmm… What should I do today?“…
A salaried employee rarely asks this question because someone else defines his or her duties. A self-employed person asks this question because they define their duties and responsibilities.
Depending when you ask this question will determine what kind of a day you’ll have.
Lets say, you arrive at your office late, grab a coffee, and check your email. You’re behind before you even start and checking email first thing is guaranteed to set your day off on the wrong foot.
So, asking the question later means you’ll be reacting to the agenda of others, doing busywork, and going from task to task with no clear plan. Sometimes this way of doing things even works… rarely.
Maybe tomorrow, you arrive early; check your inputs and plan your day first thing. That will give you a jump in productivity. Rather than reacting to every little bit of stimulus, you have calculated in advance your tasks and assigned a time and duration for each one. Good job.
But, can you do better? Let me make a simple suggestion…
Before you leave at the end of the day make a note of the tasks you missed. Check your schedule for tomorrow. Review your short-term goals. Jot down quickly the things you’d like to get done. This should take about 10 minutes. Stick the paper in your pocket and go home.
Before you go to bed take out the note and highlight the top 3 items that you feel will move you closer to your most important goals. Make a point to devote the first hour to working on your list. Great. Go to sleep.
What will happen tomorrow when you wake up?
If my suggestion works you’ll be filled with a sense of purpose and direction. You’ll be miles ahead of your coworkers. You won’t feel like you’re behind the wave and struggling to catch up. You’ll appear relaxed and in control with a clear vision of what needs to be done.
The by-product of your mental well-being is a huge boost in productivity because you’ll be doing the things that move your career, your company and your goals forward.
Let me know how this works out for you.
Book Recommendation: The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
Recently, I re-read a book written by Jack Canfield called “The Success Principles: How to Get From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be”. This book should be kept close at hand by anyone who seriously wants to improve every aspect of his or her life.
This resource contains 64 proven principles of success and backed by real life examples. Numerous case studies from athletes to writers appear in the book on how they applied each principle and the success they achieved.
The First Chapter contains the principle simply titled “Take 100% Responsibility for your life”. Once you understand you create your results by your choices, whether they’re good or bad, take responsibility for those choices. It puts the power to make better ones into your hands. If something didn’t work out as thought, change the thought. Now act according to the new thought.
“You only have control over three things in your life—the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take (your behavior).” — Page 9
Test the principle and see what happens. If the new choice doesn’t work out, nothing is lost other than a little effort. But, doing something different just might be the catalyst to bring you closer to the success you’ve always wanted.
The information contained in the book is the result of decades of intense study and application yet in a few hours of reading you can make the knowledge your own.
Modestly priced but worth many times the cost, the value will be apparent once you implement even a couple of the time-tested techniques.
Super-Productivity For The Solopreneur
You and I enjoy a great arrangement. And share a problem…
We work alone. We enjoy the solitude. We love the autonomy. We like the thought that we can write our own paycheck. We’re responsible for our own results.
That’s the good part…
The problem happens when we let our bad habits dictate how productive we are. If you work on your own and haven’t developed good work habits, the result of those habits become really evident when the time comes to deposit the check. If there is even a check at all. Ouch.
Anything that pulls you away from your task, interrupts your work flow, and distracts your attention is a problem that needs a strategy to deal with it. With the unending barrage of instant messages, emails and advertisements clamoring for your attention, you require methods of collecting, sorting, and dealing with them.
That is exactly what you’ll find here.
Strategies and tactics to help you manage your time, your work, and your life. My goal is to provide a comprehensive resource that you can draw upon to become more successful, more productive, and more valuable to those who you depend on you.
Bookmark this page as an important resource. In the very near future you’ll discover a mountain of actionable tips to help you manage and organize every aspect of your workday and personal life. You will find methods you can use to make yourself more productive and ultimately, more valuable to your employer or clients.
If you don’t have time to check in regularly, take a moment now and fill in your name and email address in the box on the right. I’ll make sure you get super-productive action tips delivered to your inbox that you can use immediately to skyrocket your career and income. As a shameless bribe I’ll even include my special report called “The 5 Most Important Skills to Boost Your Productivity This Year “.
Take the step and I’ll send it to you right away.