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I have noticed a trememdous improvement in my daily productivity
between times when I have organized by keeping a list to guide me throughout my day. When compared with the times I have not, I have discovered that keeping a list greatly enhanced my productivity. There have been times when my faithful list has empowered me to do amazing amounts of work in a given day, even finish early, gaining me more fun time. Often I have been able to get more accomplished before breakfast with a list than I would usually do in a whole day, without my list.
Here are my top ten ways to spend less time working and accomplish more:
1. Be sure you understand and are able to verbalize to yourself why you want produce more results while working less. This may seem simple, but it is highly important, as a way to motivate you to meaningful action. To do something successfully, it must be done on purpose and with a purpose. Knowing your purpose gives you an important reason to make any task or project important enough and a high enough priority to motivate you to get with the program, and get the job done.
You may want to spend less time working so you can spend more time with your family, or so you can finish the week early and have a long weekend, maybe so you can practice a sport more often, so you can compete with greater excellence. If your purpose is one that gives you a reason to get more serious and get things done, you will purposely do what is necessary to garner that time for your personal pursuits.
2. Use a Day Timer or other Organizer: This may also sound simplistic, but it is really important. The organizer can free your mind, as it becomes your memory bank. When you diligently use it every day, for everything, you will record your thoughts, assignments, tasks, appointments, shopping lists, and other important information. in their proper places and you will be free to forget it until it's time to refer to that information. For example your shopping list and the unusual item that you may be concerned about forgetting is of no concern now, because you will rely on your shopping list when you get to the store, and not worry about it until the proper time. The organizer may be paper or electronic. I have tried both ways and both have their advantages, but I prefer the old fashioned paper variety because it is usable everywhere, anytime.I also appreciate the pop-up reminders of the electronic kind.
3. Keep your To Do List short: This list can be very intimidating, mostly because most folks put too much on it. Your daily list should have only one or two mission essential tasks for any given day. This is your assignment to yourself. Be kind and don't make "unfunded" requirements. You work hard and, if you are effective, you should have some time for yourself. You need breaks, personal time and fun time to be more productive. Too much hard work will tire you out, your effort will become counter-productive and you may go nuts besides. I keep a separate "Long term" to do list that keeps me on track for weeks and months. These items don't become imperative until I schedule them on the daily list.
4. Arrive at work on time and get busy: Compartmentalize your activities. There is a time to work, and a time to play. At work,get to work in an organized, effective and energetic manner. When it is time to play, or take a break, separate from work and be recharged through relaxing pursuits. It is smartest to do your coffee drinking and socializing before and after work. At work be about your business, whether your office is next to the boss's or in your home. This policy alone will significantly shorten the time needed to accomplish the requirements of the day. When you have met the requirements of the day, straighten up, set tomorrow's schedule and go use the time you saved for your personal purposes.
5. It is important that you accomplish an important task before lunch: however don't rush it. Do it right. Finishing a significant task early will give you the momentum of successful accomplishment to carry you through the rest of the day.
6. Don't be really sociable at the office: Do all the socializing you want in the break room or at lunch time, at the appointed times. When the time is not right, get back into the business mode and back into the office and get busy, purposefully following your schedule. When you are not conducting business, you will find life is more enjoyable if you are sociable and relaxed, then when it is time to work you will be fresher and more effective. Don't be rude, just be professional and businesslike at work.
7. You can save a lot of time if you just learn how and when to say "No": It is seldom required for you to do everything that everyone asks of you. Don't be timid: Say no to unnecessary interruptions such as the inevitable social visits by co-workers. Refuse to chit-chat on the phone. Ask people to email you, so you can take control of the time and choose when to reply. If in person meetings or phone conversations cannot be eliminated, respectfully let the other person know that your you are busy and your time is limited...just let them know that you have a call to make in 5 minutes, then give them six, using the last minute to end the conversation. Question people ahead of time about the purpose of the meeting or call, and then you can take charge and set the parameters for it. Be sure and clarify the problem or reason for the contact beforehand and then ask questions to clearly and directly bring out the answer to the problem. If you are unable to help, courteously state the fact, and refer them to someone who can help and politely end the call or meeting. Your time is very valuable. Time is money...time is also life. Your and your family's well being and lifestyle depends on you getting your job done effectively. Your next sale or promotion may depend upon your ability to conduct business efficiently.
8. Control E-mail: This may challenge you, but it is vitally important. Don't let E-mail control you....you must take control of it. If you get important business email during the day, you may want to set up a special webmail account just for business and then direct all your business E-mail to that address, so you're not distracted by spam and personal email. Spam arrest is also a good program to get spam under control. Check E-mail as seldom as possible. For openers, try reducing to twice a day; just before lunch and just before quitting time. Be vicious with the delete key, then read business mail at work and read personal email after work. This tip alone can cut hours off of many a worker's time on the job. If you are in control of your own schedule, or a good negotiator with a reasonable boss, applying this tip means getting out of the office earlier; in many cases, much earlier.
9. Stop multi-tasking: With precious few exceptions, "Multi-tasking" means doing a half baked job of many things at the same time. I think It is the road to a nervous breakdown and low self esteem. When you wake up and realize that as hard as you work, you don't get anything done excellently, it has to be demoralizing. You'll profit greatly if you use the organizing tips above and take control of your work situation, then do one task at a time, until it is done well, then move on to the next one. A car accident in which someone dies would be a horrifying way to learn that you can't concentrate fully on two tasks at the same time, like driving and talking on the phone. Multi-tasking could be mostly responsible for the rampant mediocrity in today's workplace.
10. Outsource mundane tasks: There are people who make a business of helping you with mundane tasks, or tasks that you don't do well. One such business is Outsourcingsuccess dot com. Give it a try with some personal tasks first to get an idea of how it works for you. Without hiring a full time assistant or secretary, you can get good help and pay by the hour. That will free you up to tend to your more important tasks and the ones that you are strong in. Students at a local college or university who major in areas that would help you may be a good source of help, and you could help them earn a little income, too. If you prefer to go international, do a search on Your Man in India, and Brickwork, or the search on the term Virtual Assistants. Outsourcing Success has already made the connections and is ready to bridge the gap and help you get the help you need.
These tips are good ones for real business people to get real work done efficiently and effectively. The effectiveness of these tips in your situation will only be limited by the extent of your willingness to use them diligently.
Sergeant Carpenter
JUN JULY 2012
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