Time Management: Work Smarter, Not Harder

"Don't say you don't have enough time.  You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo DaVinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein." (H. Jackson Brown)

You want to become more productive at home or at work.  You want to devote more time to what matters most in your life.   Shaving off a few minutes here and a few minutes there in your daily schedule can free up a significant amount of time.  H. Jackson Brown has listed 20 tips to help you manage your time and come that much closer to achieving your goals (http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity).

1.  Prepare your day in advance.  You will feel more in control and less stressed.  

2.  Learn to say NO.  Reserve your time for the things that you either have to do or truly care about.

3.  Sleep 7 to 8 hours per night for optimum productivity.

4.  Focus entirely on the task at hand.  Multi-tasking isn't all it's cracked up to be.

5.  Rise early.  Studies show that productive, successful individuals start their day early.

6.  Complete the most important tasks first.

7.  Turn key tasks into habits.  

8.  Be aware of time spent watching TV or surfing the Internet or gaming.

9.  Assign a deadline to each task.

10.  Leave a buffer time between tasks ex. go for a walk, meditate or do another mind-clearing activity.

11.  Don't focus on the totality of your To Do List.  Take it one task at a time.

12.  Exercise and eat healthy to give you energy for the tasks at hand.

13.  Do less things with more value.  Emphasize quality rather than quantity.

14.  Create an organizing system either on your computer desktop or on a bulletin board.  Unsubscribe from e-mail lists that you are not interested in.

15.  Fill time when waiting.  Brian Tracy quoted a study done by an American airline which found that business people could on average accomplish 3 hours of work in the office within 1 hour on the plane.  The number of interruptions on the plane were far fewer than in the office.

16.  Lock yourself in.  No distractions.

17.  Commit to a plan.

18.  Batch related tasks together.  Different tasks require a different thought process.

19.  Find time for stillness.  Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

20. Enjoyment should always be the goal.  You get so caught up in busyness that you forget to enjoy the moment.

21.  Don' allow unimportant details to drag you down.  It is good to strive for excellence, but perfectionism can cripple you.

Note:  Read Eat That Frog:  21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done by Brian Tracy (https://www.amazon.ca/Eat-That-Frog-Great-Procrastinating/dp/1576754227).

http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity

How to Prepare for 2017

"Excellence is not a destination, but a journey." (Brian Tracy)

Motivational speaker and author Brian Tracy posted a video on Youtube called "How to Prepare for 2017" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2QZvBHtscM).  It goes hand in hand with my New Year's Day post "My Vision Board 2017".  Here are some of Brian's suggestions to help you set and accomplish goals for the new year.

Brian recommends that you set yourself up for success by identifying and writing down your goals for 2017.  But first, seek closure on 2016 before you forge ahead.  The author suggests that you make a list of ten goals you would like to accomplish.  Imagine that you have already succeeded in reaching all of these goals.  Make sure you write them in the present tense, in a positive rather than negative sense and in a personal sense ex. I am signing a book contract for The Hockey Stick.

George T. Doran recommends that you follow the acronym SMART when setting your goals.  

George T. Doran, former director of the Washington Water Power Company, first coined the term SMART goals in 1981 courtesy http://www.cognology.com.au/learning_center/howtowritesmartobj/

Look at your list and decide which goal will have the greatest impact on your life.  Circle that goal and declare it your Major Definite Purpose.  Set a deadline for that goal.  In fact, I recommend that you set a deadline for all ten of your goals.  When I taught elementary school, I had to make Long RAnge Plans every year.  I made a chart which I photocopied on ledger size paper and posted it in my classroom where I could easily see it.  The chart helped me keep on track with the curriculum.  Unlike many teachers, I actually enjoyed making Long Range Plans.  

Brian suggests that after you list your goals, practice mindstorming (or what I like to call brainstorming).  Pose your Major Definite Purpose as a question ex.  How will I get a book contract for The Hockey Stick?  Write down twenty responses to this question.   Every so often go back and revisit your goals to determine how you are progressing.  

Remember:  Excellence is not a destination, but a journey.

Note:  I found this goal chart on Pinterest "Become a Better You" with space for ten areas of your life to set goals.  Included is a line to name the goal, give it a deadline and check off whether or not you accomplished it (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/8796161750433493/).

http://assistedlivingaboveandbeyond.com/2016/11/12/goal-setting-for-2017/