5 comments

• 

  Jeff Doak

  2 years ago

  If you're like me, you handle most tasks via email requests, and those tasks are a combination of quick 5-10 minute tasks, longer 1-2 hour tasks, and major projects. My tips;
  
  1. ALWAYS handle the 5-10 minute tasks immediately, as they come in. If you don't want to be disturbed in order to finish something else, close your email and don't check it until you are done. Otherwise knock out the small tasks and they won't pile up and get you further behind on other things.
  
  2. Schedule 50% of your day to work on major projects. If you can't do that, you're probably handling too much. I always make it the last part of the day. If you don't have major projects, then just move on to the next step.
  
  3. Always schedule 1-2 hour projects for the next day, and plan to do 2 of them (more if you have no major projects). If you've already got 2 planned, schedule them for the day after that, and so on, with never more than 2 a day. And here's the important part -- whoever is waiting for this task to be completed should be told it will be done EOB the day AFTER you plan to do it. That gives you an extra work day (and work night if necessary), and most of the time you will have it done earlier than they expected.
  
  The golden rule of completing tasks for other people is: they will forgive you if you can't get something done right away, they will love you if you get it done early, and they will hate you if you miss a promised deadline. Thus the EOB day after rule.
  
  Final tip: if you need to take care of something and don't want to be bothered, then go to extreme measures to make sure you aren't bothered. Close your email, close your IM, turn off the ringer on your phone, put up a DND sign on your office door or cubicle, and put on headphones, even if nothing is coming through them. People will get used to it and know they need to wait to talk to you.
  reply
• 

  Jeff Molander

  2 years ago

  Looks like Jeff reads the same productivity books I do :)
  
  Here's my tip:
  Don't waste half your day playing. LOL! I kill myself. Sorry, Sam, but I did the math on that and came up playing for half of the day. Not that this isn't practiced by highly successful people. It is. Ever hear of this guy Marc Allen? www.marcallen.com I had a chance to meet him recently... what a strange experience that was but refreshing; Sam you'll like him.
  
  On the serious side I do use many of the techniques that Jeff uses. As well, and to Sam's point, it's critical to take breaks. As well:
  
  SHUT OF IM AND EMAIL with regularity. That's my #1 productivity tip.
  reply
• 

  andrew wee

  2 years ago

  Sam,
  Thanks for taking part.
  
  Btw, you mispelled crackberry as blackberry, just thought you might like to know.
  
  I like the work 30mins, play 30mins idea. I use the work45mins,play15mins formula when i'm motivated.
  
  The other thing that gets me going is waking up at 2am or some other unearthly hour and getting stuff done then.
  
  With your hellenistic interests, maybe it's worth studying how Alexander the Great managed to get his world conquering done in such a short span of time. [I wonder if it's anything to do with dying at 30 though...]
  reply
• 

  Sam Harrelson

  2 years ago

  "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans," Jeff (courtesy of Lennon).
  
  I'm making about 5 times the amount of money now since I've adopted the "Play Method" compared to what I was making before.
  
  Plus, with a baby on the way, I'm quickly realizing that as I approach 30 the impact that I make on this world will occur in those 30 minutes of play rather than those 30 minutes of work!
  reply
• 

  Stephanie Agresta

  2 years ago

  Hello guys! What does it say that I'm responding to this at 10:30 pm EST? I have had a very productive day. :) First off, I'm not sure I have any truly innovative jewels here. I stick with the basics: daily, monthly and quarterly goal lists, perpetual optimizatinon of those lists, and ...well, something more touchy feely - I seem to know instinctively how to get tons of stuff done in short periods of time. It's part of my internal clock. Sometimes stress level gets high though. I will share a url for an interesting approach I heard about at web2.0 expo: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/
  
  Tim Ferriss spoke and made a few interesting suggestions. He only checks email twice a day (which would be so sad for me and which would take away a major component of my life). :) and - he outsources as much as he can in his life. That I'm working on.
  
  As a single woman who owns her own home and her own business, I have to balance personal and professional requirements on my own. No partner to help with household management - so for me, admin staff and my cleaning lady really help out a lot. I realize I don't have kids (that would require a whole new staff). For me, productivity is achieved by working hard and staying positive throughout the process!
  
  Thanks Sam - and have fun playing. I think I should try that. :)
  reply