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[Audiobook] Personal Development | Personal Productivity
Can you truly transform your productivity and make the most of each day? Discover how structured goal setting and effective project management can lead to success both professionally and personally in our latest episode. We kick off by breaking down the concept of SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timed—along with the three Ps of goal setting: Positive, Personal, and Possible. Through the inspiring journey of Paul and Cindy, we demonstrate the power of setting and achieving structured goals, showcasing how these principles can elevate your daily productivity.
Next, we uncover practical strategies to maximize your time. From integrating exercise routines into your schedule to batching tasks like emails and meal planning, we share actionable tips to streamline your day both at work and home. Learn how to keep a task tracking system, create personalized productivity systems, and distinguish between urgent and important tasks. We'll also explore the benefits of using electronic banking and maintaining a family calendar, showing you how small changes can lead to significant improvements in your productivity.
Finally, we tackle effective project management and procrastination head-on. Understand the importance of gathering essential information before beginning any task and setting evaluation milestones to keep your projects on track. We’ll delve into balancing project scope, time, quality, and cost using the triple constraint concept, and offer strategies for breaking tasks into manageable steps. Through the story of Tammy and Ian, you'll see the impact of accountability on productivity, wrapping up with motivational quotes to inspire your continued personal growth. Don't miss this comprehensive guide to transforming how you approach your daily tasks and long-term goals!
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Sign up for our self-paced courses or instructor-led workshops at www.ht-a.solutions
Personal Productivity. Module 1 Getting Started. Most people find that they wish they had more time in a day. This workshop will show participants how to organize their lives and find those hidden moments. Participants will learn how to establish routines, set goals, create an efficient environment and use time-honored planning and organizational tools to maximize their personal productivity. Module 2 Setting Smart Goals.
Speaker 1:Goal setting is critical to your personal productivity. It is the single most important life skill that, unfortunately, most people never learn how to do properly. Goal setting can be used in every single area of your life, including financial, physical, personal development relationships or even spiritual. According to Brian Tracy's book Goals, fewer than 3% of people have clear written goals and a plan for getting there. Setting goals puts you ahead of the pack.
Speaker 1:Some people blame everything that goes wrong in their life on something or someone else. They take the role of a victim and they give all their power and control away. Successful people instead dedicate themselves towards taking responsibility for their lives. No matter what the unforeseen or uncontrollable events, live in the present. The past cannot be changed and the future is the direct result of what you do right now.
Speaker 1:Setting meaningful long-term goals is a giant step toward achieving your dreams. In turn. Setting and achieving short-term goals can help you accomplish the tasks you'll need to achieve the long-term ones. It is also important to make sure that all of your goals unleash the power of the three Ps. Positive who could get fired up about a goal such as find a career that's not boring? Goals should be phrased positively so they help you feel good about yourself and what you're trying to accomplish. A better alternative might be this enroll in pre-law classes so I can help people with legal problems someday. Personal Goals must be personal. They must reflect your own dreams and values, not those of friends, family or the media. When crafting your goal statement, always use the word I in the sentence to brand it as your own. When your goals are personal, you'll be more motivated to succeed and take greater pride in your accomplishments.
Speaker 1:Possible. When setting goals, be sure to consider what's possible and within your control. Getting into an Ivy League university may be possible if you are earning good grades, but unrealistic if you're struggling. In the latter case, a more reasonable goal might be to attend a university or trade school that offers courses related to your chosen career. You might also pursue volunteer work that would strengthen your college applications.
Speaker 1:Smart is a convenient acronym for the set of criteria that a goal must have in order for it to be realized by the goal achiever. Specific Success coach Jack Canfield states in his book the Success Principles that vague goals produce vague results. In order for you to achieve a goal, you must be very clear about what exactly you want. Often, creating a list of benefits that the accomplishment of your goal will bring to your life will give your mind a compelling reason to pursue that goal. Measurable. It's crucial for goal achievement that you're able to track your progress towards your goal. That's why all goals need some form of objective measuring system so that you can stay on track and become motivated when you enjoy the sweet taste of quantifiable progress.
Speaker 1:Achievable. Setting big goals is great, but setting unrealistic goals will just demotivate you. A good goal is one that challenges but is not so unrealistic that you have virtually no chance of accomplishing it. Relevant Before you even set goals, it's a good idea to sit down and define your core values and your life purpose, because it's these tools which ultimately decide how and what goals you choose for your life. Goals in and of themselves do not provide any happiness. Goals that are in harmony with our life purpose do have the power to make us happy Timed.
Speaker 1:Without setting deadlines for your goals, you have no real compelling reason or motivation to start working on them. By setting a deadline, your subconscious mind begins to work on that goal night and day, to bring you closer to achievement. Achieving challenging goals requires a lot of mental energy. Instead of spreading yourself thin by focusing on several goals at once, invest your mental focus on one goal, the most important goal right now, when you are prioritizing, choose a goal that will have the greatest impact on your life compared to how long it will take to achieve. A large part of goal setting is not just identifying what you want, but also identifying what you must give up in your life in order to get it. Most people are unwilling to make a conscious decision to give up the things in their life necessary to achieve their goals. As we change and grow, our goals should change too.
Speaker 1:When you reach the target date set out in your goal, look at what you have achieved. Here is a checklist to help you out. What percentage of my goal did I achieve? Why did I achieve that percentage? What would I do differently next time? What is my next step? What other goals might need to change now. In addition, keep an eye on new trends and ideas around you. You might just find one that will change your life.
Speaker 1:Paul worked up a sweat as he tried to make heads or tails of the work in front of him. Cindy caught a glimpse of him and the scattered debris on his desk and asked what she could do to help. Paul told her he couldn't find the light at the end of the tunnel of tasks on his to-do list. Cindy suggested setting goals for both work and personal productivity. Together they brainstormed positive ideas that made Paul feel better about his career goals. Using the smart way of being specific and how to choose goals he could measure. Instead of having work pile on his desk, paul set achievable goals that kept him in the fast lane to success in the workplace and at home.
Speaker 1:Module 3. The Power of Routines. For most people, the word routine typically conjures up an image of a boring, repetitive life, with every moment controlled and managed and no room for spontaneity. Routines and rituals, however, can actually help increase the spontaneity and fun in your life, because routine tasks are already planned for you have more energy to spend on the tasks that will bring you closer to your goals and bring more joy to your life. The Random House Dictionary defines a routine as any practice or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set manner. In fact, you can build any type of routine in three easy steps 1. Identify the task let's say you want to build an exercise routine. 2. Identify the time and or trigger. For example, perhaps you normally exercise right after work. 3. Identify the subtasks. For you, perhaps your routine involves going to the gym, getting changed, stretching, doing 45 minutes on the treadmill, performing 3 reps of weights and doing a lap around the pool to finish things off. Then you shower and go home. Remember, a routine shouldn't be set in stone. Once you establish a routine, it can be modified at any point in time depending on what works for you. With our exercise example, you could easily decide to exercise before work or even at lunch, and still use the basic task and subtasks. Before work, or even at lunch, and still use the basic task and subtasks.
Speaker 1:Sleep, meals and exercise form the building blocks of our lives. Without this stable foundation, other personal productivity efforts won't be as successful. Here are some ideas Sleep Establish a routine for half an hour before you sleep. This might include creating a to-do list for the next day. Enjoying a cup of tea, taking a warm bath and or performing some stretches All of these activities will help you wind down and sleep better. It is best to try to go to bed at around the same time every night, too. Meals Take a half hour each weekend to plan meals for the next week, including lunches and suppers. Then make a grocery list and get everything you will need. Appliances like slow cookers and delayed start ovens can also help you make sure supper is ready when you are Exercise.
Speaker 1:Try to exercise for one hour three times a week or half an hour each day. One easy way is to go for a brisk walk at lunch or do yoga in the morning before work. Here are some routines that many people find helpful in maximizing their time in the office. Instead of checking email, news and websites throughout the day, set aside one or several periods, for example morning, noon and at the end of the day. Then batch and sequence your activities, for example, email, news and industry journals. You can batch many types of tasks in this way for maximum efficiency. Set up a system for maintaining your task tracking system. This can be as simple as 5 minutes in the morning to update the day's list 5 minutes at noon to update what you have done already, and 5 minutes at day's end to evaluate today and create a starting list for tomorrow. In the morning, perform your tasks in an organized, routine manner. You can also lay out your clothes and prepare your lunch the night before for maximum efficiency. With some creative thinking, you can reduce the number of items on your to-do list.
Speaker 1:Here are our top six suggestions 1. Pay someone else to do it. Evaluate the time you spend on household chores and decide whether it is worth it to pay someone else to do it. A service near my home will wash, dry, sort and fold a load of laundry for only $5. We also pay a neighborhood kid $10 a week to mow our lawn. 2. Use electronic banking. Today, nearly all banks offer automatic bill payments. If you have bills that are the same amount and due at the same time at regular intervals, set up automatic payments so you don't have to pay it yourself. Just make sure that you have the money in your account at the required time.
Speaker 1:3. Keep everyone organized. If you share your household with roommates, a spouse or children, keep a calendar in a central location, such as on the fridge, so that everyone can record important dates and appointments. Advance notice means better planning and improved efficiency. 4. Plan your meals. Planning meals in advance both lunches and suppers will save you time, money and energy. Try making soups, chili or casseroles on the weekend and freezing them for use during the week. 5. Take advantage of shortcuts. Our world is filled with shortcuts. Everything from speed dial to ready-made salad kits to automatic television recording can save you a few seconds here and there. It all adds up. 6. Save the difference. The motto of one large family is buy used and save the difference. You can do the same thing with newfound minutes. Save them up during the day and use them to work towards one of your goals.
Speaker 1:Samantha lagged behind in her work because she felt distracted by an endless supply of emails. Her boss, jenna, noticed that work wasn't turned in and went to unearth the problem. Jenna found Samantha swamped by emails. Jenna suggested setting up a system to control the flood of emails that would allow Samantha the chance to get herself in gear and complete her tasks. They set up a reminder on Samantha's computer that would ring loudly to alert her to a five-minute timeline every hour in which to check her emails. She would then dig deeper into her work without further distractions. Samantha decided she would only peek at her email three times a day instead of being glued to her screen all day long.
Speaker 1:Module 4. Scheduling Yourself. Routines and rituals should form the framework of your days at home and in the office. In addition to these key activities, you will have day-to-day tasks, projects to complete and goals to work on. This module will explore how to schedule those tasks and activities in the most efficient way possible.
Speaker 1:In order to be as productive as you can be, you must remember the simple secret of time management. There is no secret, no one-size-fits-all solution and no magic button. You must explore different methods and, through trial and error, find the solutions that work for you. Most people find that combining several different time management and productivity methods creates a system that works for them. As a last note, remember as you grow and as your life changes, you may need to revise your time management system. Keep an eye on what others are doing and new ideas that emerge. You might just find something that works for you. Although there are many time management systems out there, we have found that most systems boil down to a few key principles. Here are our top three ideas Electronic solutions, most email applications, including Microsoft Outlook, actually fall into the category of a PIM Personal Information Manager application.
Speaker 1:This means that they can store calendar, task, email and contact information all in one place. To make the most of your electronic solution, follow these tips Keep personal and professional information in two separate locations. For example, you might have a computer at home and one at work, or two email profiles on the same computer. Take the time to learn about the features of the application and how to use them. To be more productive, try to use just the application as much as you can. Switching between your computer and your day timer will waste time and increase the risk of missing information. Productivity Journal will waste time and increase the risk of missing information.
Speaker 1:Productivity Journal If you're more of a traditionalist and prefer using something similar to an old-fashioned day timer, try this solution To start. Get yourself a spiral notebook and label it as your personal productivity journal or your professional productivity journal. We recommend keeping a separate journal for work and for your personal life so you can focus on them at separate times, thus maintaining your optimal work-life balance. Label each page with the day and the date and what needs to be done that particular day. Next, prioritize each task in order of importance. Highlight the top three items and focus on those first. Cross off items as you complete them. Items that are not completed should be carried over to the next page. You can keep a long-term calendar in the back of the book or use a three-ring binder with sections to record upcoming events.
Speaker 1:The Urgent Important Matrix. Managing time effectively and achieving the things that you want to achieve means spending your time on things that are important and not just urgent. To do this, you need to distinguish clearly between what is urgent and what is important. This concept, coined the Eisenhower Principle, is said to be how former US President Dwight Eisenhower organized his tasks. It was rediscovered and brought into the mainstream as the Urgent-Important Matrix by Stephen Covey in his 1994 business classic, the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Here is a breakdown of each quadrant.
Speaker 1:Urgent and important Activities in this area relate to dealing with critical issues as they arise and meeting significant commitments. Perform these duties now. Important but not urgent these success-oriented tasks are critical to achieving goals. Plan to do these tasks next. Urgent but not important these chores do not move you forward toward your own goals. Manage by delaying them, cutting them short and rejecting requests from others. Postpone these chores Not urgent and not important. These trivial interruptions are just a distraction and should be avoided if possible. However, be careful not to mislabel things like time with family and recreational activities as not important. Avoid these distractions altogether. It's important to master the art of scheduling appointments efficiently in order to maximize personal productivity.
Speaker 1:Some tips to get started Block off solid, quiet time to work at your desk without interruptions no phone calls, meetings or visitors dropping in unannounced. Make sure that people know you're unavailable from 9am to 10am or whenever you find yourself working most productively. Leave the most convenient time for callers to call on your voicemail message or ask them to leave you a time that's convenient for you to call them back. You can also use voicemail to communicate your current status At your desk all day. Traveling or on vacation, meetings can be a big time waster. Suggest start and finish times for meetings and strictly adhere to them. Remember, after 45 minutes most meetings lose steam. When possible, use conference calls and web conferences to save travel time. If you're leading a meeting, remember to prepare a meeting agenda in advance, with copies emailed to everyone. Set a good example by starting and finishing on time, with important points discussed first. Are you finding your to-do lists getting longer and longer? Give some of these ideas a whirl.
Speaker 1:Instead of being overwhelmed by a large project, deconstruct it into smaller, bite-sized projects. Delegate effectively by matching up individual strengths with project tasks. Be strict with deadlines but be flexible enough to accommodate individual situations. Always have a backup plan. Allow for extra time when dealing with external parties. Frank had been way behind schedule and couldn't see his workday ending. Sandra poked her head in his office and saw the beads of sweat hitting the mounds of unfinished work in front of his computer. Frank's eyes bulged and his teeth teeth were clenched as he raced to type in more data information. Sandra knew that time management could save him from himself. Sandra offered a hand. She organized his desktop and placed a timer on his desk instructing him to lighten his heavy load and split his work into smaller, manageable pieces instead of tackling them all at once. He saw no end to his turmoil but agreed to give it a shot and organized his work to accomplish the next day.
Speaker 1:Module 5. Keeping yourself on top of tasks. Even after you've got a plan in place, it's important to keep adjusting your plan so that you can stay in control of your time. This module will give you some ways to help you stay on top of your to-do list. If you can do a task in a minute or less, do it. Here are some things that you can accomplish in 60 seconds or less Check for new messages on your voicemail and email. Quick replies to emails. Accept a meeting invitation. Quick stretches to give you an energy boost. Review new RSS feeds.
Speaker 1:If you're stuck on a task, can't get started, have hit a roadblock or just can't seem to get it wrapped up, set aside 5 minutes each hour to work on it until you've hit the desired progress point. Here are some ideas for putting this into action Desk 2 cluttered Set aside 5 minutes at the end of each hour to clear off one part. Report not coming along. Set aside 5 minutes each hour to work on a particular part. Inbox overflowing Set aside 5 minutes each hour to work on clearing it out.
Speaker 1:No matter how well you plan and how organized you are, there will likely come a time when you feel like you just can't get your head above water. When this happens, follow these five easy steps to get things back under control. 1. First, take a deep breath. Make sure that your mind is calm and clear before you begin. 2. Next, make a list of all the tasks that are outstanding. If there is a due, date, mark it beside each item that are outstanding. If there is a due, date, mark it beside each item. 3. Now look at your calendar. Create a plan for the most important items. Transfer these items to your tracking system outlook, productivity journal, day, timer, etc. 4. Identify the three most important items. Make those a priority for today. 5. If possible, start work on the most critical item. Like other plans, you will probably need to revisit your to-do items and priorities once you have completed a few tasks. This plan, however, should help you get your head above water and get back on track.
Speaker 1:Colin ran around the office in a panic because he had so much to do and so little time to get it done. Mark stopped Colin in his tracks and offered to help him break down his tasks into manageable pieces. Colin had been excited and burst with energy at the thought of a solution to his mounting problems. Mark advised that he use a timer to dedicate 60 seconds to tear through small tasks and five minutes to barrel through larger chunks. Soon, colin went off to the races and arrived ahead of schedule, thanks to the brilliant idea shared with him. Colin felt elated and jumped for joy when he saw that he had inched closer to the finish line and could beat the timer and make his tasks disappear in the blink of an eye.
Speaker 1:Module 6. Tackling New Tasks and Projects. When you're assigned a new task or project, it's important to create a plan at the beginning so you get off to a good start. This module will look at some different techniques that you can use to tackle new to-do items. When planning and organizing, try to create the right size plan for the task. If your goal is to organize your inbox, for example, it's probably not necessary to spend several hours planning each action. On the other hand, if you're handed a complex project, you may want to spend several days or even weeks gathering information and creating a plan. For small tasks, basic tools such as a to-do list or calendar will probably be the best choice. For medium-sized tasks or projects, you might want to use RACI charts, visual timelines, storyboards and for large projects, consider Gantt charts, project plans, project-specific productivity journals, online time tracking dashboards.
Speaker 1:For most tasks, you will need some background information before you begin. Remember you'll need very little information for simple tasks and more detailed information for complex tasks. Basic information you will gather should include what is the date I will start this task? What is the deadline? Who else can I rely on for help? What are the major things that need to be completed? What obstacles might I encounter? How can I get around them? For example, one of your key resources might be going on vacation in two weeks. You will want to gather all required information from them before they leave. What work has already been completed?
Speaker 1:For most medium to large size tasks, you will want to build evaluation points into your plan. Typically, these occur at key gateways, called milestones in the project management world. At these gateways, you will look at your plan, determine what is working and what is not working and adjust as necessary. Some other signs that it may be time to review your plan you keep falling further and further behind. You're not motivated to work on the project. You're finding that your plan isn't the right size for your project. Major changes have happened in your project. Harry was disorganized and asked Alex for advice. Alex told Harry that he needed to draw up a plan to tackle his mess. Together they created the right plan for the right jobs and Harry felt the weight of the world fall off of his jobs and Harry felt the weight of the world fall off of his shoulders and, one by one, watched the sticky notes as they flew off of his shirt and dove into their correct plan. It became a miracle and Harry could stand proud because his work didn't drag him down anymore and his boss would be the happiest man on earth knowing that time and money had not been wasted due to Harry's disorganized bunch of notes.
Speaker 1:Module 7. Using Project Management Techniques. Project management is the art and science of planning, organizing and managing resources to ensure that a project is completed successfully. Although project management tools are often used for major endeavors, we can scale some of them down and use them in our day-to-day work. This module will give you an introduction to key project management techniques and ideas and show you how to use them to become more productive.
Speaker 1:The triple constraint illustrates the balance of the project scope, schedule, time, quality and cost. During the planning phase of a project, the project management team defines the project scope, time, cost and quality of a project. As the process continues, the project managers discover that there may be changes or adjustments to be made in one of these areas. When this happens, the other factors of the triple constraint are likely to be affected as well. For example, if the cost increases, it is logical to assume that the scope and time will increase as well. The same thing happens if the cost decreases. The scope and time will decrease too. It is the job of the project manager, and sometimes the project team, to identify how a change to a single element will change the other elements.
Speaker 1:The next task is to build the schedule. A good schedule will allow you to grow and change while you're working on your task or project. Keep it up to date to make sure that you will meet your deadlines. There are many scheduling tools out there For personal task management. We prefer a simple, table-style format. The first column lists the tasks that need to be performed. This list is typically organized in the order in which the tasks will be accomplished, chronologically. If it's a large project, think of how it might be broken up into phases to help subdivide tasks that will be performed. The second column specifies the duration of each task listed. This duration might be listed in terms of days, weeks or hours, depending on the project. If you are relying on other people or machines to help you complete your task, make a list of restrictions and availabilities. Here are some tips to make your schedule efficient, accurate and useful.
Speaker 1:Look for places where resources can perform activities simultaneously. Indicate milestones in your schedule. Milestones are identifiable points in your project that require no resources or time. They are simply a key point in time. They can also help you group your project into phases. Milestones in this project might be have paint color chosen, have room cleaned out, get painting complete, have room put back together. If you are delivering a business project, try to include deliverables with the milestones. This way, sponsors and stakeholders have tangible results at various stages in the project and are more likely to stay interested and committed. Make sure to include lag and lead time in your tasks. In the painting project, for example, there is little to no time allotted for the paint to dry between coats. The project will definitely fall behind schedule.
Speaker 1:A Ray C chart is an excellent way to outline who is responsible for what during a project or task. To start, create a chart with tasks listed on the left-hand side and resources listed across the top. Now put the appropriate letter in each cell R responsible for execution. A approver C. Consult. I keep informed. Norman had sunk fast. He had no plan to lead his team toward victory and sweat bullets to try to dream up a solution. His team member, pauline, caught wind of his dilemma and in a pinch created a schedule that would put Norman and the team on the road to success. Pauline told Norman all he needed, involved a huddle with the team together and they'd their heads in the game. Pauline taught Norman how to transform into a head coach and showed him how to call the plays and get his team ahead of their competition. With a few quick moves and a winning attitude, soon Norman turned into a champion in the workplace and his team could run circles around the competition.
Speaker 1:Module 8. Creating a Workspace. In order to be the most productive that you can be, you must create the appropriate environment. This module will give you some ideas for creating an effective, ergonomic workspace in any office. One key aspect of an effective workspace is the physical layout. Keep these tips in mind. Make sure your chair provides sufficient support, if possible. Position the desk so that it receives maximum natural light. Make sure that light doesn't point at the monitor or in your face. Keep your desk as clear as possible. Store tools and papers where they belong. Make a habit of cleaning off your desk at the end of each day. Do a complete clean and reorganization of your workspace once or twice a year. Place the telephone within easy reach. Keep mugs and glasses away from electronics. Try to have an area for your computer and an empty workspace. L-shaped desks are ideal for this. Make your workspace a pleasant place to be. Plants, pictures, unlit candles and small fishbowls are ideal for any work area. If you're bringing items into an office, check company policy first. Focus on the changes that you can make. Keep your eyes open for new ideas.
Speaker 1:Ergonomics is the study of how workers relate to their environment. It has been proven that particular factors can increase or decrease the risk of certain injuries and conditions, such as repetitive strain injuries, rsis, back problems and eye problems. Here are some things that you can adjust to make your workspace more ergonomic. Keep your back straight. Your feet should be flat on the floor or on a footrest. Chair arm rests, back pads and keyboard wrist rests can help to decrease muscle strain. Ensure your monitor is tilted at a comfortable viewing angle. Some people prefer to place it directly on the desk, while others find that a monitor stand eases neck strain. Use natural light when possible. Most importantly, pay attention to your body. If you develop aches and pains, it may be a sign that your workspace needs to be adjusted. You may also need to consult your doctor for specialized treatment.
Speaker 1:In the last two topics, we focused on creating an effective, productive physical workspace. In this topic, we'll switch focus to your virtual workspace. To use your computer most efficiently, customize your working areas as much as you can. Here are some ideas to get you started Organize your start menu so that you can easily find the applications you need. Keep your virtual desktop like your real desk, organized and clutter-free. Customize toolbars on your desktop and within applications to place frequently used commands at your fingertips. Make use of applications that automate tasks for you, particularly computer maintenance tasks. As with your physical workspace, your company may limit your customization capabilities. Stay positive and focus on the changes that you can make and the positive effects that those have.
Speaker 1:Caroline hid behind a garden of plants and a gazillion family photos on her desk. Her boss, george, had been ready to send out a search party because her latest assignment was due. He wouldn't stand for it and began digging through the piles until he located Caroline and told her that he'd help her bulldozer, her demolition zone and together they'd create the organized workspace of her dreams. Hours had passed and finally Caroline could see her desktop and her plants and photos found a new home away from her desk. And, most importantly, she found the gold at the end of the rainbow and handed George the assignment she'd lost. Caroline burst with excitement to be able to work more efficiently in her clutter-free zone, module 9.
Speaker 1:Organizing Files and Folders being able to find a particular piece of information when you need it is essential to being productive. Some studies estimate that people spend up to an hour and a half each day looking for things. This module will give you some ways to keep your files organized. To retrieve materials quickly, you'll need an effective filing system that includes three basic kinds of files Working files Materials used frequently and needed close at hand. Reference files Informationials, used frequently and needed close at hand. Reference files Information needed only occasionally. Archival files Materials seldom retrieved but that must be kept For ease of retrieval.
Speaker 1:Organize files in the simplest way possible. For example, you could label files with a one or two word tag and arrange the files alphabetically. Even with advanced search tools, it is important to organize your computer files, including your email, in a way that makes sense to you and enables you to retrieve information quickly. One of the most common ways of organizing electronic files is to create a folder for each project or task and then create subfolders as appropriate For email. You may want to create folders for correspondence with particular people, appropriate For email. You may want to create folders for correspondence with particular people. To take organization a step further, use operating system or search program features like keywords, tags, jump lists and virtual folders In order to keep your files organized.
Speaker 1:You must clean up and archive your files regularly, set a consistent date and put a reminder in your calendar. This could be at the end of each month, the end of each quarter or at the beginning of each year. It depends on what works for you For paper files. Go through your working and reference files and move any old items to archive files, being sure to label and store them consistently. Likewise, go through your archive files and see if you can throw anything out. Be sure to shred sensitive documents For electronic files. There are many applications to help you archive your data files and see if you can throw anything out. Be sure to shred sensitive documents For electronic files. There are many applications to help you archive your data. Many email applications offer an automatic archive feature. Likewise, you can move files to an external storage area. This is also a good time to perform a backup of your entire system.
Speaker 1:Robin was looking for the report her boss needed, and it felt like looking for a needle in a haystack. Sharon offered to give her a hand, knowing Robin would waste time looking for reports until the cows came home, sharon suggested a better way and gave Robin a sliver of hope. Sharon showed Robin how to take the old files and tuck them neatly away in an organized fashion, and gave her the tools to keep her recent files from disappearing from right under her nose by giving them a place to call home within an arm's reach for Robin. Together, they were able to save Robin from drowning in her sea of files and save time by marching to the beat of a much more organized drummer.
Speaker 1:Module 10. Managing Email. Email can be a great time-saver, but it can also be a great time waster. This module will give you some tools to manage your email time wisely. We'll also look at how to take back your life from your handheld device. Like other routine tasks such as returning phone calls, handling paper mail and checking voicemail, email is best handled in batches at regularly scheduled times of the day. We suggest setting aside a period of time at the beginning of the day, right before or after lunch, and at the end of the day. During that period, focus on getting your inbox cleaned out. If you can't get it all done during your designated time frame, decide whether to extend the time frame, let it wait until your next email session, or use the 5-minute rule and work on it throughout the day. If your business requires you to be more responsive, try setting your email program to download email every 30 to 60 minutes rather than every minute. This will prevent you from being distracted and help you maintain a more continuous workflow.
Speaker 1:When reviewing your email, try to take action right away to keep your inbox as clear as possible. You can read it and then file or delete it. Reply to it and then file it. Delete it without taking any other action. Appropriate for junk mail. Forward it and file it. Mark it for follow-up. Appropriate when you need to gather information before replying. You might not know it, but your email program can probably take over some of your daily tasks. Most email programs include tools to save you time and reduce the time you spend dealing with email. Our favorite features include custom folders, much like the folders on your hard drive. Rules to move emails to folders or perform other actions upon certain triggers. Colored flags, including follow-up flags with reminders, categories or keywords. Search tools, junk mail filtering, auto archive and email cleanup. Integrated task calendar and contact management systems. Our challenge to you take five minutes each day to see what your email program can do for you.
Speaker 1:Disruptions are the biggest obstacle to being more productive. We have already talked about handling email and unannounced visitors. Another major source of disruptions, ironically, can come from handheld devices cell phones, smartphones. Now you can be interrupted anywhere, anytime. To ensure that your handheld device increases rather than decreases your productivity, try these tips Turn off as many notifications as possible. Use your device for work or home, not both. Give your number to essential people only If you're at your desk. Set the device aside. Use voicemail and automatic reply to let people know when you'll be away from your desk. Set your device to vibrate in meetings or turn it off if possible. Rachel saw a double as she tried to race through the thousands of emails. Ellen had been floored by the amount of work. She couldn't get done because Rachel couldn't see past the email on her desktop. Ellen knew she had to come to the rescue and save Rachel from the email culprit, ellen created a handy-dandy chart detailing how long each task Rachel had to do in a day would take and allowed Rachel five minutes every hour to key a response and return to her work full throttle. The system worked and Rachel drove in the driver's lane again and geared up for a very productive day of not getting sideswiped by emails.
Speaker 1:Module 11. Tackling Procrastination. Procrastination means delaying a task or even several tasks that should be a priority. The ability to overcome procrastination and tackle the important actions that have the biggest positive impact in your life is a hallmark of the most successful people out there. There are many reasons why we tend to procrastinate, including no clear deadline, inadequate resources, available time, money, information, etc. Don't know where to begin Task feels overwhelming, no passion for doing the work, fear of failure or success. Why do you procrastinate? Understanding your personal reasons will help you create a solution that will work for you. Your ability to select your most important task at any given moment and then to start on that task and get it done both quickly and well will probably have more impact on your success than any other quality or skill you can develop If you nurture the habit of setting clear priorities and getting important tasks quickly finished, the majority of your time management issues will simply fade away. Here are some ways to get moving on those tough tasks.
Speaker 1:Delete it. What are the consequences of not doing the task at all? Maybe it doesn't need to be done in the first place. Delegate If the task is important. Ask yourself if it's really something that you are responsible for doing in the first place. Know your job description and ask if the task is part of your responsibilities. Can the task be given to someone else? Do it now. Postponing an important task that needs to be done only creates feelings of anxiety and stress. Do it as early in the day as you can. Ask for advice, asking for help from a trusted mentor, supervisor, coach or expert can give you some great insight on where to start and the steps for completing a project.
Speaker 1:Chop it up. Break large projects into milestones and then into actionable steps. As Bob Proctor says, break it down into the ridiculous. Huge things don't look as big when you break it down as small as you can. Obey the 15-minute rule To reduce the temptation of procrastination each actionable step on a project should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. Have clear deadlines. Assign yourself a deadline for projects and milestones and write it down in your day planner or calendar. Make your deadlines known to other people who will hold you accountable in your day planner or calendar. Make your deadlines known to other people who will hold you accountable. Give yourself a reward. Celebrate the completion of project milestones and reward yourself for getting projects done on time. It will provide positive reinforcement and motivate you toward your goals.
Speaker 1:Remove distractions. You need to establish a positive working environment that is conducive to getting your work done. Remove any distractions. Working environment that is conducive to getting your work done. Remove any distractions. If the first thing you have to do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long. Your frog is the task that will have the greatest impact on achieving your goals and the task that you are most likely to procrastinate starting.
Speaker 1:Another version of this saying is if you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. This is another way of saying that if you have two important tasks, before you start with the biggest, hardest and most important task, first, discipline yourself to begin immediately and then to persist until the task is complete before you go on to something else. You must resist the temptation to start with the easier task. You must also continually remind yourself that one of the most important decisions you make each day is your choice of what you will do immediately and what you will do later or postpone indefinitely. Finally, if you have to eat a live frog, it does not pay to sit and look at it for a very long time.
Speaker 1:The key to reaching high levels of performance and productivity is for you to develop the lifelong habit of tackling your major task first thing each morning. Don't spend excessive time planning what you will do. You must develop the routine of eating your frog before you do anything else and without taking too much time to think about it. Successful, effective people are those who launch directly into their major tasks and then discipline themselves to work steadily and single-mindedly until those tasks are complete. In the business world, you are paid and promoted for achieving specific, measurable results. You are paid for making a valuable contribution. That is expected of you, but many employees confuse activity with accomplishment and this causes one of the biggest problems in organizations today, which is failure to execute of the biggest problems in organizations today, which is failure to execute.
Speaker 1:Tammy lounged in her cubicle while her neighbor, ian, tackled a large task alone. While Tammy slumbered and doodled on her white board, ian flew solo and had to drag Tammy back to reality. Ian rained on her parade. Ian told Tammy that work should have been a priority and the idea that she avoided it made it a monkey on her back. She needed to face the work head on. Ian pointed to the load he carried and divided the work in half and congratulated her for having taken her power back and not backed into a corner. Tammy fought like a champ and faced her fear and beat the procrastination monster into submission, saving both Ian's day and her own.
Speaker 1:Module 12. Wrapping up Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that your journey to improve your personal productivity is just beginning. We wish you the best of luck on the rest of your travels. Words from the wise Paul J Meyer Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning and focused effort. Will Rogers, even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. Newell D Hillis man must make his choice between ease and wealth. Either may be his, but not both.
