Just 15 Minutes and the Right Stuff

When was the last time you sat down and formally planned your day? Hopefully it was today. Taking the time at the beginning or end of your day to formally write down a plan of what you are going to do and when you are going to do it, is a key element in accomplishing what is most important to you.

It is so easy to overlook planning and just jump into the day being reactive and putting out fires. When that occurs, at the end of the day, you might find that you have got a lot of "stuff" done but was it the "right stuff?"

Cut Out The Dreaming-Part 2

Last week I learned that Facebook recently hit another record of participants-500 million! They interviewed several people and asked them why they liked FB and the answers given were the typical ones-stay connected with friends, reconnect with old friends, etc. But one answer shook me. Someone responded, "If there were no FB, I would die." Granted, it was an emotionally charged statement that was probably not meant with the impact it had, but it still indicated (to me anyway) a less than healthy attitude toward this type of social media.

In the last post I mentioned my struggle with a writer's advice that you should cut out things you are not good at or which you can not excel. On the flip side, should you be so connected to something like FB that it consumes you and becomes a major source of your happiness and in an extreme case, your very existence.

Granted, I don't know the person making the comment. But I think she highlights the need for all of us to examine how we spend our time and what is a priority for us. FB is definitely an example of an act that can literally take over your circus... if you let it.

Just 15 Minutes Makes a Difference

One of the key elements to managing your time and making sure that you accomplish the most important things in your day is to carve our just 15 minutes each day for planning. This is formal planning. Sitting down, without interruption, and focusing on what is going on in your life and what you want to accomplish in the next 12-24 hours. This is where you review your list of things "to do", what you have scheduled (meetings, special events, etc.) and what important "acts" you need to fit into your "lineup." If you have a lot of activities and meetings coming up, then your to do list should be small. If you have few meetings/activities you should load up on tasks.

Now for some, the best time to plan is first thing in the morning. Others like to review what they have done today and then plan out tomorrow. Which ever you choose, commit to yourself to make a plan for your day, each and every day. You will find that the days you plan will go smoother (fewer things will fall through the cracks) and that you will sleep better knowing that you have a handle on what is going on in your life. You will find yourself being more proactive as well, including in your day things that normally wouldn't be included if you are, "flying by the seat of your pants" and "putting out fires" all day long. Try it out! Experiment with planning in the morning verses the evening and see what works best for you? Stick with it!

Efficiency and Oatmeal

I had to smile the other day at one of my daughters being the ringmaster of her circus. As a teenager her eating habits frequently change, and she has recently started eating oatmeal for breakfast every morning. When opening the cabinet a couple of days ago I was surprised to find everything she needed to prepare her oatmeal placed together-sugar, measuring cup, cinnamon and oatmeal container. When I asked her why, her response was obvious"It saves me time in the morning because I don't have to run around the kitchen getting everything together." Bravo!

How do you attempt to manage your daily lineup? Do you find yourself jumping from one thing to another physically and mentally-and losing productive time in the process. Try these tips to save some steps and time:

• Set aside a chunk of time to check and respond to e mail.
• Pull all needed resources together for a complex task just before leaving work. When you arrive the next morning you are ready to dive into it while you are fresh. Also works to get things together before lunch for a task to undertake after lunch.
• When contacting a co worker about something, give yourself a moment to see if there is anything else you may need to discuss with them while on the phone or sending e mails. They will appreciate the decrease in interruptions as much as you like not having to contact them again.

A Tip for Email

Writing and responding to e-mail can take up a lot of time. There is nothing worse than having a mail box that is full of messages waiting for replies. One simple suggestion is to treat email like a text message or an Instant Message. Keep it very short and limit the number of characters, words and/or sentences that you write (sentences are easier to keep track of -so try limiting sentences). You might start by limiting yourself to 4 or 5 sentences. The goal is to limit yourself to 2 and no more than 3 short sentences.

Not only will this cut down the amount of time that it takes for you to write and reply to email but it will also save time for those that have to read it. If there is an email that requires more than 2 or 3 sentences, maybe it is better to pick up the phone to speak to the person or leave a voice message.