There’s Never Enough Time…. hints for being more productive.

Unless you are someone I have never met, and may not want to know, you never finish your “to do” list. The adage the faster I run, the behinder I get applies to most of us.

Here are some hints by Ilya Pozin, a columnist for Inc. and Forbes that I have found valuable and adapted for you.

·     1. Create a smaller to do list.

 Well, duh! Why didn’t I think of that?

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      2. Take breaks.

Brain freezes occur when you concentrate too long. Take a break, talk to someone and walk around; make lunch plans with someone you need to see. Or check out the Food 52 blog.  Lots of yummy food for thought!

·     3. Use the 80/20 rule.

20% of what you do produces 80% of your results. Pare down your tasks to get to the 20%. Delegate or eliminate. Lots may be important but you don’t have to do it all; delegating builds team competencies. And some things just don’t matter.

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      4. Start the day by focusing on yourself.

      Well, I like this one. But it really means don’t let your e-mails dictate your daily accomplishments. Eat a good breakfast, just like we tell children, it really matters. Read the news and catch up on your world. Then consult your to do list. I wish this included spa treatments but it doesn’t.

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      5. Do harder tasks first.

Another common sense idea. Your brain is fresher and you are rested, I hope. Save busy work until the afternoon.

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      6. Pick up the phone.

Multiple emails create noise when you use them just to clear your inbox. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, call, don’t write. Schedule the call if necessary. You’d be surprised how much more effective talking to someone is than emailing them. Personal contact is important, subtleties are revealed and confusions can be avoided.

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      7. Create a system.

Try to have a daily schedule that gives you time for e-mails, meeting with staff, open door hours, research and writing and meeting with clients. During the week you should have a system that covers important functions. Be selective, everything doesn’t have to happen every day. Keep in mind there will always be fires that need putting out- you can’t plan for them but they don’t have to be flummoxed by them.

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      8.  Don’t confuse productivity with laziness.

Are you majoring in minors? Does busy work look like hard work? Place your focus on things that matter most to your mission.

These ideas can all help us be more productive. We aren’t robots, yet. So pick and choose those that work best for you. Add a few at a time to your efforts to improve your own productivity.  

If you have better ideas, share them. What works best for you? 

Let’s learn from each other.