Getting Things Done
by Bruce Wade on 20/11/09 at 7:30 am
1 comment
Each day as I meet with people I hear the same underlying issue of lack of results. It is just not getting to the things we need to get done. Some call it time management, but as we all know time cannot be managed at all, it just ticks by with each second. What we need is self-management around time. Setting ourselves up for success around time. So how do we do this?
Understand how our daily energy cycle works and plot this on a page. Some people are naturally morning people others are night owls, some are best at noon. Our eating plan has a huge affect on this but normally we have our daily coffee habits that fall in line with our cycles.
Secondly make lists each day of tasks to be done. Write out everything, phone calls, report writing submitting your tax return, reading blogs, writing blogs, marketing. Make a list that keeps on growing and reducing as we get through the day.
Now mark each task with an A, B or C. ‘A’ being Urgent, ‘B’ Important and ‘C’ can wait but needs doing. Then allocated all the A tasks to your diary when you are feeling strong and energetic and the C list when you are down and low. Now just do it when it is scheduled.
A Simple way to manage You around time. If you ever start the day with a facebook game, solitaire or phone games you will never get back on track. Work smart, keep within your strength boundaries, delegate everything else. Never go home with monkeys.
Bruce Wade is a survivor of the corporate and NGO world, author, speaker, business owner and entrepreneur, Bruce now runs the Entrepreneur Incubator; a member based organisation dedicated to serving those in the trenches of business through coaching, mentoring and leadership education. View more articles by Bruce Wade.
Mike Saunders
Jan 29th, 2010
GTD has to be the simpliest and most powerful time management tool I have ever used.
However, like you say here, discipline is the key. To prioritise correctly often means choosing to do the difficult work first because it generates the best return.
Presonally I find that I get more done by opening my email later in the day. I sechedule my big tasks in the morning so that they are done even before I get into the office. This works for me, but its tough because I love my sleep. This is where the discipline comes in.
Great post by the way.