Get More (important things) Done

Lori Reed August 5, 2010 lorireed.com

Getting Things Done by David Allen ISBN: 0142000280 http://davidco.com

Take Back Your Life by Sally McGhee and John Wittry ISBN: 0735623430 http://www.mcgheeproductivity.com/

Time Leaks

In the typical home, the TV set is on for how many hours?
10 hours
20 hours
30 hours
40 hours
50 hours
60 hours

In the typical home, the TV set is on for how many hours?
40 hours

Over a lifetime, how much time does a person spend waiting in lines?
7 months
11 months
2 years
3.2 years
4.1 years
5 years

Over a lifetime, how much time does a person spend waiting in lines?
5 years

About how many hours per week does the typical woman spend shopping?
2 hours
5 hours
7 hours
9 hours
11 hours
13 hours

About how many hours per week does the typical woman spend shopping?
7 hours

Where do the hours go? From the 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics – Time Spent in Primary Activities

My Time Log
Find code number from right side that matches activity
Enter that number in the time block
Make an entry for anything that you devote at least 15 minutes to
Enter one code per block
At end of week total times for each code
Hint: Each block is 15 mins or .25 of an hour.
Count number of blocks and multiply by .25.
Example: 12 blocks times .25 = 3 hours.

My Time Log – The Goal
What do you spend the most time doing in your life?
2 nd most?
Does this align with your work/personal goals and priorities?
What tasks should you spend less time on?
What tasks should you spend more time on?

Getting Control In a day… 24 hours - 8 hours for sleep 16 usable hours 960 minutes or 32 blocks of 30 minutes or 64 blocks of 15 minutes

“ You will NEVER, EVER get it all done!”
Sally McGhee Take Back Your Life

What can we really control?
Things we can control and influence
Organizing desk, files, calendar
Things we can’t control but can influence
Performance review, being on time
Things we can’t control and can’t influence
Traffic, other people’s behavior

Covey’s Circles of Control from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

What is productivity?
An empty inbox
Being more strategic
Being in control
Being more organized
Using resources widely
Work/life balance
Spending more time with family

“ Focus on activities that make the biggest impact , activities that affect your ultimate goals and objectives.”

“ Productivity is not about getting it all done. It’s about getting the right things done .”

Meaningful Objectives
Clear, written, strategic goals
Should roll up to a department goal, then an organization goal
At home should role up to a family vision and goals (yes I’m serious)

Meaningful Objective
Improve my productivity so that I respond to all emails in 24-hours or less by January 1, 2011.
Have a more organized, comfortable office by January 1, 2011.
Illustration from: http://www.salary.com/Articles/ArticleDetail.asp?part=par1942

From my library’s strategic plan

Posted in my office

Supporting Projects
Projects that support Meaningful Objectives
Projects that require multiple tasks or actions to complete
Example: Complete a time management class Change light bulb in office

Productivity has little to do with getting things done but is about completing actions that link to and drive your Meaningful Objectives .

Strategic Next Actions
Actions that link directly to and drive your Meaningful Objectives
Have no dependencies (other steps that must be completed before you can begin the task)

Is this a next action? Next Action: Change light bulb

Ask yourself Is this a Next Action: Change light bulb 1. Does this link directly to a Meaningful Objective. 2. Are there other steps that need to be done to complete this task?

It depends… Next Action: Go to store and buy a light bulb Next Action: Borrow a ladder Next Action: Change light bulb

Image Source: http://so-nowwhat.blogspot.com/

Limit Collecting Points
Calls
Ideas
Notes
Mail
Email
Pockets
Purse
Briefcase
Backpack
Meetings
Notepad
Faxes
Voice Mail
Calendar
Children’s backpacks
Receipts
Cell phone
Car

Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattwthorn/4809438688

Life’s Stuff
A physical inbox (at home, work, portable)
Email (preferably one account)
Voice mail
Digital OR paper notepad
Digital OR paper to do list
YOUR CONSOLIDATED COLLECTING POINTS

A Real Inbox

Yeah right. This is going to get messy!

My inbox when I started this process

My inbox now

Email & Voicemail

Notepad

To Do List

Processing Flow Chart

Assigning Contexts
@ Desk
@ Online
@ Home
@ Work
@ Errands
@1:1 with _________
@ Waiting On
@ Someday/Maybe

Example
Have a more organized, comfortable office by January 1, 2011.
Replace light bulb
Buy light bulb @errands
Borrow ladder @errands

Example
Improve my productivity so that I respond to all emails in 24-hours or less by January 1, 2011.
Complete a time management class
Find a class @online
Register for class @online
Implement GTD System
Buy inbox for desk @errands
Forward email to one account @online

Your Next Actions (aka To Do List)
@Errands
Buy inbox for desk
Buy light bulb
Borrow ladder
@Online
Forward email to one account
Find a class
Register for class

Putting it all together

Labels for Divider
Meaningful Objectives
Supporting Projects
Your contexts or groupings
@Computer
@Phone
@Home
@Errands
@Agendas
@1:1 with boss
@Waiting For
@Someday/Maybe

Your Day
A review of your plan for the day
Complete similar tasks but be aware of high priority tasks
@Computer together
@Errands together
Don’t let other people’s emergencies become your emergency unless it relates to your strategic goals ( or if the building is on fire )
Check email 2-3 times
Touch everything only once to process
Plan for the next day

Your Week
Allow time for planning the next week
Schedule time on your calendar for tasks. If it’s not scheduled it won’t get done!
Allow some cushion time for emergencies
Review your tasks to make sure they align with projects and strategic goals

Does your email PASS?
Have you communicated the purpose and made sure it relates to an objective?
Have you communicated the action requested?
Did you include supporting documents ?
Have you summarized the message effectively in the s ubject line?
From Sally McGhee Take Back Your Life

Your Next Steps
Complete the time log for a week and see where your time goes
Set goals for your time use
Find your departments strategic goals
If you don’t have your own goals, write them
Consolidate your collecting points
Empty all of your current collecting points into your new collecting points
Begin processing collecting points and creating actions

Image Source: http://nelswadycki.com/2009/04/02/thank-god-google-suggest-comes-to-image-search/cat-saying-hooray/

Questions?
Lori Reed
email: [email_address]
web: lorireed.com
You can view a copy of this presentation at: http://www.slideshare.net/lorireed List of bookmarked sites relating to productivity: http://delicious.com/lorireed/productivity

Get More (important things) Done

by Lori Reed

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