The document outlines a productivity strategy based on Peter Bregman's book, focusing on an annual plan where individuals identify key goals, followed by a daily 18-minute plan to manage tasks effectively. It emphasizes pausing before major actions, reflecting hourly on progress, and maintaining focus by avoiding task-switching. The author encourages readers to implement these techniques to enhance productivity and accomplish important tasks.

1. 18 Minutes to Get the
Right Things Done
(what I try to follow from Peter Bregman’s book)
Vishy Poosala
@vishyp on twitter

2. Who is this for?
Are you busy much of the time?
And yet you feel sometimes “where did
the time go?”
And you still drop the ball on the
important things that matter?

3. 1. The Annual Plan
Identify the 4-5 items where you want to make
the most progress this year
Use your strengths, weaknesses, differences,
and passion to guide
E.g.:
Publish a book
More time with kids
Double customer base
Retain current customers

4. 2. The Daily 18-
minute Plan
5 min: When you wake up, make today’s to-do
list (keeping your annual plan in mind) and
schedule the tasks on your calendar
my tweak: give a start date to tasks and
filter-out tasks that start in the future
1 min every hr: Set a beep to remind you to
pause, reflect on how the hour went, relax
the mood, plan the next hr
5min: At the end of day, check how the day
went, act on any small but key items missed

5. 3. Pause
Pause for a few seconds before a
major action or if things are going
too fast around you
E.g., compose emails in offline mode;
or use gmail’s 5-second undo feature

6. 4. Don’t switch
tasks
Things get done better, quicker, and
with less stress if we FOCUS on one
thing at a time
no emails while on conf call
no blackberry at lunch meeting

7. Please Read the
Book!
There are many more suggestions in
the “18 Minutes” book by Peter
Bergman
The books also advises to Pick One
and Act On it Now
These are the few Ones I picked
@vishyp