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Just Do It!...Or… Maybe Not?
Written by: Alex RevaiArticle Overview: Just Do It! It sounds so right. It sounds so action-oriented. Do it, and do it fast. Do it now! Technology, especially communications technology drives us at a faster and faster pace. Are we more productive as a result? On the contrary. We provide some tips and best practices on how to regain control over our time and activities.
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Just Do It!...Or… Maybe Not?
We live in a crazy world. We work fast. We talk fast. We eat fast. We drive fast. But do we accomplish more? Do we live more? We may live longer, except that our lives are zipping by at such high speed that we don't have time to notice it or enjoy it. A healthy work-life balance is but a fleeting dream.
We suffer from information and interruption overload. We suffocate in email. We get lost in the data-smog. Our to-do lists are growing in length by the minute. Technology was supposed to increase our productivity and increase our leisure time. By all accounts, it is to the contrary.
Of course, it's not necessarily that technology is at fault. Our problems, more often than not, are self-inflicted. We allow technology (email, voicemail, pagers, Blackberries) to interrupt us at will, reducing our ability to focus and stay on target. Everywhere you look there is waste, mistakes and delays. Getting it done, or done right the first time? Nearly never. The results are painful: lost business opportunities, decreased productivity, stress, frustration, anxiety and burn-out.
Did you hear the quip? Just do it!. Sounds positive and witty doesn't it? Just do it! Never mind trying to understand what needs to be done. Stop and think? Who has the time? My email is dinging, my voicemail light is blinking and my cell phone is ringing. React! And react fast. Just do it! Or...perhaps, not?
Is there a way out? Is there a better way of dealing with the accelerated pace of life (really, craziness) and the rush? Is there a way to be truly effective, more productive and still keeping our sanity? Following are some tips. Not instant solutions. Not quick fixes. Not for overnight changes. Merely best practices, which you can adopt over time in order to slow down, become more focused and more in control of your time and activities.
- Search every conceivable place, where you collect to-do items, including your head, too.
- Write everything down in one place. If you use MS Outlook, the place is the Task Pad. Otherwise, use a suitable day-timer with task (to-do) pages;
- Prioritize all your tasks. (A-B-C or High- Normal- Low)
- Now, consider this: If a to-do item is not in your calendar, there is an 80 % chance it won't get done. From to-do to done, you must have a calendar.
- Plan for tomorrow, tonight: move/write all your desired activities in the calendar. Not because it would be nice to do them, but because you have every intention of completing them.
- Estimate (realistically) the time period for each task. Mark/block your calendar accordingly. Once you planned it, let your calendar (with your goals and priorities) drive your day. Not the interruptions.
- Remember: interruptions occur to the extent you allow them to occur. Learn to say no, (or block your calendar) when you have to or need to. Just because technology is so fast, it doesn't mean we have to work at that speed.
- Process your email (paper mail and voicemail) only at specific times during the day. Read them and think about them. Opening an email and closing it back again is not an option...without making a decision what do with it. Delete it. Do it, but only if it takes less than 2 minutes. Defer it to your TaskPad or your Calendar. Delegate it.
- Slow down in order to speed up. Stop and think! Even if it sounds unthinkable. Haste makes waste.
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Article Tags: device induced ADD, gain control of time, get it done, just do it, stop to think, technology trap
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About the Author: Alex Revai RSS for Alex's articles - Visit Alex's website Alex Revai, President of Productivity Solutions, is a professional organizer, who helps business people improve profit, productivity and peace-of-mind. An engineer by training and a seasoned business manager with over 30 years of high-tech industry experience, Alex considers himself primarily as a problem-solver. His passion is to teach individuals and organizations about best practices, systems and processes in order to restore sanity (and productivity) to our increasingly crazy, artificially accelerated, all work - no life society. Alex is a mentor, a coach and a trainer, who provides workshops and seminars, consulting, as well as hands-on services. Alex is a member of the Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) industry association. Alex may be contacted for a complimentary needs assessment and consultation. Tel.: 416-272-6972 email: arevai@productivity-solutions.com web: Productivity Solutions P.S.:If you reprint or quote any articles, please provide full credit to the author. Click here to visit Alex's website Tips For Less Stress Spring Cleaning Start Right Email Overload Advice A Clean Desk |
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