Time Management & The Power of Focus

Summary: What you focus on will impact your productivity and thereby your time. This is critical time management strategy...continue to read and learn why.

COUNT ON IT - by Gary Lockwood
"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."   John Lubbock

One of my clients (let's call him Mike) was telling me how important it is to him that he sell long-term maintenance contracts, not just  ad hoc projects.

Makes sense. The long-term contracts provide some stability and predictable cash flow. They assist in getting closer to his clients.  They also help him to borrow funds more easily.

So far, so good.

When I asked him how many of these long-term maintenance contracts he has already, he couldn't tell me. He didn't know! He said he's been too busy to track the number of such agreements.

Wait a minute! If this type of agreement is so important to Mike's growth strategy, how can he not know the status?

The fact is that most owners and CEOs know what's important to their enterprise, but can't (or don't) measure those things.

You've heard the old maxim: "You can't manage what you don't measure." You have also likely read the story of the "Hawthorne Effect".

In the late 1950s, the GE plant in Hawthorne, California brought in some consultants to measure the effect of brighter lighting on the productivity of their factory workers. The consultants first took productivity measurements to establish a baseline. Then they intensified the brightness of the lighting and measured again.

Productivity increased.

They increased the brightness even more and productivity went up again. After raising the brightness two more times, they saw two more increases in productivity. On a hunch, they lowered the lighting and measured one more time. Productivity went up!

They figured out that the productivity gains were not related to the brightness of the lights, but to the act of measuring. They were paying a lot of attention to the effectiveness of their workers. And guess what? The workers responded by working more effectively.

What do you pay a lot of attention to? What are you constantly measuring, asking your employees about, talking about and looking at?

When your team knows what's truly important to you, they'll likely pay more attention to those things, too.

Focusing on two or three key business metrics does something else for your behavior. It triggers your Reticular Activating System. Your brain is assaulted by thousands of messages each second. Everything you see, hear, smell, feel and touch is a message entering your brain. The Reticular Activating System filters through all these messages and decides which ones will get page one treatment - that is, arouse the brain.

One of the things we've learned from working with entrepreneurs is that you tend to pay attention to the things, which are important to you at the time. If your currently dominant thoughts are about creating a new brochure, you'll start seeing other brochures. You'll hear conversations about brochures. You'll pick up ideas relating to brochures and even notice colors that would be attractive for the new brochure.

In other words, the Reticular Activating System will pass through anything even remotely related to the important issue - the brochure.

From a practical point of view, this means that, if you want to solve a problem or achieve a goal, keep it at the top of your mind. Think about it, talk about it, write about it and imagine it completed. This is one of the reasons why affirmations work so well and why it is important to review your goals frequently.

If you focus on improving a specific key indicator of your business success, your Reticular Activating System will pass through sights, sounds, people and ideas even remotely related to that point of focus. In other words, if you measure it visibly, frequently and attentively, it will likely improve.

Here's my suggestion: Identify the two to five key measurements and key indicators that are important and essential for your business. Set up an active system to measure and track these indicators. Talk to your employees about it at every opportunity. Put charts and

graphs of these indicators on the wall of the lunch room. Make your interest in these metrics very active and visible.

Chances are, you'll get what you're looking for - improvements in these areas. Count on it!

If you haven't yet gotten your copy -- it worth the investment...

Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - how to manage your time, space, & priorities, to work smart, get results & be happy -  Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar

Other readings on Kindle & Nook:  Declutter Your Life From The Inside Out |  Your Life Through the Lens of Time 

The 1 Goal Method For Effective Time Management

A simple time management tip: Use the practice of goal setting in a targeted way...

Time management insight: Remember, the focus of time management is actually changing your behaviors - creating new habits, not changing time. 

A great idea to do just that is use the practice of goal setting...but not "setting goals" per sae, but setting 1 goal at a time by the week.

So, as an example, if you want to address the issue of "time-wasters", rather trying to address them all at once, just choose one element of it.  For this example, let's use personal phone calls. For one week set a goal that you're not going to take personal phone calls while you're working; or on certain days or times of the day (notice how that is broken down even more into a day or segment of a day.)

Now in order for this to be most effective, track your progress - daily. In fact have something visual you can use, which is what I consider a coaching prompt. 

Your mindset in using this approach is knowing that if you reduce something a bit over time,  it can make a huge difference. Our mantra? A little bit done consistently goes along way!

Did you know having a time management workshop brought to your company can actually save your company money? - Curious how?...click here

Need a time management tune-up?  Then you'll want to pick up this fabulous resource:  Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - how to manage your time, space, & priorities, to work smart, get results & be happy - here's the format's:  Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar  :  See a review: Review #1

Time Management Tip - Break It Down

Time management insight: Small bites can get big results!

Here’s a great time management tip or time management strategy that can really save you time!

Overwhelmed by a large project? Having a hard time getting motivated? Finding yourself procrastinating?

Ever heard the expression or question, “how do you eat an elephant? “ The answer? – one bite at a time.  Well that same principle applies when you’re feeling overwhelmed by a project, procrastinating, or having a hard time getting motivated.  You’ve got to break it down into small manageable action steps.

Usually looking at, focusing on one step and one step only allows emotional space for you to become motivated and see the light of getting something done. Once you write out actionable, reasonable steps your emotions become diffused and your brain begins saying…”hey, I can do that.”

Additionally, I employ is something called “the one minute challenge.”  I challenge myself to work on one little thing, task, etc. for only one minute.  I even use a kitchen timer.

The result?…I get focused on the “thing” enough to generate motivation to keep going.  If it’s not enough, I say, “ok…just one more minute.”  It’s like tricking yourself into gaining motivation in a fun way!

Coaching Tip: Break it down, focus on the first small step and give yourself the one minute challenge!
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If you haven't yet got your version of Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - how to manage your time, space, & priorities, to work smart, get results & be happy - here's the format's it's in:  Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar   See a review: Review #1

Other readings on Kindle: Declutter Your Life From The Inside Out Your Life Through the Lens of Time - The Interview

If you need a time management seminar or training brought to your organization – learn more here -

http://www.joanncorley.com/Time_Mgt.html

If you liked this post, you'll like this one: Time Management Advice From Webster's Dictionary

An Alternative to On Line Learning

Replace On Line Learning with Digitial Learning and An App #timemanagement  

When I do a google search for keywords addressing the need for time management training, one of the most popular is "on line time management" and "time management course." Well, one of the creative alternatives to e-learning is a cd series, combined with an app! (Besides who wants to sit in front of an e-learning module anyway - free yourself - unshackle yourself from that monitor!)

My audio series (3 cds or digital format) is the audio version of a seminar that I've done across the country - Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed.  So along with cds or a download are supplemental lessons in the 1% Edge Portable Coach - the app (which includes access to me!)...it's a super alternative to a traditional on line delivery.

If you are one of those folks who'd like a comprehensive time management training program or shall I say "mobile seminar," then I invite you to purchase the digitial version and down load the app. Then connect with me to let me know you'd done it and keep me in the loop on your progress!

To your success!
JoAnn

Next Steps
1. Download the APP - when you download the App - look under the Free Lessons Tab for subjects of personal productivity and personal effectiveness - Download APP - here 

2. Get Digital Version of Audio  ($9.95) You can get it on iTunes or Amazon - but it's more expensive.

(If you want to order the cds - send me an email and we can excute via PayPal - 3 cds in a very nice case = $24.95)

3. Or, get the book - Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - have it your way -Kindle - The Book - Nook 


Got any questions - don't hesitate to contact me: joann@joanncorley.com

Technology & Time Management - Tool or Tyrant

It's such a catch 22 - technology can do so much to help save time, increasing our efficiency and "get it done" results. And yet, it can also be a tyrant. It can become addicting in fact robbing us of time and quality of life.

So, contained in this blog will be an ongoing discussion regarding the role of technology in time management.

In my own quest to find my 1% in time management - increasing my efficiency and getting better results I recently ran across 2 cool tools for managing gmail. In fact one of them (an email management game) helps with one of my tips in the book Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - make faster decisions when processing email.

So here they are:

1. The Email Game (In fact making faster decisions is this weeks challenge in the 1% Edge Coaching App.)

Managing Email Game to help make decisions faster when processing email.

2.  Boomerang is a scheduling tool for email....here's the address with a demo video.

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If you haven't yet got your version of Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - have it your way - Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar

Other readings on Kindle:  
Declutter Your Life From The Inside Out
Your Life Through the Lens of Time - The Interview

Get The 1% Edge Portable Coach App - available on Android & Apple platforms

Time Management Skills - It's In The Little Things

I am more a firm believer than ever that if we focus on the little things that will translate into the big things.  I also believe that deciding to focus creates clarity which enhances the possibility of getting the results we really want!

So in the spirit of that, I recently launched a beta test for a coaching & training app called The 1% Edge Portable Coach.  Part of the piece of that coaching-training app will be devoted to productivity-time management.  So, if you'd like help really integrating what you're reading to get real results.  You want to download the app (it's free btw). Here is the link to access. Get App info. here

Whether you download it or not - I will on this blog - begin to share some of the weekly challenges presented on the app - many of which I'll be doing myself and would love some folks to participate with me and share you progress.
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The Challenge Currently on the APP - Recapture Time

APP Icon

This is the combined 2 Week Challenge and for those reading this post I challenge you to focus on 1 thing - "do the 1."  That 1 translates into the little things. Let me know your thoughts.

This was Week 1 Challenge - I am going to add one other time recapture technique to extend the week 1 challenge into a second week with another recommended action.

Increase Your Time Awareness - Track Time with time mapping

Coaching action: Get or create a week at a glance - map out how your time is being used. Then assess areas where you could recapture time and reassign.

Our theme this week: "Recapture time and reassign!"

Additionally check out the other suggestions below!

This Week's Challenge - Recapture Time
Coaching Question: How much time can you recapture within a cycle of a week?
Choose which context (option) you'd like to use:
A. How you use email
B. Managing interruptions
Coaching Instructions:
1. Keep track, whether by hour or segments of the day
2. Focus Daily - tally daily results
3. Report progress through-out the week in the Fan Wall section
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OPTION #1 - Managing Interruptions

How Skilled Are You At Managing Interruptions?

Managing Interruptions - An Essential Time Management Skill

These days our workplaces are busier and more fluid than ever and gives new meaning to the phrase "open door." It's transformed into open cube, open work space, etc.

And yet, we gotta get work done! I think many of us function more in a "sort of open door" environment...meaning in many cases "I'm available, but really not."

There is a delicate balance to effectively managing this predicament. We don't want to impede team productivity, as we try to get our own piece of the pie done.

So, an essential skill and time management tip in working productively in a group environment is to manage interruptions with tact and finesse.

Here's a few tips:

1. If there is anyplace in your work area that invites folks to sit...cover it with something personal.  People tend to not touch personal things without asking permission.  That way you can control how those sitting areas are used.  Or, you could remove it all together if need be.

2. Lead people with your body (and by the way this is one of my favorite ideas).  How?  First, stand up.  If sitting in your cube - face them, if in your office - walk around your desk and meet them in front of it.

Then, state a verbal boundary, "Hi, how can help I have just about 3 mins. right now." The key here is to state an exact number, rather than use the word "a few."

Next?...look at a time piece.  That communicates both on a conscious and subconscious level that you really mean you only have 3 minutes and you'll be monitoring the time.

And finally, continue to lead by closing the conversation. Make sure you have key phrases or statements you are ready to use with which you feel comfortable. The key is not to wait for them to stop talking.  YOU must close or end the time...indicating you meant what you said when you set the verbal boundary. 

To add fun to it, I've heard some managers use a sand timer from a game or a funky looking timer.

No matter what you use, the key is to lead the person, set boundaries, and then assertively close the conversation. 

You can do this with a decision to talk more later, starting to walk out of your work area as you are closing the conversation, or within 3 minutes you'll discover that's all the time that was really needed!

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OPTION #2 - Managing Email
This is really a key 21st century skill! In managing e-mail effectively it's best to do it in short time increments.  So I recommend starting with no more than three minutes - which really is an adequate amount of time! This action helps you learn how to work with your e-mail faster...
Here is the step by step process to follow:
1.  Determine how much time you're going to do it 
2.  Tell yourself to sort quickly or sort fast.  If you don't do that you do it at the same usual pace. Telling yourself to do it faster will enable you to actually do it at a faster pace! 
3. Use temporary holding folders. I talk about this practice in my book. When processing e-mail, you really only have four decisions to make: Forward,  Take Action,  Reserve for Reference or Delete. In recognizing there are only 4, you can also make decisions quicker! This is key!
Coaching key: Making decisions quicker, processing email quicker = recapture time! Note: If you're in a leadership role, use this tip to increase the productivity of your team this week. Make it fun - put a chart on the way and see how much you can collectively recapture this week! Have you're team download the app. You can also use the app as an internal coaching resource. Reminder: Pick your option, focus daily, track progress, share progress on the Discussion Wall (or on this blog).


If effective time management is major issue for you - you may want to consider getting the book or bring a workshop to your company. Click here to learn more.

If you haven't yet got your version of Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - have it your way - Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar

Other readings on Kindle:  
Declutter Your Life From The Inside Out
Your Life Through the Lens of Time - The Interview

Get the app - available on Android & Apple platforms

A Fresh Look At An Old Topic – Are You An Exceptional Manager of Time?

A Fresh Look At An Old Topic – Are You An Exceptional Manager of Time?

I’ve had the great privilege over the past few years to conduct a professional development workshop entitled Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed.  In this workshop I challenged the attendees to look at the topic beyond “just another time management seminar.”

Here’s why. One’s ability to manage time translates into a ripple effect of outcomes and subset of skills that are essential to individual and company success. In fact I’ve suggested to many of my HR clients that time management should be a standard component of employee orientation – it’s an essential skill to executing business objectives and absolutely influences a company’s bottom line.

For sure someone skilled in time management is probably skilled in other high value capabilities as well. When looking deeper, here’s what else you may find:

1.     The ability to make decisions quickly

2.     The ability to process information and draw essential conclusions in a timely manner

3.     The ability to draw boundaries when interacting with people no matter what context - whether it’s an interruption, phone call or meeting.

4.     Exhibits a strong and comfortable sense of self

5.     Has a strong, clear sense of what the desired results are.

6.     Has a determination, a motivation to make it happen.

7.     The ability to manage emotions.

8.     The ability to not allow minor, low impact events to escalate

9.     Possesses constructive collaborative rapport to work with others to move a process along.

10. Does not allow themselves to get bogged down in the non-essentials.

11. The ability to delegate directed or indirectly (this is an art by the way).

12. Is sensitive to the use of other’s time.

13. Leverages technology vs. being managed by it.

…and this is just the short list.

Ultimately effective time management is effective self-management in the context of working with information (on and off line), technology, and relationships to get the desired results.

In fact I call the above list and others a term that I suggest we all use and that’s “profitable behaviors or capabilities.”   When you look at how employees behave in the workplace, I think it’s useful to frame them in this context, “are they profitable or not.”  The ability to mange time in fact embodies multiple profitable behaviors.

So the next time you see a time management training of any kind, consider the broader value.  It’s an opportunity to learn to leverage all the available tools to create the personal and professional life you desire.

Additionally, if you are a training decision maker see it as a non-optional component of your employee training and development repertoire; see it as a high return on investment, profit nurturing resource for your organization.

If you haven't yet got your version of Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - have it your way -  Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar
Other readings on Kindle: 
Declutter Your Life From The Inside Out

Your LIfe Through the Lens of Time - The Interview

Can Too Much Planning Be Time Wasted? - Yep!

A Productivity & Time Management Tip - Don't Over Plan!

Do You Plan Too Much?

Wc: 173

#productivity #timemanagement

If you re’ reading this tip at all it’s probably because you have the personality type that is a natural planner, which of course has great value. Yet, too much of a strength could be used in excess resulting in outcomes we don’t want.

The excess?...sometimes planners can plan too much.  They want to figure out all the steps before they get started. That can lead to what I call “the paralysis of analysis.”  

What to do?

First, recognize and admit that you might be an over planner.

Secondly, decide to create a sweeping overview

Thirdly, plan more specifically the first few steps.

What you’ll discover is that as you move forward you become educated on how to keep moving forward. You’ll probably begin to see that all that previous planning you use to do got tweaked anyway. 

Remember: action brings clarity and that’s what leads me to a very important final tip: over planning in many cases, is really A WASTE of time.  Oh

the irony!

Check out the latest release: Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - how to manage your time, space, & priorities, to work smart, get results & be happy -  Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar

On Kindle: 

De-clutter Your Life From The Inside - Out

Your Life Through the Lens of Time - The Interview
This Blog - All Things Time Management

Got Motivation? - A Tip to Overcome Procrastination

Got Motivation? – Don't Procrastinate...Take the One Minute Challenge

Rather listen later? Download the audio-tip - Audio: 2 mins. 10 secs. 

Got Motivation Audio-tip

If you struggle with procrastination...this post is for you!...and you may need to share it with a friend.

Motivation is essential to getting things done. Being able to motivate yourself is an essential discipline in being effective at anything you.  This does impact your professionalism, it’s critical in what I call professional maturity to have the ability to get results.

And hey - if you motivate yourself, your manager won’t have to and what manager wouldn’t want that!

Here’s a great tip to motivate yourself, especially when you have to do things you don’t find particularly pleasurable. 

Here’s the tip: TAKE the ONE MINUTE CHALLENGE.

What’s that….it’s a way to jump start your energy (and if 1 minute sounds too long for those who are really draggin’…make it 30 secs. instead.)

Here’s how it works: 

Decide what you want to do, how you want to get started or what you would like to work on first, then use a timer – preferably one that makes noise, like a kitchen timer and set it for one min….then GO!

You’ll here the buzz which is an auditory motivator and it starts to stir the blood a bit and you’ll start to get some focus.

You know the cool thing is, you’ll realize how much YOU CAN GET DONE in one minute…or even 30 seconds and your motivation has been jump started.

You know what else I discovered?... once I get started I actually have a hard time stopping because what seemed overwhelming I realize I can jump into in just a very short period of time.

Recommended Action: Take the One Minute Challenge...now!

Additional Tip: Managers - this is a great tool to jump start collective team productivity as well.

Check out the latest release: Organizational Strategies for the Overwhelmed - how to manage your time, space, & priorities, to work smart, get results & be happy: Kindle - The Book - Nook - Audio Book -  The Seminar

New on Kindle

De-clutter Your Life From The Inside-Out

Your Life Through the Lens of Time –The Interview

How Effective Are You?

Filed under Career Management, Personal Productivity, Professional success, Time Management

In the realm of time management, the word effective is used quite often.  In fact, there is usually a comparison made between effective vs. efficient and of course, both are needed for professional success.

As a reminder, a common definition of effective is doing the right things at the right time to get the best results. However, in this post, I’d like to expand our thinking around the concept of being effective.

I believe increasing our “effectiveness” is more important than ever in creating and maintaining value to our organizations. It’s a must have and do career strategy.


An Expanded View
Consider effectiveness to not only be getting the right things done at the right time, but additionally identifying and  addressing needs, identifying potential solutions, and getting high-impact results.  In essence, effectiveness is beyond just executing tasks.

If this expanded view of being effective is to be realized, then what’s needed in order for this new version to occur?

Consider the following:
1.    Broader knowledge of the players involved in key situations, their roles, their strengths and weaknesses.
2.    A clear understanding of the core needs of the company.
3.    Identification and laser focus on the core needs of internal and external customers and how your role (and that of your team or department) addresses and impacts those core needs.
4.    How does the specifics of your job description contribute to the above.
Compiling the information to the above will craft a bigger picture from which to work to develop and increase your effectiveness. In fact, you may need to volunteer to tweak your job description.  There are a lot of job descriptions out there that are not “value based” job descriptions (meaning they are more about being busy than get high-impact results).

From this big picture access how you go about your work week, what you do with your time and how the tangible results of the day impact this big picture.  If you’re a manager, do the same with your team.

Then ask yourself this question, “Am I getting things done or am I getting things done that also impact the bigger picture.”   Getting things done that impact the greater picture are high impact results.

The irony of productivity is we can go a full work week, get things done and yet have little to no activity that significantly address the big picture.

Coaching Tip: Plan and work with the big picture in mind. Make sure to track and language your performance with this in mind. This is a beneficial strategy in performance reviews.  You can communicate and show how you’ve demonstrated results with more value.

Career Management Bonus Tip: This is also a great strategy for how to communicate your experience in a job interview.

A Time Management Strategy - Engage a Coach

Get Time Management Help
Have you ever considered a time management coach?  They take on many names: productivity coach, success coach, or even life coach. Many in those categories are also skilled in the area of time management and can serve as an effective time management consultant.

One of the key benefits of coaching (coming from someone who not only conducts workshops, but does coaching as well) is a time management issue-solution in and of itself. I have many people sit my time management seminars in their entirety when, as an alternative,  they could ask me about exactly what they need. I then would give them advice, help them come up with a plan and they would then be on their.

Coaching provides the opportunity to:

• address core needs quickly
• come up with a customized time management plan
• and provide the support to see it implemented so the desired results are achieved
• also, results tend to be accellerated due to what I call the "hyper focus" that coaching creates (see the recent post on focus).

I consider coaching customized training and in fact, it is my belief, that it provides the highest return on investment for dollars spent on training. It really can be personalized time management training.

Here is a link that gives a general overview of what coaching is about. What is Coaching? If you feel a need to discuss this...feel free to contact me for a quick chat - no obligation.  For many personal and professional development needs, coaching can be an affordable option.
Email: joann@joanncorley.com

Time Management Tip #3

3. Be in the habit of planning your week

This is a great habit and time management strategy. It’s best to determine a time in which you can do it consistently.  For me it’s Monday first thing, for other’s it’ll be Thursday or Friday the week before.  You’ll get into your own rhythm and time slot.

Do you believe that planning your week can get you better results?  Please know that when I suggest this, it's with the knowledge the most people do not have complete control of their time.  

However, planning is like creating a map - you're more likely to get your destination with a map than without.

The easier way to do this is with a "week-at-a-glance", mapping what you want to do when in light of other items on your schedule (ie. conference calls, appts., etc).