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Stress Free Productivity

About Coaching Positive Performance ............................................................................................... 5

About Carthage Buckley ...................................................................................................................... 5

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 6

Mindset ............................................................................................................................................... 7

1. Change your attitude .............................................................................................................. 7

2. Justify your actions ................................................................................................................. 7

3. Seek clarity .............................................................................................................................. 7

4. Kill the perfectionism .............................................................................................................. 7

5. Be open to feedback ............................................................................................................... 7

6. Acknowledge that the first time will be more difficult ........................................................... 7

7. Note and tackle your mental blocks ....................................................................................... 8

8. Be patient with the student .................................................................................................... 8

9. Don’t expect comfort .............................................................................................................. 8

Planning .............................................................................................................................................. 9

10. See the bigger picture ......................................................................................................... 9

11. Plan your week and your day .............................................................................................. 9

12. Review daily ........................................................................................................................ 9

13. Limit and block your time ................................................................................................... 9

14. Know what comes next ....................................................................................................... 9

15. Keep only one diary ............................................................................................................ 9

16. Plan first .............................................................................................................................. 9

17. Prioritise ............................................................................................................................ 10

18. Schedule the most important tasks for periods of high energy ....................................... 10

Focus ................................................................................................................................................. 11

19. Know your roles ................................................................................................................ 11

20. One major project at a time .............................................................................................. 11

21. Focus on the important stuff ............................................................................................ 11

22. How is this serving me? .................................................................................................... 11

23. One task at a time ............................................................................................................. 11

24. Use challenging deadlines ................................................................................................. 12


©Coaching Positive Performance www.coachingpositiveperformance.com

Effectiveness through others ............................................................................................................ 13

25. Learn from others ............................................................................................................. 13

26. Make it your own .............................................................................................................. 13

27. Delegate ............................................................................................................................ 13

28. Say ‘No!’ ............................................................................................................................ 14

29. Motivational feedback ...................................................................................................... 14

30. Constructive feedback ...................................................................................................... 14

31. Ask ..................................................................................................................................... 14

Energy levels ..................................................................................................................................... 16

32. Sleep is the kingmaker ...................................................................................................... 16

33. Keep a regular sleeping pattern ........................................................................................ 16

34. Exercise for energy ............................................................................................................ 16

35. Improve your diet ............................................................................................................. 16

36. Monitor your energy levels regularly ................................................................................ 17

37. Take a nap ......................................................................................................................... 17

38. Vary your tasks .................................................................................................................. 17

39. Finish it .............................................................................................................................. 17

Routine .............................................................................................................................................. 18

40. Create some structure ...................................................................................................... 18

41. Schedule your personal tasks............................................................................................ 18

42. Use the dead time more effectively ................................................................................. 18

43. Schedule breaks ................................................................................................................ 18

44. Take some fresh air ........................................................................................................... 18

Habits ................................................................................................................................................ 19

45. Batch the smaller tasks ..................................................................................................... 19

46. Always have a plan b ......................................................................................................... 19

47. If it can be done immediately, do it immediately ............................................................. 19

48. Record and test your ideas ............................................................................................... 19

49. Simplify everything ........................................................................................................... 19

50. Measure the impact .......................................................................................................... 19

51. Multi-task the small tasks, where possible ....................................................................... 20



52. Experiment on one thing at a time ................................................................................... 20

53. Replicate success............................................................................................................... 20

54. Take the most direct route and document it .................................................................... 20

Interruptions and problems .............................................................................................................. 21

55. Schedule your interruptions ............................................................................................. 21

56. Communicate your new schedule .................................................................................... 21

57. Make information available .............................................................................................. 21

58. Work around the problem ................................................................................................ 21

59. Back to the drawing board ................................................................................................ 21

60. Be unreachable ................................................................................................................. 22

61. When you can’t get started .............................................................................................. 22

62. Productivity is a principle, not a religion .......................................................................... 22



About Coaching Positive Performance Coaching Positive Performance is a Stress and Performance coaching organisation which assists

organisations and individuals to transform their potential into the results they desire. Our

collaborative, solution-oriented and results-focused approach is underpinned by best-practice

coaching and psychological models. We believe that each organisation and each individual has their

own unique vision of success. It is our objective to enable them to develop the knowledge, skills and

attitudes required to develop, pursue and realise that vision.

With clear vision and values we provide speaking, coaching and training solutions which are

developed using the most effective adult learning and psychological approaches. We assist

organisations and individuals to unlock their potential and achieve more than they had previously

thought possible.

All of our work can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the client.

We are passionate about developing individual potential; continuous education; and linking learning

and development to personal and business objectives. - in short, if you are passionate about

achieving success through personal and professional development, then you may be our perfect

client.

About Carthage Buckley Carthage Buckley is an experienced and enthusiastic learning and development professional with

extensive coaching, mentoring and motivational skills and a proven ability to empower others

enabling them to achieve their full potential.

Carthage holds a B.A, Accounting and Human Resource Management from the National College of

Ireland and a Masters of Education in the Psychology of Education from the University of Bristol, He

has worked in Training & Development and Coaching in the numerous countries including Ireland,

Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

People call Carthage when they need to improve personal, professional or business performance. He

typically works with them to help them:

Manage stress and performance

Align business goals and employee performance

Plan, develop and manage careers

Improve communication and relationship management

Develop goals and action plans

Manage change

Increase personal and interpersonal effectiveness

Grow the capabilities of their team



Introduction If we are to believe the majority of modern literature on the subject of stress, we would merely think

that all we have to do to manage our stress is to practice the various recommended stress relieving

exercises e.g. yoga, meditation etc.). While I do not knock any of these activities ( in fact I actively

encourage them ) it must be noted that these are only short term solutions aiming to reduce the

levels of stress to a more tolerable level.

If you wish to effectively control your stress levels it is far more effective to put in place strategies

which enable you to perform at your best without placing excessive stress-causing demands upon

yourself. One of the most important strategies you can adopt is an effective time management

strategy which allows you to make the best use of your time.

Time management is a very large topic and this is just a short book. Therefore this book does not

claim to tackle every possible challenge that you could face with regard to your time management.

The purpose of the book is to give you some quick tips which you can easily implement in order to

improve your time management. The book consists of 62 tips divided amongst eight categories:

1. Mindset

2. Planning

3. Focus

4. Effectiveness through others

5. Energy levels

6. Routine

7. Habits

8. Interruptions & Problems

These tips have been shown to be effective with my clients. I hope they are as beneficial for you.

However, the only way to find out is to implement them. The most effective way to use this book is

to read through the whole book once; noting which tips resonate most with you. Then, re-read the

these tips, focusing on – how you might implement them into your life and how you would benefit

from implementing them. Implement one tip at a time and notice the improvements it makes to

your life.

I wish you the very best,

Carthage Buckley

@carthagebuckley

www.coachingpositiveperformance.com

www.facebook.com/coachingpositiveperformance

https://twitter.com/carthagebuckley

http://www.coachingpositiveperformance.com/

http://www.facebook.com/coachingpositiveperformance



Mindset

1. Change your attitude

If you are struggling to make the most of your time; it is likely that your attitude is part of the

problem. Opening up to new ideas and developing a passion for learning and self improvement are

first steps to creating a more effective lifestyle. You might seek out new ideas from:

Colleagues

Competitors

Blogs

Books

Social media

A good coach

2. Justify your actions

People often agree to perform task, attend events etc., for fear of what they might miss out on if

they don’t. However, this attitude only serves to keep them as a slave to the demands of others.

Tasks should only be added to your schedule when there is a clear purpose/benefit to be derived

from them. Before agreeing to give your time; make sure you are clear on the purpose and the

benefit to be gained..

3. Seek clarity

When being assigned a task, ensure that the person assigning the task provides you with clear

instructions as to what they do and don’t expect. This will allow you set a realistic time frame for the

task and save you from wasting time on unnecessary work.

4. Kill the perfectionism

Nothing you ever do will be perfect; it is always possible to improve. Sometimes the improvements

to be achieved do not justify the time required to achieve them. Rather than spend an excessive

amount of time on a task, set a realistic timeframe. At the end of the time, ask yourself:

Have I done the best that I could with the time and resources available?

5. Be open to feedback

Once a task has been completed, a colleague or client may wish to provide feedback as to what

could have been done better. Being open to this feedback will enable you to perform better the next

time round without having to spend extra time on the task. Also, if you believe that the job could

have been done better, be direct and ask for feedback.

6. Acknowledge that the first time will be more difficult

When performing a task for the first time, you are never sure what to expect. It is more difficult to

set a realistic time frame and mistakes will be made. Therefore, it is wise to make a thorough plan in

advance and allow some contingency time too. As you perform the task, make a note of what you



learn and record the time taken to perform the task. This will save you time in the future and allow

you to schedule more accurately.

7. Note and tackle your mental blocks

The majority of time management resources tackle your behaviour in order to affect change in your

performance. However, behaviour is only the tip of the iceberg. Often, it is your thinking and beliefs

that are holding you back. Anytime you find it difficult to motivate yourself, take note of your

thoughts. Identify the beliefs which are holding you back and develop a plan to tackle them.

8. Be patient with the student

Remember that as you attempt to become a more effective time manager you are learning; you are

a student. If you were teaching a student something new, you would be patient and understanding

when they make mistakes. Treat yourself with the same kindness. You will get things wrong; learn

from it and move on.

9. Don’t expect comfort

If you are seeking to become a better time manager; then your current methods are not working.

You will need to try new things and step outside your comfort zone. At first, new methods may feel

awkward, even painful, but the long term benefits will outweigh the short term gain.



Planning

10. See the bigger picture

Anybody can be busy but being busy and being effective is not the same thing. Performing a task for

the sake of it is of little benefit to you or anyone else. Every task you perform should take you closer

to fulfilling your goals and objectives. Before accepting any task take a moment to be clear on how it

progresses you toward your end goal.

11. Plan your week and your day

Every Sunday, I take a look at the week ahead. I identify the most important tasks to be performed

that week and I schedule them. For the bigger tasks, I might break them down into smaller chunks

and do a little each day. This ensures that I am getting the most important tasks done. I can then

start to schedule my daily tasks.

12. Review daily

At the end of each day, I review the progress that has been made on the key tasks and where

necessary, I readjust the following days schedule accordingly. If you go off track; the sooner you

realise it, the easier it is to correct. Taking 5 minutes daily to review your schedule allows you to

minimise any disruptions.

13. Limit and block your time

Decide how many hours you are prepared to work and stick to it. As you schedule tasks, block off the

time in your diary. This limits the number of new tasks you can take on. If an important, unscheduled

task comes up; you need to decide which task can be postponed to facilitate it. Resist the urge to

simply work extra hours as this soon becomes an endless, stress-filled cycle.

14. Know what comes next

By scheduling your time in advance you can be fully aware of what task comes next while completing

the previous task. This prevents you filling your time with unimportant tasks in an attempt to feel

busy.

15. Keep only one diary

Use only one diary. Whether it is a physical or electronic diary is not important but there must be

only one. Having only one diary prevents you from assigning the same time to two different tasks in

two different diaries (it is easily done).

16. Plan first

For large tasks, take the time to plan the work in advance. Knowing who is going to do what, when

and what materials are needed etc., makes it easier to schedule and prevents any avoidable delays.

Just remember that the planning time should be proportionate to the size of the task.



17. Prioritise

Effective time managers don’t necessarily do more; they do the right things. Focus on the most

important tasks and get them scheduled and done first. This is where the big rewards come from.

The unimportant tasks are unimportant for a reason i.e. they offer minimal benefit.

18. Schedule the most important tasks for periods of high energy

Your energy levels do not remain steady throughout the day. You will have peaks and troughs of

energy. You perform better when your energy levels are at their highest, so it makes more sense to

schedule your most important tasks for the periods where you have the highest energy levels.

Unimportant tasks are often mundane and require little thought or energy. These are best left for

the periods of lowest energy.



Focus

19. Know your roles

Life cannot be all work and no play. There will be many different roles you have to perform in life

e.g. employee, father, son, friend etc. Each role will have it’s own level of importance in your life.

You will have goals, objectives you want to achieve and standards you want to meet for each role.

You need to schedule time for each role, and during that time you can focus 100% on that role e.g.

when you are with your family you can give your full attention to your family rather than think about

work.

20. One major project at a time

You will have many projects competing for your attention at any given time. It is very easy to agree

to everything and attempt to divide your time evenly between each project. However, it is far more

effective to get one project completed before moving onto the next. By giving each project your

undivided attention you will be free from distraction and able to think and work more freely. This

will result in shorter completion times and improved quality in your work.

21. Focus on the important stuff

As previously stated, it is the important tasks that bring the big rewards. It is tempting to perform

tasks on a first come, first served basis or alternatively to serve the client who makes the most noise.

While operating either of these strategies will allow you to feel busy, they are unlikely to deliver on

your objectives. Regularly review your tasks to determine which are bringing you the best results. It

is these tasks that require your focus.

22. How is this serving me?

To ensure that you are focusing on the important stuff it is imperative that you regularly ask

yourself:

‘How is this serving me?’

If the answer is that it is not serving you and then you need to do something different. Also; ask:

‘Am I just avoiding doing something more important?’

If you are avoiding something more important, the act of admitting it can be enough to give you the

kick up the backside you need, to get it done.

23. One task at a time

I have already mentioned the need to focus on one major project at a time. Each project may

contain many tasks. Focusing on one task at a time will allow you to give each task the maximum

attention, allowing you to perform the task quicker and to a higher standard.



24. Use challenging deadlines

Before I started using deadlines, I found that I had a habit of allowing projects to drift. When asked

about a completion date, my usual answer was ‘soon’. Such non-committal answers served neither

me nor those dependant on my work. Setting challenging deadlines for myself has forced me to:

Develop stronger motivation

Seek greater clarity from the outset of a task

Plan better before commencing the task

Differentiate between the important and the unimportant

Once I have set the overall project deadline, I then identify each task within the project and set

challenging deadlines for each of these. This keeps the momentum going and helps me to identify

when I have fallen behind.

The difference that deadlines have made has been quite remarkable.



Effectiveness through others

25. Learn from others

Most of the things you wish to improve have been done effectively by others. Therefore, it makes

sense to learn from them. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. If somebody else has done it

before you, learn how they did and try it for yourself. This saves a lot of time and stress. Advice can

often be found in the following places:

Colleagues

Competitors

Blogs

Books

Social media

A good coach

26. Make it your own

While it is effective to learn from others, their methods might not always be an exact fit for your

needs. For this reason it is important that you trial all new methods and measure their impact.

Where they meet your needs exactly; then you can just go ahead and make the change permanent.

However, there will often be cases where things don’t work perfectly for you. This requires you to

take ownership of, and responsibility for, any new initiatives you try. Analyse which aspects work

and which don’t. You can then make some gradual adjustments to ensure that you achieve the

desired results.

27. Delegate

Your time is a precious resource and you need to protect it. Just because something needs to be

done, it does not mean that you should be the one to do it. Delegation enables you to ensure that all

tasks get done without having to stress. Identify the tasks that do not need your personal attention

and determine who is best placed to perform the tasks for you. As long as you provide clear

instructions for each task, you will be able to focus on the more important tasks, confident in the

knowledge everything is under control.

Unfortunately, many people believe that they are not able to delegate as they do not have any

subordinates. This stems from one of the major misunderstandings about delegation i.e. the belief

that delegation is all about passing work downwards. This is not what effective delegation is about.

Effective delegation is passing the work to the person who is best qualified to deal with it. This could

include:

A colleague

Your boss

Another department

Outsourcing the work to an external company



The possibilities for delegation are virtually endless.

28. Say ‘No!’

Other people have the right to request your help. In many instances it will be beneficial for you to

oblige. It can help you to build relationships and it feels good to help others. However, it is perfectly

acceptable to say ‘No’. Whether you don’t want to help or you don’t have the time, you have no

need to justify your decision to others. Your time is precious and should be treated as such. If there

is no benefit to be derived from helping others then it may be best to decline their request and use

your time for something more important.

Some people have great difficulty saying ‘No’. If you are one of these people then you may find it

useful to practice by declining any unimportant requests (whether you could help or not) for a few

days.

29. Motivational feedback

When someone has done a good job for you, you want them to be willing to do it again and to do it

to the same high standard. This is where motivational feedback comes into play. Don’t just offer

praise; be specific about what they did right and offer the feedback after every properly executed

task. This will ensure that the other person knows that you appreciate their work and it provides

them with clarity as to what you expect. This helps build positive and helpful relationships.

30. Constructive feedback

When a job is not performed to the standard you expect you want to rectify the situation.

Constructive feedback allows you to deal with the situation in an assertive manner whereby you

respect the other person and address your concerns. Very few people set out to get it wrong so

where feedback is offered in a respectful manner you will usually find that the other person is keen

to learn from what went wrong. Focus on communicating the following:

The issue i.e. what went wrong

The importance i.e. why it is important that this mistake not be made

Ideas – how can things be done differently in the future

Note: When discussing ideas; encourage the other person to come up with some. This helps to feel

more involved and to take ownership of the new behaviour.

31. Ask

If there is something you need to know; or something that you need help with; the situation will not

get resolved unless you pluck up the courage and ask. Sitting around wondering achieves nothing.

Identify the appropriate person to ask and then ask. Clarity allows you to take decisive action

whereas confusion only leads to uncertainty.

During the planning stages for big projects, as you identify each task, ask yourself:

‘Who could help me with this?’



Once you have identified them, ASK!

A little help can make a huge difference and it can provide a great opportunity to build powerful

relationships. Sadly, many people fail to fulfil their goals because they are too afraid to ask for help.



Energy levels

32. Sleep is the kingmaker

I never fully appreciated the importance of a good night’s sleep until recently. My home was broken

into twice in two months and this lead to a prolonged period of hyper-vigilance. I felt the need to

check the building every time I heard a noise and this occurred quite often during the night. Over a

period of 3 months, I was averaging four hours sleep per night. As this caught up on me, I found that

my diet went to pieces, my exercise dropped significantly in quality and my energy levels hit rock

bottom. As you might imagine, my productivity was appalling.

Thankfully, I have managed to get back on track and I am now sleeping seven hours per night once

again. This has automatically resulted in an improved diet, improved exercise and higher energy and

productivity levels.

If you productivity levels have fallen, I would recommend that the first thing you look at is the

quality and quantity of sleep you are getting.

33. Keep a regular sleeping pattern

Your body works best with a consistent schedule. Some people are early birds and some are night

owls. Regardless of which category you are in, you will perform better if you have regular times for

going to bed and getting out of bed. You may also find it helpful to have a bedtime routine e.g.

brush teeth – read – sleep; and a routine for when you awake. This can help to condition your body

and mind.

34. Exercise for energy

If you are not regularly taking exercise, you may think of exercise as something which robs you of

energy. In the short term you may be correct, however a regular exercise regime is one of the best

ways to boost your energy levels, as you become fitter and stronger. Exercise also boosts your

resilience to both physical and mental stress. There are so many productivity related benefits to

exercise; it is an absolute must for anyone wishing to maximise their effectiveness.

Note: Always consult a health professional before embarking on a new exercise regime. Also, seek

the advice of a fitness expert. They will help you to get the best results with the least effort.

35. Improve your diet

Having improved my diet and exercise regime, I have lost almost 70lbs in the past three years. I had

always been fond of exercising but I had failed to support that exercise with a healthy diet. Once my

diet had been cleaned up, the weight disappeared at a steady and gradual pace. The difference

which this has made to my energy levels has been sensational. I am now able to push myself further

than ever before; get more done and take on challenges which I never would have dreamed of. And

after all of that, I still have energy to spare. Oh, and I am a lot happier too.



Again, seek medical advice before making any major changes to your diet; and for the best results

consult a nutritional expert.

36. Monitor your energy levels regularly

Your energy levels will rise and fall throughout the day. This is only natural. By monitoring your

energy levels on a regular basis you can identify the times of high energy and low energy. You can

then assign your most important tasks to times of high energy as you will have the greatest focus,

thus producing the best results. Unimportant tasks can be assigned to times of low energy e.g. I

assign my weight training to times of low energy as I only need intermittent bursts of energy for this.

37. Take a nap

It may seem counterintuitive but taking 20 minutes to have a nap can lead to better use of time. If

you are feeling fatigued, trying to push through it is not going to work. Getting some quality rest

allows you to recharge the batteries and return to work with a spring in your step. If napping during

the day is not your thing (I often struggle with it) then try a gentle meditation or relaxation exercise.

Schedule this time and you will soon see the benefits.

38. Vary your tasks

Performing the same tasks all day can be very mundane and even soul destroying. If possible, mix

your work load up a little. The variety will stimulate your mind and keep your energy levels up.

39. Finish it

Where possible break your tasks down into small chunks which can be finished in one go. Unfinished

tasks distract and sap energy from you as you think about what you have left to finish. By finishing

what you start before moving on, you minimise distractions and can focus fully on the current task.



Routine

40. Create some structure

Time is precious (I know I keep saying it) and you want to maximise how you use yours. It is

important that both your body and mind are aware of when it is work time and when to switch off.

The easiest way to do this is to have as regular a structure to your day as you can manage. Start by

setting specific work hours. Your body and mind will soon start to adapt. Your performance levels

will go up and ability to switch off outside work time will improve.

41. Schedule your personal tasks

Personal tasks are important too and they restrict the time you have available for work. As soon as

you become aware of them, put them in your diary or block the time out of your work diary. This will

give you a greater sense of the time available when scheduling.

42. Use the dead time more effectively

Dead time is time where you are not able to focus solely on work but you could be doing something.

A common example is travelling. When I am on a plane I am out of contact and away from my

computer and work files. This time can be used for certain tasks like reading, visualisation,

meditation etc. All make a more positive contribution to my objectives than simply sitting there

waiting for the plane to land.

43. Schedule breaks

I like to work in bursts of approximately 50-60 minutes (when not working directly with a client). I

find that after this time my performance levels can start to dip. At this point it is best to take a break.

By break, I mean do something completely different for at least 10 minutes. This allows time for your

body and mind to refresh before you return to work. Focusing on something different can stimulate

your creativity. I often have some of my best ideas during my breaks.

44. Take some fresh air

When I feel like my performance levels have dipped too low I find it best to get outdoors and get

moving. A short walk can really kick start my system and elevate my energy levels. I then return to

work more productive than when I left. Again, I get some great ideas when I walk.



Habits

45. Batch the smaller tasks

There are many small tasks which will form part of your job e.g. emails, invoices etc. You could try

and handle these as and when the need arises. This is the most ineffective approach you could take

as you will be constantly switching from one task to another unable to build any momentum and

constantly switching focus. For these small but regular tasks, it is far better to set specific time for

dealing with them. In between these times you can allow them to build up. When the time arrives,

you can focus solely on that task and give it 100% attention. You will deal with it quicker and more

effectively.

46. Always have a plan b

Things will not always go to plan. Meetings may be cancelled, you may experience delays, or your

internet signal may drop out for a prolonged period. Should these events occur, there is little point

sitting there twiddling your thumbs. That is why it is best to have some alternative work lined up. If

you are out of the office, as long as you have an educational book, a notepad and some pens there is

always some positive work you can do until you get back on track.

47. If it can be done immediately, do it immediately

This is particularly useful when dealing with emails. Often when we check our email we find emails

which require a short action (takes a couple of minutes) such as a reply, forwarding a file or reading

a short blog. It is best to have time for these tasks built into your email time so that you can deal

with each email there and then, thus eliminating the need to return to it. If the action required will

take more than a couple of minutes, schedule a time for it and move on.

This type of approach can be adopted for a wide range of tasks.

48. Record and test your ideas

When you have what feels like a good idea going through your head, you don’t want to lose it.

Having a notebook or recording device (most smart phones have one) to hand, allows you to capture

the idea. Schedule a little idea time each week and you can go through the pros and cons of each

idea. This will allow you to examine whether you need to proceed with the idea or bin it.

49. Simplify everything

There is always an easier way to do things. Examine your processes regularly and you will find ways

to get things done quicker. This is particularly useful when dealing with unimportant tasks e.g. why

queue to pay a bill when you can do so online, in seconds?

50. Measure the impact

I train hard in the gym. I set goals for each 12 week period that I train. On a weekly basis, I like to

know how I am progressing against my goals so that I can make any necessary adjustments e.g. extra

cardio, reduce calories. Because I measure progress regularly and make the necessary adjustments, I

usually make or exceed my targets.



The same is true for any business project. When setting objectives you need to be clear about the

way in which you will measure progress. The earlier you spot any failings, the sooner you can fix

them. This way you never stray too far off course and you get the job done right in the quickest time.

51. Multi-task the small tasks, where possible

When working on a major task it is best to give all your focus to that one task. However, thanks to

technology, it is often possible to get more than one small task done at a time e.g. when I post to my

business Facebook page, the same post automatically posts to Twitter. When you post every day,

this can save a lot of time. Look for examples where you can do two things at once without

sacrificing the quality of your work.

52. Experiment on one thing at a time

If you want to keep improving at something, you have to be willing to make changes. Trying new

things adds variety to life can increase your productivity and produce better results. However,

changing too much in one go can result in chaos and an inability to determine which change is

responsible for improvements and which is responsible for the backward steps.

By all means make changes in search of progress but only make one at a time. Before implementing

the change decide how you are going to measure its effectiveness. Once you have decided whether

to make the change permanent, you can then look to make the next change.

53. Replicate success

I have already mentioned the need to measure progress so that you can see what works and what

needs changing. Once you have measured and seen what works, replicate it. If something works for

you and brings you the results you are seeking, put more energy into it. One of my favourite movies

is a Woody Allen movie called ‘Whatever Works’. It is such a simple philosophy but it holds true.

Of course it is worth mentioning that when you find that something does not work, you should stop

doing it.

54. Take the most direct route and document it

The most productive way to perform a task is to do so in as few steps as possible. If there are regular

tasks you perform take the time to write out a process flow i.e. detail each step in the process. Then,

for each step, ask yourself if it is really necessary. Remove any steps you deem unnecessary.

Once you have written the most effective process flow, you can convert it into a check list so that

each time you perform the task you can check that you have completed each of the necessary steps.

It also makes it easier to delegate tasks as you have clear written instructions which can be followed

by anyone.



Interruptions and problems It is rare that anything every goes completely to plan. Mistakes will be made and

55. Schedule your interruptions

There are many small things which will interrupt you during the course of a day e.g. people, phone

calls, email, social media. If left unchecked, they will constantly break your momentum and make it

harder for you to finish your tasks. The solution is to schedule times for handling these interruptions.

That way you can switch them off (or to voice mail, out of office etc.) during busy periods, safe in the

knowledge that you will be able to deal with them during the specified periods.

56. Communicate your new schedule

If you go from being constantly available to only being available at specified times, others may feel

uncomfortable or annoyed. The way around this is to communicate your new schedule assuring

them that you will get to their query. Anyone you have regular contact with can be informed

personally of your changed schedule; anyone else can be informed via your out of office message on

your email or via your voice mail. Once people see that you are continuing to deliver the high

standards they have come to expect, they will gladly support your new initiative.

57. Make information available

In many jobs, you receive the same queries each and every day. Rather than answer each individual

query, and as long as the information is not confidential or sensitive, it may be best to create an

F.A.Q. and make it readily available. There are many ways to make an F.A.Q. available e.g. put it on

your website, intranet or on an auto responder to your email. You could send it out to all the

relevant people in your organisation. The same approach can be done with policies etc. which you

are regularly asked about. Taking this proactive approach can slash the number of phone calls,

emails and personal visits you receive on a daily basis. Those you serve will still feel like they have

received excellent service and you will have more time to focus on the important stuff.

58. Work around the problem

Things will not always go to plan and from time to time you will get stuck with a task. Rather than

obsess with the problem, if possible, it is better to move on with the rest of the task. You can try and

sort the problem out later or, alternatively, you can seek assistance. Either way, there is no need to

let the problem kill your momentum – park it and move on.

59. Back to the drawing board

Sometimes you can get deep into a project when you realise that what you are doing simply isn’t

working. You can become so invested in the way you are doing things that you refuse to see the

magnitude of the problem and you desperately search for a quick-fix solution. The quick-fix may

work temporarily but in the long term it won’t solve the problem. Sadly, sometimes the quickest way

to get the job done properly is to go back to the drawing boards and start all over again. Just like a

vaccination, it hurts but in the long term it greatly improves your chances of a healthy outcome.



60. Be unreachable

When I have something really important to work on I make sure that nobody can reach me in order

to interrupt me. I turn off my phone, email and social media. I make sure all the doors into my office

are locked so that nobody can just walk in. It works best if you warn others in advance that you will

be unreachable for a period of time. This way they don’t panic. The key benefit to this strategy is

that you get peace and solitude to work on the task; however one great side effect is that people

often discover that the stuff they were going to bother you with really isn’t that important or they

can solve it themselves.

61. When you can’t get started

Some tasks can be overwhelming. Sometimes you will feel demotivated and you won’t want to do

anything. In these circumstances just do something. Pick the easiest part of the task and do it. Then

move on to the next easiest. The experience of actually completing some of the task should help to

change your mindset slightly and enable you to get more done than you had previously thought. At

the end of the scheduled time, you might not have done as much as you had originally planned but

you will be considerably further along the road than if you had caved in to the urge to do nothing.

62. Productivity is a principle, not a religion

It is easy to get obsessed with productivity and seek opportunities to get more done. But life has to

be enjoyable and you need to be able to switch off. There are many occasions where productivity

should be pushed aside so that you can rejoice in life’s simple pleasures.

One example from my life is my love of reading (I prefer educational books). I love to sit relaxed

with book in hand and cup of tea/coffee on hand. I read slowly and patiently and take a little time to

absorb the content and relate it to my life. This is an enjoyable experience for me. If I were to learn

to speed read, I could be more productive but I would have to make do without these pleasures.

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