Unleash Your Productivity with The Top 4 Productivity Methods

 

Are you ready to supercharge your productivity and gain back 20+ hours each week? You heard that right! With these four productivity methods, you'll be on the fast track to achieving more in less time.

🍅 Pomodoro Technique:

Decide on the task at hand.
Set a timer for 25 minutes.
Work diligently until the timer rings.
Reward yourself with a 5-minute break (1 Pomodoro).
Rinse and repeat for four Pomodoros.
Take a longer break (15-30 minutes) and start anew.
This method leverages the power of focused bursts of work, ensuring you stay on track and maintain peak productivity.

📋 Eisenhower Matrix:

List all your tasks.
Categorize them into:
Do: Urgent and important.
Decide: Important but not urgent.
Delegate: Urgent but not important.
Delete: Neither urgent nor important.
By prioritizing tasks using this matrix, you'll know exactly where to direct your efforts for maximum impact.

⏰ 3-3-3 Method:

Allocate 3 hours for deep work on your most crucial task.
Have clear goals to accomplish.
Tackle 3 other urgent, shorter tasks.
These might include meetings or quick calls.
Address 3 "maintenance" tasks.
Think cleaning, emails, exercise, journaling, etc.
This method ensures you allocate substantial time to your most significant projects while managing smaller tasks efficiently.

⏱️ 2-Minute Rule:

Estimate task durations.
If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately—no postponing or adding to your to-do list.
If it takes longer than 2 minutes, choose to delegate, defer, or break it down into smaller, manageable steps.
The 2-Minute Rule minimizes procrastination and keeps your to-do list from overflowing with tiny tasks.

By incorporating these four productivity methods into your daily routine, you'll not only save valuable time but also optimize your focus and efficiency. So, get started today and watch those extra hours accumulate, allowing you to achieve more and stress less! 💪🕒

Content Credit: Dr Bebeka Gjoksi Cosandey

Efficient ‘time governance’

 

“It’s not that we have little time, but more that we waste a good deal of it.”  (Seneca)

Good governance is often described as being a balance between efficiency and effectiveness in setting strategy, overseeing operations, and monitoring performance and conformance.

As meetings are the chief means by which the board formally addresses its duties, the efficiency of those meetings is a key determinant of governance effectiveness.

The Board Chair has a complex role to perform in managing board meetings, and that work commences well before each meeting starts. Good planning and preparation are required to set a meeting up for success.

Efficiency is generally judged by the extent to which a process uses the lowest amount of inputs to create the greatest amount of outputs. In most non-profit organisations that translates into identifying how much labour (paid and unpaid) is involved in producing any given output, and at what financial cost. This approach encourages a focus on the concept of ‘minimal waste’.

In manufacturing, zero waste and recycling commitments have been widely adopted by firms aiming for sustainable operations. In governance, it is inefficient to spend the board’s valuable time on procedural or low priority matters, when these could be approved collectively, or delegated to responsible officers.

Efficient ‘time governance‘ aims to ensure the effective use of time by directors, the board secretariat, and management, before, during and after board meetings.

Here are just a few suggestions for attention by the Board, the Board Chair, Secretariat and CEO, which may help:

• Set limits to the length of meetings and the size of the agenda pack (and stick to them)
• Limit the number of meetings scheduled each year (6-8 meetings p.a. should be sufficient, unless your organisation is dealing with exceptional circumstances)
• Consider the volume of reading and time required for preparation and follow up for each meeting
• Move strategic and other priority items to the start of the agenda so that the most important matters are addressed while participants are alert, and with time to give them the attention they deserve (rather than being rushed later in the meeting because people are tired and the hour is late)
• Allocate a time budget or allowance to each agenda item (or section), and publish this on the agenda paper *
• Label agenda items ‘For Noting’, ‘For Discussion’ or ‘For Decision’, and ensure that recommendations for the last of these are on the agenda, along with longer time allowances for deliberation on these items
• Set agenda item deadlines which allow the secretariat time to provide a draft agenda to the Chair well before it must be distributed to participants. This allows the Chair to amend the agenda as required before approving it for circulation, but also ensures the identification of priority items and the allocation of suitable time allowances
• Use a consent agenda to ‘star’ items of business for discussion or decision, and otherwise note or approve all other business in a single motion
• Use a large ‘time remaining’ timer as a constant reminder to participants of the time budget, and the intention to finish no later than the nominated time *
• Consider use of a cost/benefit analysis when deliberating on high priority proposals to assess the ratio of inputs (e.g. funds, labour, etc.) to outputs (e.g. member or charitable services) in reaching a decision

* See header image

While implementation of these suggestions does not directly affect the quality of deliberations and decision-making, and there is much more that can be said about deliberative processes, a board using such efficiency measures would certainly be less likely to ‘waste’ time.

How to Manage Your Time easily?

 

10 Incredible TED Talks About Time Management You Should Watch Right Now

 

Image credit: Westend61 | Getty Images

These time-management talks can help improve your productivity.

John Rampton

ENTREPRENEUR LEADERSHIP NETWORK VIP

Entrepreneur and Connector

Just like millions of other people, I’m hooked on TED Talks. They’re innovative, informative and engaging, but these talks are also intentionally short enough to be consumed when you feel like you only have a couple of minutes in the day. You will learn something new or be reminded of a topic that's essential that you haven't thought about for a while. TED Talks help to expand your mind to think other thoughts that you may regularly think about. Think something new, hear someone new and change how you relate to the world.

Speaking of time, there are also plenty of TED Talks that can help you step-up your time-management game, or at least change your perspective on this essential skill. The following ten talks that you should watch right now when you have a couple of minutes to spare.

1. Laura Vanderkam: “How to gain control of your free time.”

168 hours. That’s how many hours there are in a week. That’s a lot of time when you view it this way, explains time-management expert Laura Vanderkam during her TEDWomen 2016 presentation.

“If you are working a full-time job, so 40 hours a week, sleeping eight hours a night, so 56 hours a week — that leaves 72 hours for other things,” explains Vanderkam. Even if “you're working 50 hours a week, maybe the main job and a side hustle,” there’s still free time — 62 hours available. What about putting in 60 hours? “Well, that leaves 52 hours for other things.”

So, why do we keep saying that we don’t have time? Well, according to her research, it comes down to priorities. As one small business owner and mother of six explained it, "Listen, Laura, everything I do, every minute I spend, is my choice." And instead of saying, "I don't have time to do x, y or z," say, "I don't do x, y or z because it's not a priority."

To make this a reality, you need to determine your priorities in life and add them to your calendar. Ideally, this should be done every week, like on a Friday afternoon. As for everything else? Get creative. For example, if you commute to work, use that time to read, listen to a podcast, or clean out your inbox.

2. David Pogue: “10 top time-saving tech tips.”

I think we can all agree technology is often a blessing and a curse. For example, it allows teams to collaborate and communicate with each other, and there is a wide range of productivity-scheduling apps that can help you create a daily routine, develop healthy habits and keep you focused. At the same time, technology can be distracting. In fact, according to RescueTime, on average, we spend three hours and 15 minutes on our phones. However, for top users, daily screen time exceeds four and a half hours.

In this short TED Talk, just over five minutes, tech columnist David Pogue shares tips for saving time on the technology that we use daily. Some of these shortcuts may only shave off milliseconds. But, when put together, these ten keyboard shortcuts and hidden functionalities of your equipment will certainly add-up in saving you time.

3. Tim Urban: “Inside the mind of the master procrastinator.”

The struggle against procrastination is real, and it’s time management’s greatest foe. But, why do we do this to ourselves? Well, that was a question Tim Urban, founder of the site Wait But Why, wanted to answer.

To better understand his own behavior, Tim went to an MRI Lab. His goal was to study the differences between the minds of a procrastinator and non-procrastinator.

"Both brains have a rational decision-maker in them," Urban explains. But, “the procrastinator's brain also has an instant gratification monkey." That means even if you planned to productive, “the monkey doesn't like that plan” and will take the wheel. As a result, you end up doing things that are either fun or easy — especially when there aren’t deadlines.

But, what if you do set realistic deadlines? Well, as that deadline approaches, the Panic Monsters creeps-in. Because this bad boy terrifies the Grafirication Monkey, it can force you to stay on track. On the flip side, it can also cause unnecessary pressure. For instance, you have a project to complete in 2-weeks and only can crank it out when there is a couple of days left.

What can we do about this? Tim suggests thinking harder about what we’re procrastinating on. If it’s something that’s pushing you closer to your goals or dreams, then make a move today and not tomorrow.

4. David Grady: “How to save the world (or at least yourself) from bad meetings.”

Meetings. They’re a necessary evil. On the one hand, they improve collaboration, engagements and creativity. They’re also essential for resolving problems and keeping everyone in the loop. But, they can also be ineffective, unproductive and vast wastes of time.

David Grady offers a simple solution from his 2013 TED Talk.

“First of all, the next time you get a meeting invitation that doesn't have a lot of information on it at all, click the tentative button!” Don’t worry. You aren’t going to offend anyone. You just don’t want to automatically accept this time request until you’re 100 percent positive that it’s necessary. How can we determine this? By making sure that there’s an agenda so that you know what the objective is.

If the event doesn’t have a purpose, politely decline the invite. Or, look for a less time-consuming alternative like a phone call.

5. Chris Bailey: “A more human approach to productivity.”

If you would, please, open up your calendar. Is it jam-packed? That’s not a bad thing. But, how many of those entries are helping you move closer to your goals?

To be honest, this is a quagmire that most of us experience. We’re doing what seems like a million things. As a consequence, we feel strapped for time. In reality, though, we’re just wasting it on things that aren’t all that important in the scheme of things.

In short, we’re busy instead of being productive.

Productivity expert Chris Bailey, between his own experiences and research, says the solution is to set your intentions. During his 2016 speech, Bailey suggests that every morning, you identify the top three things that you want to accomplish for the day. You’re then going to manage your attention, energy and time only on those activities.

6. Andy Puddicombe: “All it takes is 10 mindful minutes.”

When was the last time you truly did nothing? I mean nada. Zilch. I would venture to say it’s probably been forever.

Now, it may seem counterintuitive, but according to mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe, blocking out ten minutes a day to do nothing should become a priority. After all, mindfulness has the power to increase concentration and productivity. Why? Because mindfulness is a simple and effective way to refresh your mind and keep you in the present.

7. Paolo Cardini: “Forget multitasking; try monotasking.”

Despite what you may believe, multitasking doesn’t work. Our brains just aren’t capable of focusing on multiple things at once. Even if you think that you’re the exception, just consider that research shows a meager 2.5 percent of people possess this skill.

Instead, product designer Paolo Cardini suggests during his presentation to “Find your monotask spot within the multitasking world.” When you monotask, which is simply putting all of your attention to one task at a time, you’ll be more efficient and productive. The reason? You aren’t splitting your attention and experiencing information overload, both of which will slow your down.

8. Jason Fried: “Why work doesn’t happen at work.”

Jason Fried, the co-founder and president of 37signals, conducted a survey to see where people go when they want to get things done. His findings were surprising — it’s not in the office.

If you’ve ever worked in an office, this really shouldn’t be all that surprising. It’s full of distractions that interrupt you, primarily what Fried calls M&Ms; Managers and Meetings.

To handle these, cut back on the number of meetings that accept or schedule. Remember, meetings should only occur when there’s a clear purpose. If you’re in a management position, then implement something like "No-talk Thursdays.” You may also permit your team members to work wherever they want. And whether you’re in charge or not, turn off your gadgets when you don’t want to be disrupted.

9. Rory Vaden: “How to multiply your time.”

“How is it that we have more tips, tricks, tools, technology, calendars, and checklists than ever before, and yet we still always seem to be behind?” asks Rory Vaden, a Nashville-based leadership consultant.

His answer? “It’s because everything you know about time management is wrong.”

It’s not uncommon for us; we manage our time by writing lists and then prioritizing these items. To accomplish this, we assign value to them by their urgency and importance. But, Rory states that there is a third element significance.

Instead, you should ask, “What’s the most important thing I can do today that would make tomorrow better?” For example, setting up online bill pay. While it does take a time investment upfront, this will definitely save you time in the long run.

In short, Vaden recommends that you can free up time by asking four questions:

1. Can I eliminate this task?
2. If it can’t be eliminated, can it be automated?
3. Can it be delegated, or can I teach someone else how to do this?
4. Should I do this task now, or can I can it later?

10. David Allen: “Getting in control and creating space.”

Ever since the publication of his bestselling books, Getting Things Done, in 2001, David Allen has been a great source for improving personal productivity. During his 2014 TED Talk, however, Allen argues that if you want to achieve something, you need to plan for it. If not, you end up waiting until the last minute. And, that leads to feeling rushed, stressed, and letting less essential activities usurp your priorities.

Conclusion

Take a break and watch these fantastic TED Talks. As an Entrepreneur, especially during this COVID-19 time — we need to have a pick-me-up. The isolation is wearing. TED Talk helps fill your mind with something thought-provoking with its engaging style, and it gets your mind out of the stress for a moment or two.

18 Things to Control When Things Are Out of Control

ANTHONY IANNARINO

These things are within your control. Focusing on the things that are within your control is the best response to a world that is out of control.

1. Sleep: If you want to feel a lot better, have much more energy, be a lot more productive, and do better work, there may not be anything more important than getting a good night’s sleep. We underestimate how important sleep is to our overall health and our performance.
2. Hydration: Most people walk around dehydrated (I am one of them). After sleep, if you want to feel less groggy and improve your energy, drink a lot more water. Start your day with a large glass of ice water as soon as you wake up, rehydrating yourself as you start your day.
3. Nutrition: Trade eating things that give you comfort for food that fuels you. Maybe go with Michael Pollan’s recommendation, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.” Eliminating sugar is, by itself, a huge upgrade to your nutrition.
4. Exercise: The human body is designed for a different time. It is designed to do more physical work than what is required of knowledge workers (those of us who work with our minds, instead of our backs and hands). You don’t need to complete an Ironman unless that is your thing. Take a walk. Do some yoga. Lift some weights. You will feel better—and you will recognize a benefit in your overall performance.
5. Morning Routine: Starting your day with a morning routine can and will set you up to have a successful day. The list above this point offers several things worth the first hour of your day. Maybe you want to write morning pages or meditate. Maybe you want to pray. Do whatever ensures you are in the right frame of mind by doing what sets you up for success and get a sense of control first thing.
6. Attitude: The four categories above makes this one easier to achieve. Your attitude is a variable when it comes to your happiness and your effectiveness, especially in turbulent times. Your attitude is determined mainly by whether or not you are grateful. If you recognize your life as your greatest gift, you’ll generally have a good attitude. You could do worse than starting your day writing down the three things you are grateful for upon waking. Pro tip: Write down how the negative events you experience are valuable for you, and you’ll have an even better attitude.
7. Mindset: Each day, you are faced with a decision. You can choose to be the protagonist in the story you are writing, or you can be the victim. You can decide to be proactive, moving towards your goals, or reactive, passively waiting for the world to impose its will on you. Along with your attitude, your fixed mindset is going to determine your worldview. Control here is a superpower.
8. The Media You Consume: The media you allow into your mind is very much a type of nutrition. You can reject media that is designed to agitate you, to cause you to feel a sense of fear or dread, or sensationalize stories to capture your attention. Control comes from filtering out that which is harmful to your attitude and mindset, choosing instead to take in only that which strengthens you, improves you, inspires you, and supports your attitude, your mindset, and your goals.
9. Your Goals: There may be someone at work who has given you a goal, but outside of that, you are all on your own, left alone to drift unless you decide for yourself what you want. Setting goals provides a target, a beacon, to guide your decisions. Because they have a deadline, they compel you to take action and achieve your goals. Your life is either going to look like something you designed, or it is going to look a lot like all the others who drift.
10. Your Focus: You control your focus. When you allow something or someone to control your focus, you can easily find yourself focused on things that don’t serve you. You have a short time here, and if you want to make the most of it, you need to focus on what you want, not what you don’t want. There are not too many things you might do to move in the direction of your choosing. Call this your priorities.
11. The Quantity of Your Work: How much work you do is wholly within your control. You can spend your days accomplishing nothing, allowing the news of the day and small urgencies dominate your time, or you can decide to make major progress on what is important. Eliminating distractions and giving yourself over to your work will result in you getting more done faster, and pulling the results forward in time.
12. The Quality of Your Work: You also control the quality of your work. You can do just enough to get by, or you can do exceptional work. External factors have no power to impact the quality of the work you do; that is an individual choice you have to make for yourself.
13. Planning Your Week: There may not be anything more powerful when it comes to generating results as planning your week before it starts. Determining what you are going to accomplish, blocking the time to work on your goals and priorities, and executing your plan is control. Beginning each day already knowing what you are going to do eliminates wasting time responding to externalities and deciding what to do.
14. How You Invest Your Time: Lately, people have taken great pride in sharing how much time they spend streaming television shows. Most people leave their email open all day, waiting to respond to other people instead of doing something more important. There is nothing wrong with intentional distractions, but allowing them to dominate your time is to lose control.
15. Your Notifications: No law states that “One must be notified and monitor in real-time every email, text message, social media notification, or news story on their smartphone or computer.” If you want a greater sense of control and better results, turn off all notifications on your computer and your smartphone. Choose to review what is important a few times a day, always between the 90-minute blocks of uninterrupted time you use to do quality work, the work that moves you towards your goals.
16. Who You Spend Time With: There is an old saying that you will become the composite of the five people you spend the most time with, something I believe is an iron law of success. You are infected with other people’s beliefs, their views, and their values, just as you can infect others with yours. Spend time with the people you love, but also spend time with people who have something you want.
17. Who You Don’t Spend Time With: Of all the things I know with great certainty, I know that spending time with people who have low standards for themselves will have a deleterious impact on your attitude, your mindset, and your results. You can choose to avoid the pessimist, the cynic, and the skeptics, all who want you to commiserate as a way to validate their low standards and their fears.
18. Evening Routine: An evening routine will help keep you on track as you move back to the top of this list. Maybe you take account of your day. Maybe you write down what you learned or read a book for an hour before you go to sleep. Perhaps you reflect on your day and remind yourself what you are grateful for, a perfect end to the day. Whatever you do, the routine will benefit you, and it will give you a feeling that your life is within your control.

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