4) Overcome Procrastination Using the “4D” System
The 4D here is not referring to Magnum 4D. We are looking at this 4D:
Delete it: What are the results of not doing the task at all? Consider the 80/20 rule; maybe you can just wipe out this task in the first place.
Delegate it: If the task is vital, ask yourself if it’s something that you simply are liable for doing immediately. Can the task assigned to someone else?
Do it now: Postponing a crucial task that must be done only creates feelings of hysteria and stress. Why not use the eat the frog method by Brian Tracey (illustrated more in item 4 below).
Defer: If the task is one that can’t be completed quickly and isn’t a high priority item, simply defer it, schedule to do it later.
5) Eat the Frog
To quote Brian Tracey from his book, “Eat That Frog”.
“Eat that frog!” means to start your day with most vital ” the most important and most dreaded task. Didn’t complete the 30 min learning today? Have you been procrastinating? After doing the most dreaded task, I notice my day feels so much more enjoyable. Probably because of the sense of achievement for completing the task. Try this out to experience it yourself.
6) Reduce the number of Meetings
Poorly run meetings or gathering are time wasters. Not just your time, but the time multiplied by the number of individuals within the meet up.
Confirm you’ve got an agenda and you are not just having a gathering for the sake of getting a gathering.
7) The Glass Rocks, Pebbles, Sand
This is a visible way to organising time. Fairly similar to 4D but more fun and visual. Categorise your task this way:
Rocks: Your most vital strategic projects.
Pebbles: Projects and tasks that are important but not the foremost critical.
Sand: Smaller, more insignificant tasks.
Tackle the rocks first. If I spend time tackling the tiny less important but easy things (the sand and pebbles), and not the important strategic items, the rocks, I realised the jar will quickly fill up with no room for the important rocks. It works great for visual learners.
8) Eliminate the Electronic Time Wasters
Everyone has certain distractions that interrupt them and take their time faraway from work. Is it your Facebook? Twitter? IG? Email checking? They’re addictive, actually, they’re designed to be addictive.
Instead of having to spend so much to resist it, why not schedule a time within your schedule, where you get to do it with peace of mind, free from guilt. Best to schedule it to later half of the day, when you are tired or working hard. It is a great reward. While reserving your precious morning where you’re fresh to handle the difficult or most vital task.
9) Let’s Get Organised
Clutter is a great source of distraction. To effectively manage time and be productive every day, you’ve got to create a productive environment.
The creator of Kondo’s approach, commonly known as the KonMari Method, is comprised of three parts: