15 Secrets People Know About Time Management

Kevin Kruse

1. Time is your greatest asset and should be spent wisely

• Once it’s gone you can’t get it back
• There are 1440 minutes in a day, use this as a reminder to value your time
• Many things can be done in 1 minute. i.e 30 sit-ups

2. Determine and Prioritize your most important task (MIT)

• This is the single task that will have biggest impact on your life or work
• Most important productivity determinant is the ability to identify priorities
• This results in greater levels of happiness and improved focus

3. Ditch to-do-list for a calendar to accomplish more while stressing less

• To do lists don’t work because accompanied by a note saying how long it will take to complete them. Result is tasks that are more difficult get left undone.
• Time Blocking: Requires a detailed calendar. force yourself to prioritize tasks that would bring your closer to achieving your goal.
• Sometimes tasks you cant accomplish. Simply re-schedule it.
• i.e going to the gym, you have a flight. re-schedule the gym earlier that day.

4. Overcome procrastination by anticipating how you’ll act in the future and accepting there’ll always be more to do

• In short: Procrastination can be overcome by imagining your future self
• You don’t procrastinate because you are lazy, but because you don’t have enough motivation
• Ask yourself 2 questions:
• i) what pleasure will i get by doing this thing?
• ii)what pain will i feel if i don’t do it?
• i.e not going to gym — you imagine having a big belly. such mental routine will get you off the couch
• If you’re inclined to eat unhealthy snacks. predict and dont keep any junk food in the house

5. There will always be more to do; you can’t do everything and it’s Fine!

• Prioritizing and scheduling the tasks you want to do is more more valuable than crossing off as many items as possible

6. Writing down your ideas and limiting trips to your inbox will clear your mind and boost your productivity.

• Always have a notebook handy. Holding onto your thoughts helps your hold onto them. If your idea isn’t written down it can be lost forever

7. Avoid checking your e-mail too often, lest other people dictate how your spend your time

• Checking e-mails interrupts focus and causes hits of dopamine when e-mails arrive.
• 321 Zero System : check e-mails just 3 times a day. While trying to get ot your inbox to zero in 21 minutes

8. Regain control over your time by avoiding meetings

• Parkinson law of triviality: meeting participants tend to waste lots of time on insignificant issues.
• Extroverts usually dominate meetings and making others less likely to participate.
• Try standing meetings instead of sitting ones
• Shorten meetings to 5–10 minutes

9. Achieve your immediate goals faster by saying No to most things

• Everytime you say yes to something you’re saying no to something else
• Difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything ~warren bufett

10. 80/20 rule and a few self-reflective questions will increase your efficiency and satisfaction.

• Pareto Principle: Focus your energy on the 20 percent that provide the greatest impact.
• i.e focus on the 20 percent of your staff that are producing the most sales

11. Leveraging your Skills and delegating work will increase your productivity

• How important is this task to the company? is there anyone else who can complete it ? How could this task be accomplished if i had half as much time?

12. Theming each day and immediately completing short tasks will boost your efficiency.

• Grouping your work into recurring themes each week will make you more effective
• Example: Monday focus on management. Wednesday on Marketing; Sunday reserved for reflection, feedback and strategy for the coming week.
• Another Method: 1st Day : Focus Day — vital for activities like revenue growing, 2nd day is buffer day: catching up on emails, returning calls, meetings, delegating tasks. Free Day: no work should be done. vacation, family time, relax

13. Immediately take action on tasks that’ll take fewer than 5 minutes to accomplish and avoid the same task over and over.

• i.e. Making a phone call, just rather than putting it in your calendar.

14. Increase your energy level and attention with a morning ritual and simple technique

• Dedicating your first hour each day to a morning routine will enhance your health, mind body and soul.
• Starting your day with a work out is best to get creative juices flowing.
• Meditating half an hour, then working out 45 minutes while listening to audio programs.
• First hour avoid checking news, or looking at phone. Keeping a positive experience.
• Healthy breakfast with lots of water.

15. Energy is Paramount: Productivity isn’t about time, but about maintaining focus and energy

• Pomodoro Technique: reduce distractions and boost productivity. 25 minute intervals with 5 minute breaks.

LIFE S.A.V.E.R.S

S — Silence to foster gratitude and meditation

A — is for Affirmations of Goals and Priorities

V — Visualizations of your ideal Lief

E- Exercise

R- Reading

S- Scribbling in your Journal