Mastering the Clock: Time Management Tactics for Peak Productivity

Unlock the door to unparalleled efficiency and wave goodbye to the time thieves that plague your productivity. Our latest episode serves up a treasure trove of time management mastery, from leveraging the latest software to discovering the golden nuggets of daily planning. Whether at your desk or in the comfort of your home office, we'll guide you through creating a distraction-free zone, harnessing the power of outsourcing, and the transformative art of decisive action. Say farewell to half work and hello to a world where your tasks align seamlessly with your priorities, ensuring every tick of the clock propels you towards success.

Journey with us as we share the top-tier time management tips that will revolutionize your daily routine. Identify the tasks that move the needle, and let online calendars become your new best friend in the quest for order amidst chaos. We discuss the liberating power of 'no' and the chain reaction of positivity that keystone habits can ignite in your life. If chronic procrastination is your arch-nemesis, fear not. We tackle this head-on with tried-and-true tactics that will transform delay into do-it-now determination, keeping you inspired and on track for achieving your wildest dreams.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Jim Rohn once said Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time, and it's true. It's the most valuable asset we have at our disposal. Every hour in our workday translates to dollars spent, dollars gained or dollars wasted. Our abilities to produce, to profit, to grow and scale are all dependent on our ability to manage and dominate time. But how can we truly take command of this golden asset? How can we ensure we're making the absolute best use of the minutes and hours in both our businesses and in our personal lives? In this course, we're going to show you how to do exactly that.

Speaker 2: 1:28

Full-time employees work an average of 8.5 hours per weekday and 5.4 hours on weekends. 20% of the average workday is spent on doing high-priority matters, while 80% of the average workday is spent on things that have little value or no value at all. The average employee spends two hours per day being affected by distractions. These statistics show that time management is an increasingly important area that businesses should focus on. Our course is going to consist of a series of critical discussion points. These are designed to cover this broad topic as thoroughly as possible, to encourage growth in these vital areas and to facilitate a real and fruitful discussion within your organization about how you can each improve on this essential characteristic, both at work and in your personal lives in general. Some of these will be pretty lengthy and some will be relatively straightforward and brief. At the very end of this roadmap comes the most important final step Discussion time. Do not skip this. This is the most important part of this training. When you've finished this course, you need to spend at least an hour or so going over the questions we supply at the end as a group, whoever's the head honcho in the group should designate a facilitator whose responsibility it is that each question is covered and that everyone, time permitting, is able to have their say. Make sure all contributions are valued, all suggestions considered and all opinions respected. So let's move into the first discussion point Track your time using a time management software.

Speaker 2: 3:25

Like money, time can be wasted if not managed properly. In order to identify which areas you need to improve, you have to know where your time actually goes. This is important, for there's a big difference between intuitive time and reality. When choosing a time management software, you should include important features such as timesheets, project management, time estimates, manual time tracking, multiple timer options, export and archive options, time reports, user management, notifications, reports and analytics, app integration and smartphone compatibility. Set time limits. Another way to increase efficiency in your work is by setting a time limit for every task. For instance, if you started writing an article at 8 am, you should make ita point to finish the whole thing by 10 am. Having a buffer for each task prevents you from procrastinating and can avoid the habit of eating the time for other tasks.

Speaker 2: 4:37

Plan ahead. A happy-go-lucky attitude won't lead you anywhere. To have a productive day, week or even a month, you need to plan in advance. For example, if you want to have an organized week. Create a daily to-do list outlining the specific tasks you should be working on each day, planning ahead. Planning ahead will help you to stay focused on your priorities. It also allows you to focus one task at a time rather than just randomly jumping to another when you don't feel like doing the other. Another thing to consider is that your energy and creativity will fluctuate throughout the week. You must carefully consider where you should put low-priority and high-priority tasks.

Speaker 2: 5:26

Take Action. Once everything is set, it's your job to follow it religiously. Remember that planning will become useless when no action is taken. Once you've started a new day, make it a point to execute immediately. Take action and make sure to finish what you've started.

Speaker 2: 5:51

Outsource your work. Let's face it you're not a superhero. You can't possibly do it all by yourself. Lighten your load by finding a helping or, even better, a set of hands. Delegate smaller, time-consuming tasks to freelancers. Of course, outsourcing can be a gamble at first For some. They tend to become skeptical to delegate a task to someone. One reason is that they're afraid that they might sabotage the work. Another reason is that they're worried that things won't be handled the same way. Trust will play an important role when finding someone to delegate your tasks with. You need to identify which freelancers are considered trustworthy and are really capable of handling the job. One way to do this is by looking at their CV. One way to do this is by looking at their CV, analyzing their work history and contacting their references. This will help you to decide whether they are worthy enough to take on the job.

Speaker 2: 7:02

Focus first on the most important tasks MITs. Normally, our brains are in its most active state in the first hour or two. With that in mind, it would be logical to do the heavy stuff first, when you still have the energy. Doing the MITs first will make the rest of the day more productive and efficient. When you prioritize the most important tasks first, it eliminates a big portion of your workload. Additionally, once you've finished these MITs, you can use that feeling of accomplishment as a motivation to keep going for the remainder of the day.

Speaker 2: 7:43

Avoid doing half work. Half work is basically any work that is done inefficiently due to unnecessary distractions. Whether you're laser-focused or not, you can end up doing half work without even noticing it. Here are examples of half work you are making a report when suddenly your hand involuntarily picks up the phone. Now you find yourself browsing Facebook for the past 30 minutes. You are two weeks in on a new diet that your doctor recommended. However, the next day you've switched to a new eating program because of its life-changing testimonials. You've read online. While having a business trip, you suddenly feel the urge to stop by every souvenir shop nearby. To avoid becoming inadvertent, we need to create some work isolation. What this means is that we confine ourselves by separating other tasks from our current one. This form of isolation allows us to finish what's in the top of our to-do list. Having work without interference will lead to more fruitful and rewarding results.

Speaker 2: 8:56

Wake up early. Another reason why most of us end up being unproductive throughout the day is that maybe we're waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Do you have a habit of sleeping in till late in the morning? Why not wake up ahead of the usual, say, an hour early? A former US Navy SEAL, jocko Willick, decided to wake up at 4.30 am in the morning every day. His reason it is much better to go through life attacking days than it is to go through life getting attacked by days. Don't let this happen. Go on the offensive. Of course, you probably aren't a person who eats war for breakfast. Yet we can imitate his mindset Wake up early, get more things done. Here are some benefits of being an early bird Enhances productivity, reduces stress levels, improves sleep quality and provides a more positive outlook.

Speaker 2: 10:01

Put intervals between tasks. Jumping immediately from one task to another might seem to be a foolproof way to save time. However, results can be counterintuitive. The reason is that our brains can only stay focused for a short period of time. Once you've done with a task, pause. Give yourself time to relax. Allow having buffers in between tasks or meetings. This will allow you to freshen up for the next activity.

Speaker 2: 10:36

Get organized. These might be a little out of topic for the business category, but it can still be very beneficial on a practical scale. Did you know that on a survey by Pixie Lost and Found, a review company, they found out that the average American spends 2.5 days every year looking for their lost items? Additionally, americans spend over $2.7 billion annually in replacing these items. These statistics may seem irrelevant, but remember that we highly value time. Time spent finding misplaced items is still wasted time. To avoid wasting time and money, be organized. Organization starts at your home. Arrange your things in a way that can be easily accessed and are within your reach. The same thing goes to your work desk. At the end of each day, clean your workspace. When you inject organization in any aspect, your environment will become neat, but will also save you a lot of time and resources.

Speaker 2: 11:53

Follow the Pareto's Principle. Though commonly used in sales, the 80-20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, can also be applied to time management. Also known as the Pareto Principle, can also be applied to time management. In its true definition, the rule states that 80% of a company's sales come from 20% of its customers. If we would convert this to a time management approach, we can say that 80% of our results come from 20% of our actions. How could you use the 80-20 rule to your own benefit? To generate bigger sales? You need to initiate a process of elimination.

Speaker 2: 12:33

Looking at your tasks, analyze which of those are of paramount importance. For example, let's say you have 12 tasks every day. However, upon looking closely, you notice that out of the 12 in your to-do list, only four are considered vital. Why not focus on that four essentials and leave the rest for later? It may seem unnatural at first, but once you've got the hang of identifying high-priority tasks, it would be much easier for you to scale up the effort on these MITs, use an online calendar.

Speaker 2: 13:14

Calendars have long been a prerequisite for time management. However, a calendar from your local supermarket won't really suffice as a tool for time saving. From your local supermarket won't really suffice as a tool for time saving. Fortunately, in this modern era, online calendars have taken time management to new heights. More and more companies are using online calendars to book appointments, schedule meetings, create events, set up reminders and scheduling recurring events. They also provide accessibility because you can access it across multiple devices at a time. Here are the top online calendars that you should definitely check out Google Calendar, my Study Life Time Tree Outlook Calendar. Cozy Family Organizer Jort.

Speaker 2: 14:10

Stop being a perfectionist. When doing anything, it's always good to remember. Perfection in its literal form is non-existent. As imperfect human beings, we make imperfect output, but, though not having the absolute form of perfection, we can be perfect if we strive to be exceptional perfection. We can be perfect if we strive to be exceptional. Being exceptional at anything means that we strive to be outstanding in anything we do. However, this isn't something that can be achieved overnight. It requires time and patience. It also involves a lot of failures and setbacks. However, failing repeatedly can help you to learn from your mistakes, motivating you to be better each day. Charge every downfall to experience. When you constantly look for ways on how to improve each day, you can be exceptional in everything everything.

Speaker 2: 15:13

Learn to say no. Naturally, we don't want to upset anyone, so a lot of times we try to accommodate them all. However, you need to accept the fact that you can't always please everyone. You can only handle so much. When you think about it, you might already have a full plate on your work-related tasks alone. Of course, some would consider us a helping hand and a shoulder to lean on. In your part, you might have the natural desire to help out, but unless you have spare time on your hands, maybe it would be best just to say no. Maybe it would be best just to say no.

Speaker 2: 15:57

Develop Keystone Habits. According to Charles Doug, author of the Power of Habit defined, keystone habits are small changes or habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives. We can acquire habits that are life-changing, or, in other words, habits that transform you to be a better version of yourself. Here are a few examples of Keystone Habits Exercise, taking naps, writing a daily journal. Writing a daily journal, cleaning, donating to charity, spend quality time with loved ones, playing an instrument, painting Every keystone habit is like a pillar that supports a bridge. Having such habits strengthen your physical, mental and psychological state, improving your well-being.

Speaker 2: 16:58

Waiting in line on airport terminals, at train stations several times we may find ourselves completely stationary, having no productivity at all. Why not take this opportunity to do something more worthwhile? Instead of checking your phone or casually reading a newspaper, take this time to answer emails, book appointments or simply just stretching out. In fact, some people have even used these situations to learn a new language or skill, simply by reading or watching brief tutorials online. The point Make the most out of your time.

Speaker 2: 17:39

Try using conference calls. Though not applicable to most forms of work, this can still be a real time saver for people who usually work at companies. Instead of wasting your time traveling to your office to attend a brief 20-minute meeting, why not just arrange a conference call? If you're the team leader or head, your responsibility is to make sure that your team is as efficient as possible. Make it a point to utilize online conference calls for less priority discussions. For less priority discussions.

Speaker 2: 18:16

Find sources of inspiration. We all hit rock bottom sometimes, feelings of tiredness or having hints of depression can really affect how you manage your time. This is why we need a form of stimulus that can reinforce our desire to keep on grinding. Find sources of inspiration from talks, podcasts, articles, biographies and other relevant information that can revitalize you, helping you get back on track. Bucket similar tasks together.

Speaker 2: 18:52

It's important to remember that our brains contain gear-like processes that are designed for every situation. Every time we switch tasks, our brain automatically shifts to the appropriate thinking gear needed for that particular task. Of course, any machine that shuffles gears every now and then will eventually break down. Same is true with our brains. We can't simply adjust to a task that demands a higher form of cognition. Yet, despite having a number of tasks on hand, you can still find ways to save more time. One way is to find a common denominator of every task you have. Surprisingly, you might notice that some of your tasks are mostly done in the same process from your other ones. For example, answering emails and phone calls can all be done by your phone. Knowing this, you can now then allocate a specific time to do these things together instead of doing them at different parts of the day.

Speaker 2: 19:59

Set priorities using the ABCDE method. Prioritizing is one of the primary elements when doing time management. If you feel stressed out with the amount of work you currently have, if you feel stressed out with the amount of work you currently have, don't panic. In fact, don't just do a task because it's the easiest thing to be done. Instead, categorize your tasks according to the level of priority. There are a lot of methods designed to help you determine whether a task is of high priority or not. Popularized by Brian Tracy, this method has become the basis for some as they prioritize their schedule. Here's how the ABCDE method works A Very important these are the MITs of your business or organization.

Speaker 2: 20:52

These tasks should be your highest priority, for it would be the basis of success for your business. B Important these are tasks that are valuable as well, just on a lesser degree. Such tasks will lead to minor negative consequences when neglected. Such tasks will lead to minor negative consequences when neglected. C Nice to do these items are the ones that have no consequences at all, whether you do them or not. D Delegate these are tasks that you can assign to someone, usually by outsourcing. And E eliminate these are illusionary to-dos that are, in reality, actually junk. You should get rid of these ASAP.

Speaker 2: 21:50

Decide with the help of the 4D method. Another popular time management method is commonly known as 4D. The 4D method is delete or drop. These are tasks that are extraneous and shouldn't be of concern. You can throw these straight down the bin. Delegate these are types of tasks that you can hand over to people who know the role well. You can delegate tasks, usually by outsourcing it to skilled workers such as freelancers. Defer these are tasks that aren't in a hurry. If there's something that can be postponed and have no major consequences, defer it. Dues these are top priority. These tasks should be done right away.

Speaker 2: 22:44

Allot 18 minutes to reflect. Peter Bergman, a best-selling author, popularized a book entitled 18 Minutes, which talks about finding your focus so you can get the right things done. His book explains how we can combat distractions and gain productivity. Why is it called 18 minutes? Morning five minutes start the day by thinking about what can be done to achieve success today. Then take those things off your to-do list and schedule them into your calendar. A minute per work hour. Eight minutes. As you go about your eight to five job, you need to refocus yourself. Set an alarm every hour. Every time the alarm goes off. Reflect on what have you done the past hour. Ask yourself have I spent the last hour doing something productive? Evening Five minutes After you've turned off your computer, take a moment to meditate, take a deep breath and recap how your day went. Breath and recap how your day went.

Speaker 2: 24:01

Set smart goals. Not all goals produce rewarding results. Ill-considered plans are time wasters that will only lead to merry chasing To get work done the right way. Create goals the right way. Work smart using smart goals. Cliche as it may seem, a smart goal is the cornerstone of every successful business. So the question is what does a smart goal mean?

Speaker 2: 24:25

Specific your goals should be well defined, vividly outlines what you want to achieve. The key to being specific is knowing your why. Understanding your true motives ignites your will to stay on track. The more specific and amplified your goals are, the more likely you'll succeed. Measurable your goals should be perceptible. In other words, you can easily track its progress. You make your goals measurable by breaking it down to precise metrics. Measurable goals let you assess your progress and, most importantly, it lets you know when you've achieved it. However, when creating measurable goals, it's important to leave room for growth. This means that you should consider your limitations and allocate a reasonable time to adjust.

Speaker 2: 25:23

Achievable we all know the saying dream big, aim high. True, we should set goals that push us beyond our comfort zones. However, we should avoid having lofty goals. Being overambitious will only lead you to discouragement, eventually putting your goals down the drain. Achievable goals are initially overwhelming but can realistically be completed. Relevant. Of course, we want our goals to be aligned with our priorities. This means that your greatest dream should always be linked to every goal you're trying to achieve. Every goal should serve as a stepping stone to your ideal vision of success.

Speaker 2: 26:10

Timebound Every goal needs a deadline. Assign a due date to every goal you make. This pushes you to your limits, positively reinforcing you to work even harder to reach it. Identify your peak hours. You may have noticed that your mind works best in a certain part of the day. For some, they find out they're laser-focused in mornings, yet for night owls, evenings are their strengths. In order to achieve the most efficient results, you need to discover what your peak hours are, be aware of when your mind is the most active and adjust accordingly. Working at hours that you're on top of your game is a real time saver and will definitely lead to more productivity ending up to better results.

Speaker 2: 27:07

Shut down distractions. When was the last time you checked your phone while working? Let's be honest, we often get distracted from things that we regularly do. A usual 60-minute task can take up to 3 hours when exposed to these time wasters. However, letting yourself be preoccupied with such things will only lead to unsatisfactory outcomes. When doing high-priority tasks, make sure to turn on the Do Not Disturb sign. Literally Set your phone to a setting that you know you won't be bothered. Another good tip would be to hide these distractions, or in other words, putting it in a place beyond your reach. You can do this by putting your phone in the drawer in the lowest, if possible. Also, make sure to close any tabs regarding social media, online shopping or any other platforms that can tempt you to pause your work. How important it is to avoid such triggers. Important it is to avoid such triggers.

Speaker 2: 28:14

Get enough sleep. As obvious of an advice it may seem, sleep is still the number one factor that contributes to better time management. Enough sleep leads to a healthy mind. A healthy mind increases productivity. Finally, increased productivity produces better results in lesser time. How much sleep do you really need? According to sleepfoundationorg, adults should have a sleep range of seven to nine hours. If you are sleeping less than the ideal hours, then it's time to make a change. Don't deprive yourself with such precious rest.

Speaker 2: 28:57

Have a clock in front of you. You may be wondering why this is even included in the list. When you think about it, you always have a clock nearby. However, we are not referring to digital clocks in your computer or a widget on your phone. We are talking about a physical clock with batteries. Having a physical clock visible to you affects you psychologically. Seeing vividly how time quickly passes by forces you to quicken your pace so you can reach your desired deadlines. Having an actual clock in front of you can also help you to realize how time is gold and that you should value every second of it.

Speaker 2: 29:43

Take time for yourself. Besides sleep, you need to find more ways to condition yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. Include exercise in your weekly routine or, even better, on a daily basis. Also, make sure to have free time each day to spend time with your loved ones, for this is important for your mental health. If you feel like you can do something more productive rather than taking these breaks, then you may need to change your outlook on life. After all, the bottom line of everything is keep all things in perspective.

Speaker 2: 30:23

Develop a sense of urgency. An important factor of time management is speed. This is why having a sense of urgency is vital for efficiency. Having a sense of urgency means you are fully present at the moment. In other words, you are fully aware of your current situation and you take action to get things done as soon as possible. True, you should worry about future events done as soon as possible. True, you should worry about future events, but a sense of urgency will prevent us from obsessing of things that have not yet happened. Instead, you live in the moment, taking one split second at a time. A person with a sense of urgency recognizes how fast-paced the business environment is, so he strives to work on a faster pace.

Speaker 2: 31:14

To develop a sense of urgency, you need a proactive approach. A proactive person is like a great chess player. In order to win, you need to think in advance. The same is true when dealing with tasks. In order to manage time, you need to think ahead to see what needs to be done. Discipline this is a battle of our minds. We need to set restrictions to ourselves and we should obey them religiously, despite having tons of distractions. Being disciplined helps you to keep focus on what's at stake. Optimism and Determination Optimism provides motivation when things get rough, while determination strengthens your resolve to keep on grinding. Stop Procrastinating.

Speaker 2: 32:13

We are all, by nature, procrastinators. We all have the tendency to set aside things that we perceive to be something that can be done later. However, letting procrastination take control of your life will eventually overshadow any dreams of success that you want to achieve. In fact, it might lead you to a higher form of procrastination that you should worry about. This is called chronic procrastination. Chronic procrastination is the worst of its kind, for it becomes a personality trait. A chronic procrastinator develops a self-destructive habit of waving off any task, no matter how urgent it could be. It's considered to be self-destructive because, once they've realized that there's not much time left, they start to panic. How can you avoid procrastination? Here are some practical ways that can help Recognize that you have the inclination to procrastinate, write down the tasks you need to complete and when it needs to be done, then stick to it.

Speaker 2: 33:21

Once tasks arrive, work on them immediately. Every time you finish a difficult task on time, give yourself a reward. Every time you finish a difficult task on time, give yourself a reward. And now it's discussion time, the most important part of this training. Whoever's the head honcho in the group should designate a facilitator whose responsibility it is that each of the questions you see on your screen is covered and that everyone, time permitting, is able to have their say. Make sure all contributions are valued, all suggestions considered and all opinions respected. Thank you.