Archive | February, 2010

Get Control of Your Inbox

By on February 24, 2010 in Productivity

Use the rule of the 4 D’s to get control over your inbox. Perhaps the most important rule is to handle each message only once, make a decision and move on. This eliminates the bulging inbox and revisiting messages over and over, which often results in less than stellar efficiency!

DELETE IT – you can generally delete 25% to 50% of your messages. If you suffer from packrat syndrome and are wary about needing the message someday, use the following guidelines:

  • Does the message relate to a current objective you’re working on? If not, you can probably delete it. Why hold on to information that doesn’t relate to your main goals?
  • Does the message contain information you can find elsewhere? If so, delete it.
  • Does the message contain information that you will refer to within the next six months? If not, delete it.
  • Does the message contain information that you’re required to keep? If not, delete it.

DO IT (in less than two minutes) – Can’t DELETE IT, then decide, “What specific action do I need to take?” and “Can I DO IT in less than two minutes?” If you can, just Do it.

DELEGATE IT – If you can’t DELETE IT or DO IT in two minutes or less, can you Delegate it? You should be able to compose and send the delegating message in about two minutes. Once you delegate the action, delete the original message or move it into your e-mail reference system (or WOR folder).

DEFER IT – If you cannot DELETE IT, DO IT in less than two minutes, or DELEGATE IT, then you need to Defer it and deal with it after you are done processing your e-mail. Depending on which system you use for email, you can flag the message for follow up and file in the corresponding project folder, create a task out of it or create an appt. if that is what is required.

If you are using the 4 D’s model on a daily basis it makes it easier to handle a large volume of e-mail. Generally speaking, of the e-mail you receive:

  • 50 percent can be deleted or filed in a reference folder
  • 30 percent can be delegated or completed in less than 2 minutes
  • 20 percent can be deferred to your Task List or Calendar to complete later
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Ghandi

What Does Your Life Say?

By on February 10, 2010 in Personal Growth
“It is better to allow our lives to speak for us than our words” - Mahatma Gandhi
Ghandi
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Ghandi had a famous philosophy that said, “My life is my message.” And I think he absolutely exemplified that philosophy of life. When I think of him, the phrase that comes to mind is, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” That is exactly what his life represented and demonstrated in thought, word and deed.

 So this quote started me thinking about what I want my life to say if it is speaking for me!

The challenge for this week is to ask the following questions:

If your life is your message, what is it saying?

This is not the flowery, idealistic version! We’ll get to that but for now, let’s get a reality check. Take a long, hard look at your life. Now what is it saying?

I think most days my life message is – I am really a very kind person, but only if you are nice to me, agree with me and I have had my coffee!

Sample thoughts:
I have the best of intentions, but can’t seem to follow through.
It isn’t really wrong if no one gets hurt.
It’s really not my fault. I just can’t help it.

 What would you like your life to say?

This is where we can be idealistic. What do you really want your life to be about?

I want my life to say – Live kindly, love fully, do your best and let it go.

 Samples thoughts:
You can do anything if you try hard enough.
All that really matter is love.
Do unto others…..

 What changes do you need to make?

For me this means:

-       Think, speak and act from a place of kindness, not judgment.
-       Consider what I can give in my relationships, instead of what I can get.
-       Do everything as if it really matters and release expectations for the outcome; if it doesn’t matter don’t waste my time.
 
 
Sample thoughts:
Focus my attention on my priority of the moment.
Be present in my life and enjoy the experiences.
Spend more time listening to my heart than my head.
When in doubt, speak from a place of love. 
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Do You Have a Bucket List? 101 Things to Do Before You Die

By on February 2, 2010 in Life Balance

listWhat is a bucket list you ask?

If you haven’t heard about the Bucket List, also called 101 Things to Do Before You Die or a Life List, it is simply a list of all of the things you want to do, be or have, places you want to see, experiences you want to live, goals, dreams, etc. before you “kick the bucket.” I believe the term was inspired by the movie, The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman who play terminally ill men that attempt to fulfill their bucket list before they die. (It’s a great movie if you haven’t seen it.)

Why a bucket list?

Life passes us by in a blur of commitments and everyday tasks without leaving much time for thought of what we’d really like to experience in life. Our worst fear is to lie our deathbed lamenting that “someday” never came and we never got the opportunity to do all of those things we intended to get to eventually. The painful reality is that we can’t achieve what we don’t know we want!

How do you create a bucket list?

This week, set aside some time to create your life list and stop putting off your goals, dreams and wishes until “someday.” Ask yourself what you’d like to do before you die. If that is too hard to fathom, then start by asking what if you only had a year left to live? If you already have a list, then take time to review it. Look at it on a regular basis, at least yearly, but I recommend monthly or quarterly. You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.

Some questions to get the juices flowing:

  • What have you always wanted to do but haven’t done yet?
  • What would you do if time or resources were not an obstacle?
  • What are your major goals and aspirations?
  • Any places you want to visit or things want to see?
  • What experiences do you want to have / feel?
  • What activities or skills do you want to learn or attempt?
  • Are there any particular people you want to meet in person?
  • What do you want to achieve in the different areas: Love, Family, Career, Finance, Health, Spiritual, and Community?
  • What do you need to do to lead a life of the greatest meaning to you

Some suggestions from other’s lists:

  • Learn a new language
  • Try out a new career
  • Run a marathon/triathlon
  • Take up a new sport.
  • Learn horseback riding
  • Start your own business doing something you love
  • Achieve financial abundance with your passion
  • Be a mentor to someone
  • Try an extreme sport – Bungee jump, Skydiving, Parachuting, Mountain climbing
  • Make a difference in someone’s life
  • Write a book on something that means a lot to you
  • Sing your favorite song to an audience
  • Public speaking in front of a crowd
  • Get a complete makeover!
  • Play a new musical instrument
  • Take dancing lessons
  • Learn a martial art
  • Go on a road trip
  • Fly in a helicopter
  • Go on a cruise
  • Learn sign language
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The Covey Matrix Can Help You Manage Your Time More Effectively

By on February 1, 2010 in Productivity

Welcome to part 2 in my series on Organization Systems. To read part 1, click here.

While I may be a GTD fan at the moment, I have not completely abandoned the teachings of the guru of time management, Steven Covey. 7 Habits of Highly Successful People may be the most influential time management book ever written. so it is defintely a worthy addition to any productivity junkie’s arsenal.

Human nature means that we instinctively act on tasks that are ‘urgent’, whether these tasks are important or not. That’s OK for the tasks that are also important, but the other ones are not necessarily the best use of your time and effort.

The Covey Time Management matrix can also be used to explain why taking action on goals sometimes gets into trouble. Goals are typically derived from dreams and desires, which by their very nature are not ‘urgent’. Goals are however VERY important and their enabling actions need to be elevated in priority over tasks that are not really important.

So as a tool for helping you prioritize your action items, start by identifying which part of the matrix each task belongs in, and then manage them according to the Covey matrix:

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