Time Management 101 - How to Get More Things Done
Have you ever stopped and wondered how the world's wealthiest people seem to get so much more done with their days then we do? If Oprah only has 24 hours per day, and if Sam Walton had only 24 hours per day, how is it possible that they have gotten so much more out of each day then the rest of us? Did Bill Gates and his Microsoft team invent a time machine as part of their recent Windows 7 upgrade? Does Donald Trump have a wealth creating commercial real estate buying system and time-machine combo? Surely P.
Diddy is two people right? Really, he has to be.
The same guy can't possibly have a cologne line, a ladies' fragrance line, a clothing a line, a record label, a foundation, a C-level acting portfolio and an active social life.
Why are some people more successful than others? Why can some people just seem to get a ton of stuff done? Although it might be shocking and a real downer for the Back to the Future fans reading this, the world's most successful people do not have time-machines or cloning devices.
Nope.
The world's wealthiest and most successful people just also happen to be some of the world's most efficient time-managers.
Ponder that for a second...
Mentally marinate on that thought one more time...
The world's wealthiest and most successful people just also happen to be some of the world's most efficient time-managers.
As consult with more and more top level companies each year, I have discovered that the top level people just seem to get more done out of everyday.
Top level companies and top level people have this ability to stay focused on the task at hand and to knock out their daily-to-do-lists with speed, efficiency and overall quickness.
As I work with more and more small and uneffective organizations I also have noticed that these companies and people have a knack for not getting things done quickly at all.
They have this ability to take 3 weeks to get a new e-mail account and 5 months to get state sales tax system setup.
These small and slow-moving companies form committees and teams of people that meet once per week to discuss general concepts and ideas that result in virtually know action steps being taken.
The successful entrepreneurs live by the creed, "Ready, Fire, Aim.
" The unsuccessful people live by the creed, "Ready, Ready, Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim, For-A-Committee-To-Aim, For-A-Sub-Committee-To-Be-Safer, Go-Out-To-Eat-To-Meet-Someone-Who-Has-Experience-With-Successfully-Aiming, Empty the Gun, Polish the Gun, and then Fire-A-Blank-In-An-Underwhelming-Way-That-Produces-Zero-Results.
At the end of the day successful people and companies do things differently than unsuccessful people.
Specifically speaking I have witnessed that successful people and organizations are implementing the following 11 Time-Management-Tips whether they are aware of it or not.
I hope you find them to be quickly useful.
Tip #1: Successful people have a daily plan, agenda or to-do-list: I have yet to meet an ultra successful person who just wakes up everyday waiting to see what scraps life will throw their way.
Successful people are all determined to create their own luck.
Many of them live by the motto, "I find the harder I work, the luckier I become.
" - Thomas Jefferson.
Successful people make a to-do-list for their day, week, months and years and then work, walk and talk at the speed needed to get it all done.
Tip #2: Successful people delegate nearly everything, but they are relentless about following up: Oh there are many unsuccessful people out there that delegate too, but the key is the "relentless followup.
" Sam Walton's brother and early partners all said that his biggest skill was his "relentless followup.
" Essentially Sam Walton would assign you task and followup on you to the point where you would either get it done, or he would be done with you as an employee.
My friend you must delegate the small stuff.
If you are an owner and entrepreneur or founder of an organization you cannot be changing the ink cartridges.
You have to delegate that stuff.
If you are going to get to the top you cannot spend all weekend repairing your computer.
You have to hire someone to get that done for you.
Tip #3: Successful people only work on what they do best.
If you are going to become profoundly successful, you cannot be acting as your sales department, your accounting department and your marketing team all at the same time.
If you are going to ever go to the next level, you must focus on the core business tasks that you enjoy the most and that you are the best at.
The founder of Hobby Lobby (David Greene) is still the main buyer for Hobby Lobby.
At this nearly $2 billion dollar company, he is still the one who handles the selecting of most of the items and themes that will go into all the Hobby Lobbys.
Why? Because he is passionate about it and because he enjoys it the most.
Because he is good at it, and because he enjoys it, his competition truly cannot compete with him.
Does he handle the marketing? No.
Does he handle the accounting? No.
David Greene is a master of followup and master delegator.
Tip #4: Successful people say no to people and things that interrupt their work day.
We all have that trollish odd-ball guy or girl that is fascinated with wasting our time.
Just like Kramer on the Seinfeld Show episodes, we all have someone we know who loves to just barge in and interrupt us.
We could be in the middle of writing an important script, or making a great business plan and this person will always seem to barge right in.
This person does not mean any harm, but they are killing your efficiency and your ability to succeed.
Simply put, this person is a time-waster.
When this person comes in and asks you to make a donation to this, or to join this club or association, politely tell the no as soon as possible.
Inform them that you are already over-extended as it is.
If they don't pick up on your subtle, gentle and nice attempts to shut them down.
Then simply get up and tell them that you are heading off to a meeting.
Trust me here.
You cannot get them out of your door fast enough during your workday.
If they want to hang out with you over the weekend to talk about nothing that is fine, but during work hours these people should be viewed as the Masters of Mediocrity and the Enemies of Efficiency.
Tip #5: Successful people create time for uninterrupted work time.
Nearly everybody can get more done when we work on a task without interruption.
Almost everyone does better once they are mentally locked into a subject and once they "get into the groove" of the project at hand.
Writing a 1 page article might take 5 hours when it is mixed in with the countless office interruptions of the day.
A fragmented mind simply cannot stay focused long enough to create any momentum.
Poor people, weak people and unsuccessful people will tell you that, "they just don't have the time.
" Successful people are willing to get up earlier, to turn off their TVs and to do whatever they have to do to create uninterrupted time.
Tip #6: Successful people work only via appointment.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to spend the afternoon or a lunch session with numerous multi-millionaires and successful entrepreneurs and I am always amazed by how unfragmented and how unstressful their workdays are.
Like a good basketball player, they let the game come to them.
The don't rush anything and they never seem to look frazzled.
They have assistants to handle everything and their day consists of neatly organized schedules bound together by day-time that is well organized.
They work uninterrupted until 12, they have a meeting with marketing at 3:00, they walk the floors until 5 and then they go home.
They don't have 22 voice mails and 16 emails to respond to personally.
They simply refuse to become part of their daily business.
They don't waste time playing phone tag with people.
Their assistants are instructed to setup specific times for them to meet with specific people about specific agendas designed to produce specific results.
Tip #7: Successful people are neat and organized.
If you came into my office, would you be overly impressed with the neatness of my desk.
No.
But, this is one of my biggest weaknesses and I fight daily to improve in this area.
Why is it so important? Why is it worth the good fight? My friend, nearly every successful person that I have personally witnessed, read about or studied was extremely organized.
They don't spend 10 minutes everyday looking for a pen.
They don't spend hours of time looking for documents.
They are very organized.
They understand that a desk full of papers is a desk filled with unfulfilled obligations.
They only touch every piece of paper once.
They make quick judgments when they pick up a document as to whether they should TOSS IT OUT, REFER IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, TAKE PERSONAL ACTION ON THE FIL, or FILE IT AWAY SOMEWHERE IMPORTANT.
Tip #8: Successful people create learning time.
Unsuccessful people don't have the time to read.
They don't have the time to study.
They don't have the time to get things done.
They have excuses for their excuses and they alibis for their alibis.
Successful people find time and create time to pursue on-going learning.
Some of these top level people study other companies, some of the these top level people bench-mark against other companies, some of theses top level people get up early and some stay up late.
Some of them don't own TVs and some of them simply study while driving by listening to self-help tapes and CDs as they drive.
But they find a way to get things done.
Tip #9: Successful people don't talk to their coworkers about small-minded nothingness.
As I have toured and consulted with more and more of these top level companies, I keep finding that many of them act in surprisingly similar ways.
They are not interested in mindless small talk during their workday.
They are regimented during their workday.
Like a top level athlete doing their workout, they view their workday as though it were being poured out of an hour glass.
They are super-efficient and super-quick to diligent about not wasting their time talking to anyone during their workday about random small-minded talk.
For the most part you aren't going to find too many top level entrepreneurs hanging out with each other talking about what their favorite singer was from American Idol during they work day.
They are too busy getting their to-do-list done to waste their time with this kind of mindless chatter.
Tip #10: Successful people are results focused.
Successful people realize that they will not be judged, remembered or paid based on their intentions.
Successful people realize they will be judged, remembered and paid based on the results they produce.
Successful people focus on getting things done and getting results.
They do not want to hear about your excuses and you will almost never hear them make excuses for themselves either.
They are intensely focused on results and take TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY for their own successes and failures.
Tip #11: Successful people know how to run an efficient meeting: Successful people begin their meetings on time by stating the agendas, and they conclude their meetings by stating the specific action steps that have resulted from the meetings.
These top performers then assign a deadline for all action steps that have resulted from the meeting agenda.
Then they put it on their to-do-list to relentless followup with everyone until the desired results are produced.
So with these 11 Time-Management Tips now firmly planted in your brain it is now up to you.
Will you manage your schedule like Bill Gates, Oprah and Diddy or will you manage your schedule like that the majority of the excuse-creating, alibi-giving, failure-seeking and inefficient population?
Diddy is two people right? Really, he has to be.
The same guy can't possibly have a cologne line, a ladies' fragrance line, a clothing a line, a record label, a foundation, a C-level acting portfolio and an active social life.
Why are some people more successful than others? Why can some people just seem to get a ton of stuff done? Although it might be shocking and a real downer for the Back to the Future fans reading this, the world's most successful people do not have time-machines or cloning devices.
Nope.
The world's wealthiest and most successful people just also happen to be some of the world's most efficient time-managers.
Ponder that for a second...
Mentally marinate on that thought one more time...
The world's wealthiest and most successful people just also happen to be some of the world's most efficient time-managers.
As consult with more and more top level companies each year, I have discovered that the top level people just seem to get more done out of everyday.
Top level companies and top level people have this ability to stay focused on the task at hand and to knock out their daily-to-do-lists with speed, efficiency and overall quickness.
As I work with more and more small and uneffective organizations I also have noticed that these companies and people have a knack for not getting things done quickly at all.
They have this ability to take 3 weeks to get a new e-mail account and 5 months to get state sales tax system setup.
These small and slow-moving companies form committees and teams of people that meet once per week to discuss general concepts and ideas that result in virtually know action steps being taken.
The successful entrepreneurs live by the creed, "Ready, Fire, Aim.
" The unsuccessful people live by the creed, "Ready, Ready, Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim, For-A-Committee-To-Aim, For-A-Sub-Committee-To-Be-Safer, Go-Out-To-Eat-To-Meet-Someone-Who-Has-Experience-With-Successfully-Aiming, Empty the Gun, Polish the Gun, and then Fire-A-Blank-In-An-Underwhelming-Way-That-Produces-Zero-Results.
At the end of the day successful people and companies do things differently than unsuccessful people.
Specifically speaking I have witnessed that successful people and organizations are implementing the following 11 Time-Management-Tips whether they are aware of it or not.
I hope you find them to be quickly useful.
Tip #1: Successful people have a daily plan, agenda or to-do-list: I have yet to meet an ultra successful person who just wakes up everyday waiting to see what scraps life will throw their way.
Successful people are all determined to create their own luck.
Many of them live by the motto, "I find the harder I work, the luckier I become.
" - Thomas Jefferson.
Successful people make a to-do-list for their day, week, months and years and then work, walk and talk at the speed needed to get it all done.
Tip #2: Successful people delegate nearly everything, but they are relentless about following up: Oh there are many unsuccessful people out there that delegate too, but the key is the "relentless followup.
" Sam Walton's brother and early partners all said that his biggest skill was his "relentless followup.
" Essentially Sam Walton would assign you task and followup on you to the point where you would either get it done, or he would be done with you as an employee.
My friend you must delegate the small stuff.
If you are an owner and entrepreneur or founder of an organization you cannot be changing the ink cartridges.
You have to delegate that stuff.
If you are going to get to the top you cannot spend all weekend repairing your computer.
You have to hire someone to get that done for you.
Tip #3: Successful people only work on what they do best.
If you are going to become profoundly successful, you cannot be acting as your sales department, your accounting department and your marketing team all at the same time.
If you are going to ever go to the next level, you must focus on the core business tasks that you enjoy the most and that you are the best at.
The founder of Hobby Lobby (David Greene) is still the main buyer for Hobby Lobby.
At this nearly $2 billion dollar company, he is still the one who handles the selecting of most of the items and themes that will go into all the Hobby Lobbys.
Why? Because he is passionate about it and because he enjoys it the most.
Because he is good at it, and because he enjoys it, his competition truly cannot compete with him.
Does he handle the marketing? No.
Does he handle the accounting? No.
David Greene is a master of followup and master delegator.
Tip #4: Successful people say no to people and things that interrupt their work day.
We all have that trollish odd-ball guy or girl that is fascinated with wasting our time.
Just like Kramer on the Seinfeld Show episodes, we all have someone we know who loves to just barge in and interrupt us.
We could be in the middle of writing an important script, or making a great business plan and this person will always seem to barge right in.
This person does not mean any harm, but they are killing your efficiency and your ability to succeed.
Simply put, this person is a time-waster.
When this person comes in and asks you to make a donation to this, or to join this club or association, politely tell the no as soon as possible.
Inform them that you are already over-extended as it is.
If they don't pick up on your subtle, gentle and nice attempts to shut them down.
Then simply get up and tell them that you are heading off to a meeting.
Trust me here.
You cannot get them out of your door fast enough during your workday.
If they want to hang out with you over the weekend to talk about nothing that is fine, but during work hours these people should be viewed as the Masters of Mediocrity and the Enemies of Efficiency.
Tip #5: Successful people create time for uninterrupted work time.
Nearly everybody can get more done when we work on a task without interruption.
Almost everyone does better once they are mentally locked into a subject and once they "get into the groove" of the project at hand.
Writing a 1 page article might take 5 hours when it is mixed in with the countless office interruptions of the day.
A fragmented mind simply cannot stay focused long enough to create any momentum.
Poor people, weak people and unsuccessful people will tell you that, "they just don't have the time.
" Successful people are willing to get up earlier, to turn off their TVs and to do whatever they have to do to create uninterrupted time.
Tip #6: Successful people work only via appointment.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to spend the afternoon or a lunch session with numerous multi-millionaires and successful entrepreneurs and I am always amazed by how unfragmented and how unstressful their workdays are.
Like a good basketball player, they let the game come to them.
The don't rush anything and they never seem to look frazzled.
They have assistants to handle everything and their day consists of neatly organized schedules bound together by day-time that is well organized.
They work uninterrupted until 12, they have a meeting with marketing at 3:00, they walk the floors until 5 and then they go home.
They don't have 22 voice mails and 16 emails to respond to personally.
They simply refuse to become part of their daily business.
They don't waste time playing phone tag with people.
Their assistants are instructed to setup specific times for them to meet with specific people about specific agendas designed to produce specific results.
Tip #7: Successful people are neat and organized.
If you came into my office, would you be overly impressed with the neatness of my desk.
No.
But, this is one of my biggest weaknesses and I fight daily to improve in this area.
Why is it so important? Why is it worth the good fight? My friend, nearly every successful person that I have personally witnessed, read about or studied was extremely organized.
They don't spend 10 minutes everyday looking for a pen.
They don't spend hours of time looking for documents.
They are very organized.
They understand that a desk full of papers is a desk filled with unfulfilled obligations.
They only touch every piece of paper once.
They make quick judgments when they pick up a document as to whether they should TOSS IT OUT, REFER IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE, TAKE PERSONAL ACTION ON THE FIL, or FILE IT AWAY SOMEWHERE IMPORTANT.
Tip #8: Successful people create learning time.
Unsuccessful people don't have the time to read.
They don't have the time to study.
They don't have the time to get things done.
They have excuses for their excuses and they alibis for their alibis.
Successful people find time and create time to pursue on-going learning.
Some of these top level people study other companies, some of the these top level people bench-mark against other companies, some of theses top level people get up early and some stay up late.
Some of them don't own TVs and some of them simply study while driving by listening to self-help tapes and CDs as they drive.
But they find a way to get things done.
Tip #9: Successful people don't talk to their coworkers about small-minded nothingness.
As I have toured and consulted with more and more of these top level companies, I keep finding that many of them act in surprisingly similar ways.
They are not interested in mindless small talk during their workday.
They are regimented during their workday.
Like a top level athlete doing their workout, they view their workday as though it were being poured out of an hour glass.
They are super-efficient and super-quick to diligent about not wasting their time talking to anyone during their workday about random small-minded talk.
For the most part you aren't going to find too many top level entrepreneurs hanging out with each other talking about what their favorite singer was from American Idol during they work day.
They are too busy getting their to-do-list done to waste their time with this kind of mindless chatter.
Tip #10: Successful people are results focused.
Successful people realize that they will not be judged, remembered or paid based on their intentions.
Successful people realize they will be judged, remembered and paid based on the results they produce.
Successful people focus on getting things done and getting results.
They do not want to hear about your excuses and you will almost never hear them make excuses for themselves either.
They are intensely focused on results and take TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY for their own successes and failures.
Tip #11: Successful people know how to run an efficient meeting: Successful people begin their meetings on time by stating the agendas, and they conclude their meetings by stating the specific action steps that have resulted from the meetings.
These top performers then assign a deadline for all action steps that have resulted from the meeting agenda.
Then they put it on their to-do-list to relentless followup with everyone until the desired results are produced.
So with these 11 Time-Management Tips now firmly planted in your brain it is now up to you.
Will you manage your schedule like Bill Gates, Oprah and Diddy or will you manage your schedule like that the majority of the excuse-creating, alibi-giving, failure-seeking and inefficient population?
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