Chunka Time
Thanks to insurance counsler and agent Scott Marquart of Escondido, CA for this question – ” I need helping scheduling my day”.
Scott, we have all been there and those who are honest still fall back into this quandry from time to time. Having been through many time optimization and time management theories, here’s a couple of simple tips that work wonders:
1. Simply sit down and plan your week before it starts. Figure out when the planning works best for YOU – the Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday morning before the coming week. Write it down, just brain sprint all of the things you need to get done for the coming week
2. Go back and circle your highest priority items
3. For those highest priority items (these should also be tasks that more quickly advance your personal or professional life), it is a good idea to set aside “chunks of time”. In many cases, it is best to perform these tasks away from the office or in a quiet, secluded area, in a location where you can focus and think clearly. This might be a home office, the office of a friend or colleague or even the library. You decide what works best for you
4. If possible, delegate as many items as possible from this list to someone else
5. If you struggle, find an accountability partner to keep you on task each week. Accountability partners are great as both parties normally benefit from this exercise
In the words of Winston Churchill “the war was not won with the plan, it was won with the planning”
Also, turn off your phone and leave email alone during this time.
Good luck, let us know about your massive success!