What would you do with an extra 30 hours a month?
Busy Lifestyle syndrome and the Boiling Frog
- You can be working away, trying to manage several things and not realise that the water is getting hotter and hotter. Soon it becomes boiling and you’re cooked! You have run out of time and energy
Most people’s pain points
- Interruptions- 70%
- Lack of focus-53%
- Not enough time – 36%
- Not enough control – 23%
- Managing priorities – 9%
- Easily distracted – 9%
Top 10 Time saving Tips
{01} Make a To Do list
- Within this list, schedule deadlines for yourself and others
{02} Energy batch
- Identify when you are at your peak
- Complete harder tasks during this time
{03} Schedule “Me time” and breaks
- Your busy life must include some down time and time for yourself to do the things you enjoy
{04} Reject all of the following:
- Multi-tasking – studies show this is not productive
- Interruptions
- Procrastination
- Not setting priorities
- Open deadlines
- Saboteurs
- Your own inner saboteur
{05} Control emails and phone calls
- Batch
- 4 – D’s (Drop unimportant tasks. Delay less important. Delegate where you can. Do)
- Triage phone calls
- Use smart messages
- Use voicemail – control when you can ring back
{06} Control meetings
- Always have an agenda and try to stick to it
- Ask for items of business prior to meeting and don’t include new ones without notice
- Identify meeting time – be clear about start and end times and consider how long it needs to be
- Set meeting protocols
{07} Decide Once!!
{08} Outsource
- Check if this is the best option and use of time
- Ensure you consider your time per hour when deliberating your options
{09} Insource
- Seek others assistance if necessary and when available
- Consider other staff who may have time and the particular skills required
{10} Reject Piling –
- put things away
- only touch paper once
- deal with it