Time Management Affecting Your Productivity?

[Stacie Bennett]

I know it was mine. I 'worked' online all day (stay at home mom, all kids in school).
But couldn't seem to at the end of the day to tell exactly what I had gotten done that
day . With two large project's deadlines coming soon, I had to figure out something to
keep the distractions to a minimum. Besides that with me 'working' all day, my housework
was suffering (not nasty, just not as good as it could be ).

I came up with a Time Management system that works for me. I know it won't work for
everyone (since everyone is different), but hopefully it will help someone get their
time under control (and productivity up).

So here is what I do for my 'work' hours:

30 minutes, working on a specific task (I have to set this before I start or I'll bounce
from task to task, lol).

20 minutes, working on housework (It is amazing what you can get done in 20 FOCUSED
minutes!).

10 minutes, break (This is usually to get my mind ready for the next work cycle, usually
will play a game, love Spider Solitaire way to much, lol, or visit the forum to catch
up on things).

I keep myself on task with a timer, an excellent free one is available at TimeLeft.

I also recently discovered the amazingness of Mind Mapping. This helps me get all the
tasks that I need to do for my projects in front of me. I usually have to 'see' what
I need to do. Again, an excellent free one is available at Free Mind.

I hope this has helped someone to get the 'Time Bandit' under control, and create their
own system (or if it works for you, use mine).

How do you keep yourself on task? Know any great resources for this? Please share!

[Samster]

Ever since I started to work at home time management has been a problem for me. I find myself getting distracted very easily (I too like Spider Solitaire). I found I do better when I make a list and set a schedule based on the days tasks.

[Stacie Bennett]

Originally Posted by narsticle

time management can make or break you.

Absolutely, unfortunately most people (me included) find this out the hard way, with a lot of wasted time, lol.

Originally Posted by Samster

Ever since I started to work at home time management has been a problem for me. I find myself getting distracted very easily (I too like Spider Solitaire). I found I do better when I make a list and set a schedule based on the days tasks.

I know when I worked at a public job, I was the 'queen of productivity', but that was because I HAD to, someone was relying on me to get my work done. Now that I'm at home working, it is only me, and I tend to be to soft "Oh that will slide for right now" lol.

Oh and if I have a project that has to get done RIGHT NOW, then my schedule gets altered a bit, I still use the timer to keep me on track. But every reset of the timer, I'm still working on the project.

(And Spider Solitaire is awesome, isn't it?)

[SusanneUK]

This is great, I might try this as well, I have all the same problems as you and need to do something about it.

Weirdly enough, I also like playing spider solitaire, I find it clears my mind of just about anything, so I can start something with a fresh mind and I also find, first thing in the morning, with a cup of tea, it wakes me up ready for the day. If I have a sticky problem that I just can't figure out, I will stop trying, play spider once, then normally find I have several new approaches to try and I wasn't aware I was thinking about the problem whilst playing the game LOL

Sue

[Stacie Bennett]

Susanne,

That is so funny, that is exactly how I use Spider Solitaire as well. Works wonders to clear the head.

I'm noticing a theme here though, seems that Spider Solitaire is common. Hmmm, wonder if that has anything to do with productivity levels (guilty )

[Money Grows Online]

Hi Stacie,
You know, I reall do make great money if I only work 1 hour a day. However, I understand what you are saying. When my girlfried says what did you get done today? I'm like uhhhhhh... I work about 2 hours a day and I think I almost double my money by doing it. Still, I never work without a outline list and a TIMER. Nobody at home complains because I make about $2k a day and I still have plenty of time for all of what the family needs.

[Stacie Bennett]

Oh I know what you mean, lol. It is amazing what can be accomplished with just a bit of FOCUS. And the timer has become my best friend

[Steve Taylor]

I just spent a half hour watching Eben Pagan's video on time management.

Great 30 minute video and info...it came from a Frank Kern email today.

I don't know if it's appropriate to put up the link here.
Maybe Frank will.

-Steve

[Stacie Bennett]

Steve,

Sounds like a great resource, hope he posts a link as well

[marxwarfor]

I just watched that Eben Pagen video via Frank Kern email and it was wonderful!!

Eben states that he received this quote from an expert Personal Growth author and friend of Eben's....

.....that there is 'No Such Thing as Time Management'

THAT is a 'misnomer......

what it REALLY is......wait for it.....it's - 'Self Manangement'

go check it out Stacie, great value and worth all 35 minutes.... was well worth it.

Mark

[Stanley Tang]

The first thing you can do to become more productive is to spent less time on the warrior forum... yes I am guilty of that too

[Stacie Bennett]

Originally Posted by marxwarfor

what it REALLY is......wait for it.....it's - 'Self Manangement'

You know that is so true. I have definitely had to become more self-disciplined, that is for sure! I like that, going to write that on a post it and stick it on my computer, lol.

Originally Posted by Stanley Tang

The first thing you can do to become more productive is to spent less time on the warrior forum... yes I am guilty of that too

Me too, , lol. That is the reason my timer is my best friend, .

[Monetize]

Hi Stacie,

This is a very important topic and it's great
of you to share your tips and resources with
the rest of us

[CashMap]

Stacie -

Great thread. We've found in our research that e-mail is the single largest source of non-productivity for people. It's not only the time spent actively on e-mail....but it's the split of your mental state between multiple items of focus as well as the wasted internet time that comes from following links in e-mail.

Think about this.....if you could remove yourself from e-mail and not have to worry about missing anything important and if your business could keep running....how much more could you accomplish? How many new products could you pump out that lead to revenue?

Unfortunately, e-mail is NOT a revenue producing activity.

Brad

[tomw]

The video that Frank sent out is a promo piece for Eben's *amazing* new product called "Wake Up Productive." I signed up from day one and it has been running for about five or six weeks now and I can't believe that I am admitting this in public but it *really* has *already* helped to change so many key issues in my business *and* my internal processes. The program tackles issues such as emotional, physical and mental productivity as well as business productivity and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Eben's methods are so powerful. I was so unbelievably surprised as most self help stuff is complete and utter junk! His stuff isn't about visualising success or any of that "ask the universe to become a billionaire and you'll receive it" crap. It details real tangible action steps that anybody can take in order to achieve balance, focus and indeed, to "Wake Up Productive."

I can't thank him enough.

Thomas

[Peggy Baron]

Another hand up for Spider Solitaire! Only I play it while listening to a podcast or teleseminar. Otherwise, I start looking at email or trying to multi-task and stop listening. I can listen really good if I'm playing Spider Solitaire - must be the way my ADHDish mind works.

Peggy

[Stacie Bennett]

Brad,

I agree with email being a huge time drain, lol. What I do there is that is the first on my 'work' list each morning. I scan through email looking for anything that may need my immediate attention, take care of those. I then read anything else that looks interesting, if I have time. But once the timer goes off, time to move on to something else.

Thomas,

I may need to check into Eben's product. So far my system has been working for me, but it never hurts to find something else that helps, lol.

Peggy,

I may have to just try that trick with podcasts as well. That is one of the biggest reasons I don't listen to them, to easily distracted

[terryrayburn]

Two VERY simple things have helped me:

1. Handle every piece of paper ONCE, if possible. Do this by holding up every piece of paper and asking, "What will happen if I throw this away?"

If the answer is "Nothing", throw it away! If not, file it, stack it, get it out of your sight so you don't have to deal with it again.

2. Start every day with a list of things to accomplish THAT DAY. Cross them off as you go along.

Don't complicate this. You'll get more done if you just DO the things on the list, and cross them off as you do. Anything undone...just put on tomorrow's list.

[Teenage Genius]

Thanks for the link to the timer software. Its exactly what i needed. Time managment helps you : get things done! see your results! work on multiple projects each day! take breaks! do things like housework!

I have to agree with you.

Again thanks for the link to the timer software, i should be much more productive now

[Diana Lane]

One of my favourite tricks is to see how much I can get done while a household appliance is running it's cycle. I'll set the washing machine, tumble-dryer or breadmaker and then let it get on with it's job while I get on with mine, seeing how much stuff I can tick off before it finishes. At the end of it, I've usually got a few jobs marked off plus a pile of clean clothes or a loaf of bread.

No machine is too small to compete with - you can even grab a slice of hot toast after you dispatch an e-mail, and if you stick an egg in the microwave for a minute at the same time, that's lunch taken care of as well

[jbolte1976]

What's pretty funny about this topic is I logged in to the WF to go to the copywriting section to get some pointers to keep moving forward on my sales page.....

and you know how it is.... some flashy title catches your eye and before you know it you're spending 20 minutes reading through threads, lol.


So here I am....alright, time to get focused again. Back to where I originally intended to go.

Jason

[Craig Desorcy]

it's not easy that's for sure!

I'm all over the map by nature but Eben got me on track.
Wake Up Productive - Registration Closed

It's closed now but the free videos are an eye opener.

Craig

[Chris Williamson]

Great tips guys!

I become more productive when I:

- Unsubscribed from ALL the newsletters I don't need.
(Only kept the really important ones)

- Removed my mail icon from my desktop bar (no more easy
access.)

- Wrote my daily, weekly and monthly goals down and kept track of my time usage with a timer.

- And lastly, writing a performance journal on my thoughts about how I thought the day went, whether it was good, bad, how I could improve it etc.

These things made a huge difference and my productivity has increased ten-fold.

Chris

[Teenage Genius]

Just want to post a little update.

I downloaded that time software you recommended, and today has been the most productive day i have had this week, and its only 4PM here in the uk.

I didnt wake up until 12 either lol.

My room was getting in a right mess, because i have basically lived in my bedroom for the last week lol.

So i set a reminder in the program saying "CLEAN BEDROOM - NOW!" and set it for 3:20... My room is now spotless!

I have spent from 12 onwards writing up a PROJECT PLAN for my product, and i was really getting stuck into it, then when the reminder popped up i got straight to cleaning my room. Now i have allowd myself half an hours break to come on the forum, then when my next reminder goes off its back to my Project Plan.



Steven

[Teenage Genius]

Originally Posted by willo000

Great tips guys!

I become more productive when I:

- Unsubscribed from ALL the newsletters I don't need.
(Only kept the really important ones)

- Removed my mail icon from my desktop bar (no more easy
access.)

- Wrote my daily, weekly and monthly goals down and kept track of my time usage with a timer.

- And lastly, writing a performance journal on my thoughts about how I thought the day went, whether it was good, bad, how I could improve it etc.

These things made a huge difference and my productivity has increased ten-fold.

Chris

These are great tips aswell thanks! I will use your ideas now aswell!

[tanya7zhou]

Yep, I agree with you guys. The first thing is to unsubscribe from IM newsletters that are not necessary.

Then, Write Short and Long Term Goals. Be specific as well, that is to set dates and times. Not just to say:

"To finish My Landing Page"

But To Say

"To Finish My Landing Page By 7 November 2008"

Respect yourself by adhering to what you say you will fulfill.

Cheerz

[DanGTD]

Time management can affect your productivity if it's not aligned correctly with your energy levels. You have to set goals, prioritize, stay focused, and general things like that, but when it comes to scheduling your time you should experiment and see what works for you, what times of the day you are more productive in, etc.

[Stacie Bennett]

Hey guys,

Some really great tips here! Thanks everybody!

Steven,

Way to go!!!! Good job!

[MaskedMarketer]

Originally Posted by marxwarfor

.....that there is 'No Such Thing as Time Management'

Exactly.

I didn't watch Ebens video, but hes right as time management is only the surface of a greater problem- self discipline. Before you can manage time, you need to manage yourself- and you do that through self discipline.

Changing yourself to be more self disciplined is a subconscious battle.

If you're trying to change yourself consciously with will power it won't work. You need to focus on core issues- lack of time management is just the result poor core issues and in this case its self discipline.