6. Use the law
of forced efficiency. There is never enough time to do
everything but there is always enough time to do those important
things. No one works best under pressure. 4 questions to increase
efficiency – first – what is the highest value use of my time?
Second – why am I on the payroll, what have I been hired to do?
Third – what can you and only you do and have done well that can
make a real difference. This is usually something that only you can
do well and it will make a huge difference. Fourth – what is the
most valuable use of my time right now? These questions will
keep you on track if you ask yourself
these things regularly!
7. Apply the
80/20 rule. 20% of the things you do will account for 80%
of the value of your activities. 80% of your sales will come from
20% of your customers, etc..
Identify the top 20% of the items you need to do to reach your goals
and you will be one of the top people. Put off the 80% of activities
that don’t offer high value and return. We spend far too much time
on the 80%!
8. Work at your energy peaks.
You need high levels of energy. Practice proper eating, exercise and
rest. Figure out when you are the brightest and most creative. That
is when you should do your creative work, during your energy peaks.
Take excellent care of your personal physical self.
9. Practice single handling with key tasks.
Make a list of everything you have to do. Choose the highest level
task and discipline yourself to stay at it until it is 100%
complete. Focus and concentration without distraction until a task
is complete is very important. Two payoffs – you will be
one of the most valuable people in
your organization and you will also experience an endorphin rush.
10. Eat that frog! If
the very first thing you do each morning is to get up and eat a live
frog you will have the assurance that it is probably is the worst
thing you will do that day and please don’t sit and look at it too
long as that will only make it worse. This same theory can apply to
different things you have to do. Make a list, and organize your
following day and ABCDE the list. Then, first thing in the morning
start work on the worst thing until it is done.
11. Organize your workspace. Work from a clean desk
and workspace. Clean off your workspace so it’s clean! Even if you
have to put it in a basket behind you. TRAF formula – Toss, Refer,
Action and File – Toss everything you can before you get bogged down
reading it, Refer – these are things someone else should deal with.
A – Action – Red File – Everything you need to take action on right
away. F – Papers and documents that you may need at a later time. If
you haven’t read it in the last six months, it’s junk and you need
to get rid of it.
