Get More Done in Less Time
Want to get things done faster so you can accomplish more of your long-term goals? Okay. We’d all like that to happen. But the question we finally have to ask is, “How can I do that — get more things done in less time?”
This book is loaded with ideas. But to get more done in less time, we have to make choices — and remember it is your life we’re talking about.
Now, don’t expect smoke and mirrors here. And don’t look to magically pull a few extra hours for your day out of thin air. Nope, there’s no magic formula. But, between the front and back covers of this book, you’ll find 175 really, really good suggestions that will help you get things done faster…and usually better.
Notice, too — this book cuts to the chase:
• No flowery prose.
• No unnecessary charts or diagrams.
Just good, common sense suggestions that will help you make conscious decisions to increase your quality of life.
Search for that nugget of wisdom that will give you 10, 20, or 30 extra minutes a day. Then find another…and another…and another.
You may also want to try this approach: Select one or two of the tips each week. Describe the tip briefly with your staff at your team meeting and ask for everyone to try this week’s tip. Every environment is different, but chances are that some will stick with your team and result in exponential time savings for all involved.
Before you know it, you’re back in control — actually achieving those goals you’ve set for yourself.
What better time to get started than the present? Like today! Remember…the meter is ticking!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Of Ducks and Squirrels
One of the things I always encounter during my training is participants coming up to me and telling me that they wished they had my oratory and speaking skills. And I always have this feeling that my skills made them feel inadequate. I usually tell them that they could also improve their skills by going for training and practicing. At the same time, I also reassure them by saying that they may not have my skills but they most probably have skills that I would love to have too. For example, this participant of mine was an accomplished pianist. When I heard he was an 8th grade pianist, I told him that if I saw him play, I would most certainly go up to him and say, “How I wish I had your piano playing skills”
The point I am making is that we are all different with our different skills sets and talents. We must never allow the skills and talents of other people to make us feel small or insecure. Using a metaphor, we can be ducks or squirrels. So if you are a duck and you see a squirrel climb a tree easily, admire them, applaud them, but never allow the tree climbing skills of the squirrel to make you feel inferior, inadequate or incompetent. Never make comparisons! You are a special and unique person. Accept the fact that you were never made for tree climbing. Have pride in the fact that you are a duck and do what you do best which is swimming. There are many out there who would give an arm and a leg for your swimming skills including the squirrel!!!
So be proud of your own talents and skills. Importantly, be at peace with yourself; accept and love yourself for what you are. And when that happens, I assure you happiness will come rushing through your door!!
The point I am making is that we are all different with our different skills sets and talents. We must never allow the skills and talents of other people to make us feel small or insecure. Using a metaphor, we can be ducks or squirrels. So if you are a duck and you see a squirrel climb a tree easily, admire them, applaud them, but never allow the tree climbing skills of the squirrel to make you feel inferior, inadequate or incompetent. Never make comparisons! You are a special and unique person. Accept the fact that you were never made for tree climbing. Have pride in the fact that you are a duck and do what you do best which is swimming. There are many out there who would give an arm and a leg for your swimming skills including the squirrel!!!
So be proud of your own talents and skills. Importantly, be at peace with yourself; accept and love yourself for what you are. And when that happens, I assure you happiness will come rushing through your door!!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Lessons from the 3 idiots
1. Never try to be successful , pursue excellence
Success is the bye product & the result
Excellence always creates Success & it is a process of continual improvement
Never run after success
Let it happen automatically in life
2. Freedom to Life- Life is beautiful
Don’t die before the actual death
Live every moment to the fullest as if today is the last day
Life is gifted to humankind to live
Live & Live happily towards happiness
3. Passion leads to Excellence
When your hobby becomes your profession , the passion becomes your profession
You will be able to lead up to excellence in life
Satisfaction, Joy, Pleasure & love will be the outcome of the passion
Following your passion for years , you will surely become somebody one day
4. Learning is very simple- Never stop
Be humble
Teachers do fail, Learners never fail
Learning is never complicate or difficult
Learning is always possible whatever rule you apply
5. Pressure at head
Current education system is developing pressure on students head
University intelligence is useful & making some impact in the life , but it cannot be
at the cost of life
6.Life is management of emotions & not optimization of intelligence
Memory and regular study have definite value and it always helps you in leading a
life.
You are able to survive even if you can make some mark in the path of the life.
With artificial intelligence, you can survive & win but you cannot prove yourself
genius.
Therefore, in this process genius dies in you
Success is the bye product & the result
Excellence always creates Success & it is a process of continual improvement
Never run after success
Let it happen automatically in life
2. Freedom to Life- Life is beautiful
Don’t die before the actual death
Live every moment to the fullest as if today is the last day
Life is gifted to humankind to live
Live & Live happily towards happiness
3. Passion leads to Excellence
When your hobby becomes your profession , the passion becomes your profession
You will be able to lead up to excellence in life
Satisfaction, Joy, Pleasure & love will be the outcome of the passion
Following your passion for years , you will surely become somebody one day
4. Learning is very simple- Never stop
Be humble
Teachers do fail, Learners never fail
Learning is never complicate or difficult
Learning is always possible whatever rule you apply
5. Pressure at head
Current education system is developing pressure on students head
University intelligence is useful & making some impact in the life , but it cannot be
at the cost of life
6.Life is management of emotions & not optimization of intelligence
Memory and regular study have definite value and it always helps you in leading a
life.
You are able to survive even if you can make some mark in the path of the life.
With artificial intelligence, you can survive & win but you cannot prove yourself
genius.
Therefore, in this process genius dies in you
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Could Be or Should Be
The Difference Between What Could Be and What Should Be
Your Vision
Do you ever think about that? Most people only see what could be. They say things like, “If our organisation did ___________ then it could be ____________.” We spend way too much time talking about what could be. Our organisation could be bigger. Our staff could be larger. Our congregants could be more giving, loving, caring and the list goes on.
Could. It’s almost a useless word (to me). How much of our energy is focused on what could be.
Should. Now there is a word that “Should” be in the organisations vocabulary. When one has a vision for something, there is no Could. There is only Should. Could presents an Idea. Should casts a vision. Where Could presents an opinion, Should shows a way.
Should does not say “If” or “If only”. Should says, “Let’s do it. Let’s find a way. Whatever it takes.” Could sits on the sidelines and complains about what could be while Should carries the ball through obstacles and hurdles that most people would never consider approaching.
Should is passionate. Should is on fire. Should makes comfortable people uneasy. Should messes with the status queue. Should is Vision
There is a significant difference between the outcome of Could and Should. When you begin to focus on Should, Could get’s lost. Could cannot operate in the same realm as Should. When Should is in operation, Could grows silent.
Should is not what could be. Should is what must be. One man said “Give me liberty or give me death.” Now there is Should. Could would say, we could have liberty if only this and that and you get the picture. Should however, say’s there is no other option. There is no other recourse. No backup plan. Do or die. Liberty or death.
What Should be for your organisation in the coming New Year? Many organisations are going to spend much time in planning session focusing on Could in the coming weeks. How many though will focus on Should. “We could do _________ this year, but we really Should do __________.
My prayer and hope for your administrator and organisation for the coming New Year is that Vision will ignite in your own heart and the hearts of those you advise to in a way that it never has before.
Your Vision
Do you ever think about that? Most people only see what could be. They say things like, “If our organisation did ___________ then it could be ____________.” We spend way too much time talking about what could be. Our organisation could be bigger. Our staff could be larger. Our congregants could be more giving, loving, caring and the list goes on.
Could. It’s almost a useless word (to me). How much of our energy is focused on what could be.
Should. Now there is a word that “Should” be in the organisations vocabulary. When one has a vision for something, there is no Could. There is only Should. Could presents an Idea. Should casts a vision. Where Could presents an opinion, Should shows a way.
Should does not say “If” or “If only”. Should says, “Let’s do it. Let’s find a way. Whatever it takes.” Could sits on the sidelines and complains about what could be while Should carries the ball through obstacles and hurdles that most people would never consider approaching.
Should is passionate. Should is on fire. Should makes comfortable people uneasy. Should messes with the status queue. Should is Vision
There is a significant difference between the outcome of Could and Should. When you begin to focus on Should, Could get’s lost. Could cannot operate in the same realm as Should. When Should is in operation, Could grows silent.
Should is not what could be. Should is what must be. One man said “Give me liberty or give me death.” Now there is Should. Could would say, we could have liberty if only this and that and you get the picture. Should however, say’s there is no other option. There is no other recourse. No backup plan. Do or die. Liberty or death.
What Should be for your organisation in the coming New Year? Many organisations are going to spend much time in planning session focusing on Could in the coming weeks. How many though will focus on Should. “We could do _________ this year, but we really Should do __________.
My prayer and hope for your administrator and organisation for the coming New Year is that Vision will ignite in your own heart and the hearts of those you advise to in a way that it never has before.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Being World Class
Excerpted from Secrets of the World Class by Scott Siebol
Champions Have an Immense Capacity for Sustained Concentration
Champions are famous for concentrating their energy and efforts on what they want and blocking out anything or anyone who threatens that focus. While average people haphazardly pursue loosely defined goals, champions concentrate on the attainment of a singular purpose with an intensity that borders on obsession.
World-class performers invest an inordinate amount of time and energy in selecting their major goals. While the masses consider making changes every New Year’s Eve, the goal setting and planning process is an everyday habit of champions. When the goals are set, champions put mental blinders on and move forward with dogged persistence and ferocious tenacity. World-class performers create such an intense level of concentration to overcome challenges and achieve goals that it is the last thing they think about before they fall asleep, and the first thing that hits them when they wake up. The great ones dream about their goals so frequently that they often keep pen and paper on the nightstand so they can quickly record any ideas or solutions that come to them in the middle of the night. While average people see world-class performers’ successes as a matter of intelligence or luck, champions know sustained concentration of thought and action is usually the true key to their success.
Action Step for Today
Write down the single most important goal you want to achieve in the next twelve months and make a commitment to concentrate on achieving it — no matter what.
Copyright Simple Truths, LLC, all rights reserved and reprinted with permission.
Champions Have an Immense Capacity for Sustained Concentration
Champions are famous for concentrating their energy and efforts on what they want and blocking out anything or anyone who threatens that focus. While average people haphazardly pursue loosely defined goals, champions concentrate on the attainment of a singular purpose with an intensity that borders on obsession.
World-class performers invest an inordinate amount of time and energy in selecting their major goals. While the masses consider making changes every New Year’s Eve, the goal setting and planning process is an everyday habit of champions. When the goals are set, champions put mental blinders on and move forward with dogged persistence and ferocious tenacity. World-class performers create such an intense level of concentration to overcome challenges and achieve goals that it is the last thing they think about before they fall asleep, and the first thing that hits them when they wake up. The great ones dream about their goals so frequently that they often keep pen and paper on the nightstand so they can quickly record any ideas or solutions that come to them in the middle of the night. While average people see world-class performers’ successes as a matter of intelligence or luck, champions know sustained concentration of thought and action is usually the true key to their success.
Action Step for Today
Write down the single most important goal you want to achieve in the next twelve months and make a commitment to concentrate on achieving it — no matter what.
Copyright Simple Truths, LLC, all rights reserved and reprinted with permission.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Eat That Frog !
Excerpted from Eat That Frog! by Brian Tracy
The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the “Pareto Principle” after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the “vital few,” the top 20 percent in terms of money and influence, and the “trivial many,” the bottom 80 percent.
He later discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle as well. For example, this principle says that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results, 20 percent of your customers will account for 80 percent of your sales, 20 percent of your products or services will account for 80 percent of your profits, 20 percent of your tasks will account for 80 percent of the value of what you do, and so on. This means that if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth five or ten times or more than the other eight items put together.
Number of Tasks versus Importance of Tasks
Here is an interesting discovery. Each of the ten tasks may take the same amount of time to accomplish. But one or two of those tasks will contribute five or ten times the value of any of the others
Often, one item on a list of ten tasks that you have to do can be worth more than all the other nine items put together. This task is invariably the frog that you should eat first.
Focus on Activities, Not Accomplishments
The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. But the payoff and rewards for completing these tasks efficiently can be tremendous. For this reason, you must adamantly refuse to work on tasks in the bottom 80 percent while you still have tasks in the top 20 percent left to be done.
Before you begin work, always ask yourself, “Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent?”
The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin to work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to continue. A part of your mind loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can really make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.
Motivate Yourself
Just thinking about starting and finishing an important task motivates you and helps you to overcome procrastination. Time management is really life management, personal management. It is really taking control of the sequence of events. Time management is having control over what you do next. And you are always free to choose the task that you will do next. Your ability to choose between the important and the unimportant is the key determinant of your success in life and work.
Effective, productive people discipline themselves to start on the most important task that is before them. They force themselves to eat that frog, whatever it is. As a result, they accomplish vastly more than the average person and are much happier as a result. This should be your way of working as well.
Copyright Simple Truths, LLC, all rights reserved and reprinted with permission.
The 80/20 Rule is one of the most helpful of all concepts of time and life management. It is also called the “Pareto Principle” after its founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who first wrote about it in 1895. Pareto noticed that people in his society seemed to divide naturally into what he called the “vital few,” the top 20 percent in terms of money and influence, and the “trivial many,” the bottom 80 percent.
He later discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle as well. For example, this principle says that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results, 20 percent of your customers will account for 80 percent of your sales, 20 percent of your products or services will account for 80 percent of your profits, 20 percent of your tasks will account for 80 percent of the value of what you do, and so on. This means that if you have a list of ten items to do, two of those items will turn out to be worth five or ten times or more than the other eight items put together.
Number of Tasks versus Importance of Tasks
Here is an interesting discovery. Each of the ten tasks may take the same amount of time to accomplish. But one or two of those tasks will contribute five or ten times the value of any of the others
Often, one item on a list of ten tasks that you have to do can be worth more than all the other nine items put together. This task is invariably the frog that you should eat first.
Focus on Activities, Not Accomplishments
The most valuable tasks you can do each day are often the hardest and most complex. But the payoff and rewards for completing these tasks efficiently can be tremendous. For this reason, you must adamantly refuse to work on tasks in the bottom 80 percent while you still have tasks in the top 20 percent left to be done.
Before you begin work, always ask yourself, “Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or in the bottom 80 percent?”
The hardest part of any important task is getting started on it in the first place. Once you actually begin to work on a valuable task, you will be naturally motivated to continue. A part of your mind loves to be busy working on significant tasks that can really make a difference. Your job is to feed this part of your mind continually.
Motivate Yourself
Just thinking about starting and finishing an important task motivates you and helps you to overcome procrastination. Time management is really life management, personal management. It is really taking control of the sequence of events. Time management is having control over what you do next. And you are always free to choose the task that you will do next. Your ability to choose between the important and the unimportant is the key determinant of your success in life and work.
Effective, productive people discipline themselves to start on the most important task that is before them. They force themselves to eat that frog, whatever it is. As a result, they accomplish vastly more than the average person and are much happier as a result. This should be your way of working as well.
Copyright Simple Truths, LLC, all rights reserved and reprinted with permission.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
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