3 Tools for Increasing Your Productivity
With my goals for 2008 set and put into writing, my thoughts have turned to “how do I keep moving forward on all of these outrageous goals for 2008?”
I must confess up front that I’m a good starter of things but not a good finisher. I have great ideas, but poor follow through. Overcoming this character flaw is also a goal of mine. I hereby solemnly swear to follow through to completion on all of the projects that I start. I’ll post frequent updates on how this is working out, so stay tuned.
Anyway, looking around my home office I re-discovered a few tools that, if I would use them to their fullest extent, would help me accomplish the goals that I set for myself. Here are the tools…
Tool Number – 1: 43 Folders
These are actually 43 hanging folders in the top drawer of my filing cabinet, not the website 43folders.com. They are numbered 1-31 and January-December. The numbered folders are for the days of the month and they are filed behind the folder of the current month, in this case January.
When some task comes across my desk or onto my monitor, I quickly review it. And, using one of “Getting Things Done,” author David Allen’s rules, “If it takes less than 2 minutes do it now,” I handle it. If it is something that requires more than 2 minutes, I decide when it has to be completed, open the corresponding folder, insert either a memo or the actual papers and forget about it. When that day arrives, I pull that folder out and do whatever is in it.
Today’s folder, the 15th, has only 4 items in it — a book marketing resource that I want to review, an affiliate program that I’m thinking about promoting, software that needs to be updated and a letter that needs answered. I also received a notice in the mail that one of my domains is due to expire in April, so I’ll file it in March, I don’t want to take any chances of it expiring.
Then I prioritize the items according to my written goals and do them. Nothing gets lost or forgotten. As a folder is emptied it is moved to the next month.
Tool Number – 2: My Journal
I’ve kept notes of some sort for as long as I can remember. Most often on scraps of paper, and even an occasional napkin, all thrown into boxes. Where, as you can imagine, I can never find what I’m looking for.
Several years ago I learned how to keep a journal from one of my mentors, Jim Rohn. My current journal is a red, 8 ¼” x 5 ¼”, hardcovered book with lined pages. In it I record any useful information that I come across during the day. It may be the lyrics from a song, quotes from a book or a blog that I am reading or even my own observations and flashes of “genius.”
To get the most out of your journal you have to do more than just write in it. You need to read and review it. That way, what you’ve recorded becomes part of you and you can put it to use in your day-to-day decisions.
When should you review your journal? That’s a good question. Mr. Rohn advises, and I agree, that you should review each day’s entries at the end of the day. Review each week’s entries at the end of the week. Review each month’s entries at the end of the month. And, you guessed it, each year’s entries at the end of the year. All of this reviewing does take some time, but I think you will find the time invested will return dividends beyond your expectations.
One more thing, I record the date, time and place I’m at with each entry. This helps give the entry meaning when I do my reviews.
Tool Number – 3: Kitchen Timer
My final tool, believe it or not, is a simple digital kitchen timer. I use it to set deadlines on tasks I am performing.
For example, I might give myself 30 minutes to check email, research an idea, read some blog posts or whatever. At the beginning of the task I set the timer and dig in. When the timer goes off, I stop. Without the looming deadline I often get sidetracked and forget about the other things I need to accomplish that day. The next thing I know, it’s time to call it a day. And there are still 4 more things I wanted to accomplish. These self-imposed deadlines are a powerful tool that helps to keep me focused on the task at hand. In a comment on Problogger.net, Millionaire Mommy Next Door agrees that her “favorite productivity tool is a digital kitchen timer … The timer keeps me focused, motivated and targeted on the individual task at hand.” Even self-made millionaires use kitchen timers 
.
Why do I use a digital timer? You can’t believe how loud and distracting the tick-tock, tick-tock of a mechanical timer can be when you are trying to concentrate. Believe me when I say that it can stop you in your tracks.
Well, these are three of the tools I plan on using more throughout the remainder of this year to keep me focused and on track as I work to complete the challenging goals that I have set for myself. If you have a favorite tool, please share it in a comment.
Technorati Tags: Goals | Productivity | Time Management | Writing Tips |
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