Control your Time, Master your Destiny
1. Use self-imposed discipline.
In other words, put yourself in a position where you have to get XYZ done. For example, instead of waiting until you have the Power Point presentation done to schedule the webinar… schedule it today and announce to your list, so you then MUST get the presentation done.
2. Every project, task, milestone you work on should have a deadline.
Periodically throughout your workday, ask yourself… “does what I’m working on have a deadline”. If not, put one on it. If it’s not worthy of a deadline, dump it.
3. Only check email 2x a day… and never before getting at least one hour of focused work done.
I never check email before noon (or 4-6) and then not again until 4-11PM (depending on mode)
4. Have the least amount of unscheduled time each day.
In other words, try to schedule every hour of your work day. This has been one of the most effective productivity tools for me personally.
5. Have productivity goals, along with your financial and business goals.
In other words, have goals for focused time and completion of tasks.
6. Have rewards at incremental stages of your goal achievement.
Far, far off goals tend NOT to motivate us. Close goals, that we can see, tend be a lot more motivational.
7. Pre-schedule repetitive tasks into your calendar in advance.
If there are certain things you do every week, they should get a permanent place in your calendar and they should be treated just like an important appointment.
8. Monitor the time it takes you to go from idea to implementation; and try to speed up the process.
9. Try to estimate the amount of time every task will take, then put it in your schedule with a start and stop time.
This will force to work faster and more efficiently. Think… the day before vacation.
10. Regularly consider the consequences of not doing something or of procrastination.
