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Monday, October 3, 2016

The #1 Solution to Your Time Management Challenge

We all have the same amount of time; some are incredibly productive.

A 5-hour workday experiment was reported in Inc. magazine. The results have been excellent. Why? Follow the research!

According to research, the average worker only gets 2-3 hours of true work accomplished in an eight-hour day. Meetings, breaks, chats, watching videos, checking social media, and returning unimportant emails take up the rest of the time. And we wonder why 75% of our workforce is actively disengaged! That’s not conjecture, that’s the research. Now let’s look at our own lives.

Think about the day before you go on vacation—you work your butt off that day. You have to ensure all of your projects are finished, that your team responsibilities are met, and that your people understand what to do while you are away. The day before vacation is a high productivity day—no wasted time on the stuff that doesn’t matter.

If every employee worked like this for five hours per day your company would crush it! CLICK TO TWEET

What about you? Here is the “secret” that you should never forget: “The number of hours in a day is fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not” (Tony Schwartz).

The best leaders don’t manage their time; they manage their energy! Here are the top three things you can do tomorrow to make it a better day:

1.Make your early morning count! Some people really do get more accomplished before lunchtime than the rest of us do all day. The most productive people on earth use a consistent morning routine.

The most productive people on earth use a consistent morning routine.CLICK TO TWEET

2. Control your calendar. “I can’t really do that Rob, I need to be available to my boss . . .” Stop whining. If you’re creative, you can do it. Schedule two 75-minute blocks on your calendar; it will change your life. Block 8:45-10:00 a.m. and 10:45-noon. Write it in! Tell others, “I’ve got something then, but I can meet with you from 10:00-10:30 a.m.

Work on your #1 priority during those times, DO NOT use the time to catch up on email, etc. If your boss usurps your schedule, reschedule your 75-minute block for the afternoon. Seriously, pretend it’s the day before vacation: work only on your priority (nothing else) and work like a maniac.

3. Always work a max of 75-minutes, and then take at least a 15-minute break. The research proves that your most productive work will be a series of sprints, not a marathon.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Learning to manage your energy and focus your time will be your secret weapon. Email me and I’ll send you a two-page book summary that reveals the best research in this area. All of you are now smarter. But some of you will implement this and you will be better for your company, your family, and yourself.

 

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