Wednesday, February 28, 2007 @ 9:55 AM: Get Everything Done and Still have Time to Play
Haha... shall write a short synopsis for ppl out there who may find they are always choked by work... hmm some of these methods are actually used by me... and u all may find that u may be using these methods too... but just for your info and ref... think some of the advice may be useful for u out there:-)
1. We cannot manage time - but we can learn to manage how we direct our attention. Pls note that every second of our attention is crucial to making changes - in which the change will be in the direction we want it go. The ultimate aim is to do what NEEDS to be done when it needs to be done.
2. Procrastination is the thief of time. Be decisive. Inability to manage our attention can ruin our lives or be literally lethal. And it is always important to GAIN control of our lives.
3. Busy-ness is often an escape from having to deal with some impt and challenging matters. Only focus on what is important. Instead of reacting to life's circumstances only, we always have a choice of responses that we can make.
4. Techniques to management of your life:
a) Saying NO
An old saying is that u can do anything if u can put your mind to it, but u can't do everything. Life presents us with an infinity of choices. But the very fact that we call them 'choices' shows that we can't have all of them. An essential part of coming to maturity is making the choices and commitments that are going to shape our lives. We should go through a process of choosing what to give our attention to and what not to give our attention to.
Learning to say no to low-value activities is essential: aka set a monetary value for every hour of your life and compare the value of the activities to the value set.
Learn how to say no instinctively and in a neutral tone of voice.
b) Most common time-management methods don't work on a consistent basis:
1. Priortise: Only use in emergency or when u have to meet a urgent deadline
2. 'Do it now': Keep on track when carrying out ROUTINE and PREDETERMINED tasks
3. Checklists instead of to-do lists which classify according to groups of tasks and not jumbled up
4. Write programmes (instead of schedules) coordinate the actions with those of another person
5. Do the thing u fear most first: but achieveable target at least?
c) Sufficient, regular, focused attention is the key to success.
d) Ways to overcome resistance:
- Take action before resistance builds up
- Break large tasks down into smaller steps
- Increase the pain of not doing it
- Get resistance working for u by setting up good routines that u'll soon follow 'unconsciously'
e) Always set aside the mindset that one has to handle emergencies. So Impt not to procrastinate...
f) Where to get more time?
1. Look at items with a time attached...
- Compare the monetary value... whether u got what u shld get for those hours spent... what else could u do that time? or how could u improve the efficiency?
- Set aside depth activities with a time attached so that u'll have less resistance of it
2. How to deal with free-flowing items
- Working in short bursts... Concentration increases, during rest time can also think abt the work so that u can improve on it... the deadline factor also increases efficiency...
- Once used to it, get on the momentum and increase the duration, up to 40 mins
- Rotating systemically round a list of categories ensures all areas of work are covered and that one will not be so sian
- Short burst for rest periods as well!
- Be strict with yourself on the system... it must be realistic and covers the whole of your work.
That's all folks! For more details can read up the book at the libraries! Personally i find some of these methods quite recommendable... hope u can gain something out of this :-)
thank you for bringing me memories...
