Get what you want out of life

Get what you want out of life. You can have it or not, based on your activity choices.

A key part of choosing activities is refusing activities. Good choosers are also good refusers. They know how to say no. One of the first steps to overwhelm is the inability to say no to activities that distract from value-added activities. Put another way, overcoming overwhelm is all about saying no.

Most people think saying no involves only saying no to others. The real gist of saying no is being able to say no to your self. There is always the temptation to say yes to activities that are fast, activities that are fun, activities that are familiar, activities that are easy and instantly rewarding. It’s so much easier to clean the kitchen sink than to balance the checkbook. We sometimes even welcome interruptions as an excuse for procrastinating on activities we really don’t want to do.

Learn to deal with interruptions.

Arrange Your Plate

The old way of thinking has been to place emphasis on the linear nature of time. Digital clocks blink away our life from the past to the present to the future. Often we find ourselves racing against time lines. It reminds us of the old saying, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.”

What if we think of time as space? Time is the space in which we live. Just as a box is a space we fill with goods, an hour is a “time box” we fill with activities. Looking at time as space makes it easier to manage.

When we begin to look at an hour as a space in which we will execute activities, we are forced to be more realistic when we plan. A box—whether it’s cardboard or time—can only hold so much.

We think most people intuitively recognize time as space. They refer to their day as a plate, which is limiting and they have too much on it. Furthermore, they don’t seem to know what to do about it. Yet, each day a new miracle occurs—we are given a fresh plate consisting of twenty-four spaces of time called hours, into which we can pack any activities we choose.

So, what activities are on your plate today? Did you take some time to arrange your plate? Or do you let others come along and throw their stuff on your plate? The too-much-on-my-plate challenge cannot be resolved without developing a simple and very enjoyable ritual. That ritual is to make a daily appointment with yourself to arrange your activities for the day.

Call it planning if you like, but we prefer the term arranging.

I sometimes ask people if they plan their day. Often they will respond by saying, “Sure, here’s my list.” But, making a list isn’t planning. Everyone is running around with lists. We agree with the British humorist who said, “The only important question in life is: what will I do next?”

Arrange your day and focus on your high priorities in life first.

This is an excerpt from our book Attack Your Day.

Too much attention to the unimportant

Can you flexicute?

Okay, so we  invented a word, but I can’t think of a better way to describe this skill. Events are so fluid in today’s work environment that we have to change, adapt and shift our focus all day long.

Flexicuting involves the ability to:

• Be as willing to leave your action list when priorities shift as you are to stick with it.
• Be able to turn on a dime in the middle of the day when an opportunity presents itself.
• Be wired 24/7/365 without letting it be a source of frustration.

Would you like to become better at flexicuting? Here’s how! Recognize it as a survival skill by changing your mind-set and practicing the foregoing skills daily. It’s actually quite fun!

Meeting Yourself Face to Face

We demonstrate what is truly important to us by how we actually spend our time. When there is a disconnection between what we say is important and what we do with our time, we need to take a reality check. The reality may be uncomfortable, but it is true. We vote on what is honestly important to us with our time.

We invite you to look at your calendar and appointment schedule for the last three months. What does the record say about your priorities? If you are not pleased with the story it tells, make the necessary adjustments and align your time with what really matters to you.

The Power of Proximity

Proximity will work for you or against you. It all depends on you. We tend to focus on what’s visible and readily accessible.

New Year’s resolutions written and then stuck in a drawer will soon be forgotten. New Year’s resolutions taped on the front of your refrigerator will not be forgotten.

Keep in close proximity those things on which you want to focus, and get all other distractions out of sight. You’ll discover the power of proximity.

This is tip #45, Attack Your Day! Before It Attacks You.

Decisions Are Footprints

Decisions are footprints we leave in the sands of time. We are remembered by the impressions we make in the lives of others, created with the use of our time.  We cannot escape decisions.  To not decide is a decision.  Each decision leaves an impression. Our decisions are marked with each tick of the clock!

What is the point?  Decisions create our legacy.  Positive decisions move us and others forward.  Negative decisions hold us back and can hurt others.

We complete our legacy with the impressions made with our time.  Think!

This is productivity strategy #63 from the book Attack Your Day! Before It Attacks You co-authored by Mark Woods and Trapper Woods, time management experts.

How To Supercharge Your Daily Routine

Most people aren’t aware of this powerful time tactic!  When you are listing high-priority tasks for the day, list a “personal principle” to practice.  Some favorite principles of mine are being positive, praise others, smile, really listen and practice self-discipline.

Practice the personal principle you list all day long, then check it off complete at the end of the day as you would any other task.

You’ll get progressively better at living the principle, impact others in a positive way, and feel better about yourself.

Self-Delegation Is A Time Tactic Overlooked

We know delegating to others improves efficiency, but so does delegating to ourselves.

How do we delegate to ourselves?  Batch a bunch of like tasks that you would delegate to another if you could, such as processing mail, filing, or other busy work.  Schedule a specific time period to get it done and grind it out at that reserved time.  Make a game of it!  See how fast you can do it.  It’s amazing how much can be accomplished when we delegate to ourselves.

Time Management Quote: It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about? – Henry David Thoreau

If Everything Is A Priority, Then Nothing Is

Some people feel pushed to the limit with overwhelm.  They see everything as an equally high priority.  That’s an illusion.  An outstanding executive put it this way: “If everything is a priority, then nothing is.” (Andrew Komenek.)

Survival today requires the skill of selecting the highest of high priorities in a mire of multiple demands. See through a lens of filter questions. Strengthen your priority-eyes. Here are three good questions that can be used any time of day: What things are absolute necessities today?  If I don’t do this today, who will it affect and who will suffer?  What can I eliminate to free up more time?

For more time management productivity tips