Time Management & Productivity: Changing This 1 Habit Will Give You More Hours in the Day

“I wish I had more hours in the day!”

Have you said this – or thought it – recently? There is no “more time” pill to swallow, however, I can show you how to gain back time you are currently wasting – after you read this story.

When I was at JV alert Live, in Washington, D. D. Stephanie Frank shared an awesome story that really got me thinking – and taking inspired action.

She talked about a time when she was working for a company (VS working for herself). One morning, she was focused on completing a project that would bring her five figures for that morning’s work. Someone came in and asked her how to make coffee. Like me, Stephanie is particular that her coffee should be made properly. She got up and stomped toward the coffee pot.

Suddenly she stopped in her tracks and realized that she had been making money, and now she was going to make coffee.

What did she do? She took out paper and pen and wrote meticulously detailed instructions for making coffee. Then she taped it to a cupboard door where the coffee supplies lived and told her colleague that’s how to make coffee. And then she went back to making money.

What she realized and now teaches is that a huge part of productivity is determined not only by how efficiently you complete tasks, but how efficiently you master the best use of your time. The coffee story (personal narrative examples from Stephanie Frank), demonstrates a trap you might be falling into. I know I have.

And what Stephanie taught me caused me to take inspired action the next day I sat at my home office desk. I gave myself the gift of more hours in the day. My most effective task had to do with email. One action that took me no more than a minute cleared my inbox of 1500 emails permanently.

I got so mad when I thought about all the emails I instantly delete. Even though I don’t look at them, the fact that I have to touch them even for a moment irritates me. FUnspace videos, comments on funspace videos, “check out __”, “join me on the ___ social network” and similar messages waste my time. Time is my most precious commodity. I can make more money, but I cannot make more time.

I attacked my inbox like a rabid dog in heat (simile). If the email couldn’t make me money, it was never to be seen again. I got off of some lists (which I do periodically anyway) and saved myself at least an hour a day. I also put myself on a strict work schedule only to be violated in extreme cases (such as a run of teleseminars or a launch.)

Avoiding The Email Trap

I used to check through email first thing in the morning. No more. Now I set up 3 times during the day when I check email. No more than that. When I check it at night, I am not looking for anything business related, and if I see business emails, I let them sit unread until my next session.

I do not ever read work emails at night, and if anyone gets grouchy with me for “ignoring” or not reading their missive – too bad. I don’t care. I have to guard my time. You can’t possibly be having a coaching emergency or writing emergency. (personal narrative examples)

Clear the Decks with Filters

At some point I will hire a part-time assistant, but I certainly don’t want to pay her/him to delete junk emails. The more efficient I can make my own work habits, the more I can get done when I hire an assistant.

How I cleared 1500 messages in under 60 seconds was to set up 2 filters in my Gmail account. One for “join me on” (in subject line) so that all of you who flood me with Ning invitations don’t have to waste my time. The other was for “”check out” (in the subject line). Another one I did later that cleared 50 was “funspace” (in the email body). And I need to do “The Invitation” in the subject line as well.

How you apply this is to make note of any common junky subject lines or message bodies that you no longer wish to see, ever again, and make a filter so that those messages go straight to trash. Easy breezy.

Avoid Email Notifiers

Don’t let your inbox ping you or show you a cute graphic every time an email comes in. Even if you’re disciplined enough to ignore it until the scheduled time, you’ll be distracted. Any lapse of focus, even for a second, takes you out of the flow of what you’re doing.

Avoid Instant Message chats/Phone Calls When You’re Focusing

Keep your eyes on the prize at all times. Turn off chats, and turn off your cell phone when you’re focusing. Any momentary distraction, even if ignored, wastes your time and breaks your focus.

Never let your focus shift and never let anything cause you to drain precious moments away from your loved ones and your cherished dream.

Resource

1. Set aside an hour for you to get your time and your inbox under control.

2. Listen to this Networking with the BlindGuy (girl) show on which I talked about setting SMART Goals, productivity and time management.

3. Get involved in an intra-personal mastermind like the Inspired Action mastermind (which you can join for only $1 the first month). You will set a SMART goal each week and share it with up to 7 other action takers.

Related articles by Zemanta

• LetsFreckle.com – Time Tracking Made Simple (killerstartups.com)
• Productivity Links – April 18 2009 (ismckenzie.com)
• 6 Steps to Manage Your Time Better: An Interview with Russell Bishop (psychcentral.com)

Ronda Del Boccio is a transformational speaker, mentor and author known globally as The Story Lady because she teaches authors, entrepreneurs and business owners to easily connect with your ideal customers and contacts through the power of your story.

She is the author of numerous stories, poems, and articles, as well as her books I’ll Push You Steer, and other upcoming books.

Discover how to explode profits, prospects and prime media opoprtuntiies with her latest book is the Instant Credibility system, which teaches any business owner, entrepreneur, coach, speaker or writer to craft a lead-generating book that grows your business.

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