Tip: How to Get the Most Out of 24hrs

photo by: stocker

If you’re like me, today is one of those days that you have a “million and one things” todo. Which poses the question “How do I get all these things done in 24hrs?”

We’ll first we must come to terms with the fact that we wont get everything done and will have to prioritize our todo list, strategically.

Burning the Midnight Oil vs The Early Bird

Instead of planning to stay up all night and burn the candle at both ends, go to bed earlier than you would. Set your alarm clock, or cell phone, an hour or two earlier than you would normally wake. Nothing beats a fresh start!

I’ve spent many nights working late and found myself rendered totally useless the next day, even if I get up later than usual. When you start late out of the blocks the odds are always against you.

The Process

Once you’re up make a list of all the things that you have todo, as quickly as the come to mind. Take a few minutes to review the list and group similar tasks. Some may take you on the road, others may require you to send several e-mails or make phone calls.

The tasks are now grouped and must now be weighed in order of priority. Here a few questions I ask myself:

• Will this task take me on the road and if so how long will I be on the road?
• What time of day is most appropriate to get this task done?
• Can this task be postponed to another day?
• Should I send my client(s) an update / progress report?

In essence its about how many birds I can kill with one stone. By sifting the tasks we can now progress...

Plot a Course

We have our todo list and we are about to turn the ignition on for our work day but there a few things we must consider. There should be a clear demarkation for work and play time. Make a note of what time you will go for lunch, check e-mails, make and answer telephone calls, check your twitter feed and facebook pages. Lest you get sucked into the black-hole of unproductiveness. Remember time is crucial and you don't have to answer every phone call or respond to every e-mail or status update immediately.

Also, get yourself a time tracking application like timeEdition. This will help us to be aware of how our time is spent. Trust me, you’re going to be surprised!