Three Important Questions to Ask
In order to help you prioritize your time throughout the day and keep you focused on what is important, you need to continually ask yourself three questions:
- First: What is the best use of my time right now?
- Second: Is what I am doing right now the best use of my time?
- Third: What action should I take next?
Artificial Completion Dates for Large Projects
If you have a large task to complete, you can reduce your stress and produce a higher-quality product if you set an earlier, artificial completion date.
- In order to leave some margin for unexpected assignments and surprises, you should schedule your completion date at least 5 days before the due date.
- For example, every year I have to prepare a detailed financial report and present what is in effect The State of the Union speech to our Partners.
- The presentation date always occurs on the last Wednesday in April.
- But on my calendar, I enter a completion date that corresponds with the second Wednesday in April.
- I can then set aside my report and presentation for a few days and relax before I review them again for any needed changes.
Cancun, Mexico
In order to be good time-managers, you must work with a sense of urgency and focus.
- Everyone knows how quickly you can accomplish a multitude of things during the week before you go on vacation.
- Let’s assume that it’s Monday, and you have 10 tasks that you must complete by 8 a.m. on Friday.
- However, you doubt that you have sufficient time to complete even 5 of them in that short period-of-time.
- Later that day, let’s assume that a friend calls and tells you that they have two free round-trip first-class airline tickets to Cancun plus a free place to stay for three days.
- But the plane leaves Friday morning at 8 a.m.
- How many of the 10 tasks do you think that you will complete before Friday morning? ALL OF THEM!
- So occasionally, you should work during the week as if you are going to Cancun on Friday.