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Time management - Productive power

Productive power - time management

How to get more done in the same amount of time

You are judged on your productive power

Your “Productive Power” is defined as “a measure of the amount of productive work you can do in a unit of time”.

Your productive power is a ratio of:

Achievement / time taken
The more productive work that you can do in a 24 hour period is a measure of your value to yourself, your family and your organisation.

How can you get more productive work done in one day?

Here are some ideas:
1. Work according to a plan not your mood
2. Use your “down time” to your advantage
3. Prioritise
4. Keep your mental focus on the task at hand
5. Feed your brain what it needs

Let us investigate each one in turn.

1. Work according to a plan not your mood

You have a choice

To work to a plan; or not.
Many people do not work to a plan. They make it up as they go along, with no plan.
As a result of having no plan, they are forced to respond to the current environmental pressures.
As a result of that, they become forever reactive to current events; driven BY the events rather than being in control.
People with no plan feel as if they are the victims of circumstances. They feel less in control and more victimised by fate.

Correcting this error is simple to do:

Every evening, before bed, make plans for the future.

As detailed as is reasonable:

1. Make plans for your work
2. Make plans for your money
3. Make plans for your family
4. Make plans for your education and continued learning

Be driven more by your plans than by the surrounding circumstances
Hannibal quote: We will either find a way, or make one!
Operate according to your plan not your mood.
 
2. Use your down time to your advantage
Down time is defined as “time that is spent in an activity that does not require much brain power but cannot be avoided”.

Examples of down time:

1. Sitting in traffic jams
2. Waiting for someone to arrive
3. Mowing the lawn

All these tasks must be done but to do them requires only a fraction, 10%, of your available brain power.

What are you going to do with the other 90%?

Answer

Use it to:

1. Learn new material
2. Practice skills
3. Make plans
4. Analyse the current situation

For example
When you are stuck in traffic
You could listen to the news or learn a new language.
My point is; learning a new language would represent a more productive use of your down time
Don’t waste time
Time is your most precious resource.
Your brain is your second most precious resource
Spend time developing your brain.

3. Prioritise
Because your time and your brain are both limited resources, you cannot do everything at once.
Because you cannot do everything at once you, must prioritize.
Prioritise logically.

Don’t prioritise emotionally.
Prioritize tasks according to:

1. The value of the task (do the most important first).
2. The deadline pressure: (do the most urgent first).
3. The necessary logical sequence (the washer must precede the nut).

Do the most valuable and most urgent things, in the right sequence.
To identify that correct order of prioritisation requires some thought and a logical mind-set.

4. Keep your mental focus on the task at hand
Distinguish two types of person:

1. The focused individual
2. The butterfly mind

The focused individuals can keep their minds on the task at hand.

The butterfly minded individuals cannot keep their minds on the task at hand.

1. Which type is the one you want on your team?
2. Which type do you most resemble?

Focus you mind on the task at hand, for as long as you can, then take a break, and then focus your mind on the next task.

• Don’t be like a butterfly.
• Be a like a laser beam.

5. Feed your brain what it needs
In order for your brain to function like a well oiled machine, it needs the right maintenance and fuel.

Your brain needs:
1. Sufficient oxygen
2. Normal Blood sugar levels
3. Accurate information

Therefore you should:
1. Breathe deeply and regularly
2. Take occasional walks around the office so as to move the blood and the “vital spirits”.
3. Don’t skip meals
4. And check that your information is correct

For more information about time management training visit the Corporate Coach Group website

On 08/10/2012 at 00:26 Cindy Naged said

very useful information, Thank you.

For all your training enquiries please call: 01452 856091

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