T H E
PRODUCTIVITYIST WORKBOOK B Y
M I K E
V A R D Y
CONTENTS INTRODUCTION
3
TA S K
5
MANAGEMENT
EMAIL
MANAGEMENT
13
IDEA
MANAGEMENT
20
TIME
MANAGEMENT
26
CONCLUSION
34
2
INTRODUCTION
“
The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.
Sun Tzu
I think it would be a safe bet to say that when we want to move, we want to move forward. And we want to move forward in a positive
Further to that, many of us rarely do what I call "The Front End Work" when first expressing the desire to be more efficient and
way.
effective with work (and ultimately, life). I nstead, we dive into a new paper planner, start making overwhelming to-do lists, and taking on
But sometimes those two things don’t align. Sometimes we have information coming at us so fast that we move ahead without really thinking things through. Sometimes we take too much time to think about the moves we want to make ... and we don’t wind up moving at all. The idea of personal productivity almost compels us to think that we must move forward at all times and at all costs. When this occurs, we end up just “checking off boxes” as opposed to “checking off the right boxes”.
far more than we could ever hope to achieve in a timely fashion. That's where The Productivityist Workbook comes in. The workbook focuses on the following areas of productivity: 1. Task Management 2. Email Management 3. Idea Management 4. Time Management
3
All of these elements play a crucial role in your daily life—not just in the workplace, either. Each section focuses on one of these elements, and as you wrap up each section, you will come away with a fresh set of e yes and a new perspective on each of these areas. You’ll find each section has exercises for you to complete. I strongly encourage you to complete these exercises as you go, as they will help cement what you’ll be hearing through the speakers of your audio device. Feel free to print out the exercises if you work better on paper than on screen. Please do whatever it takes for this workbook to help you achieve the readiness you’re looking for. All right ... enough with the introductions. It’s time for you to get ready, so that you can get set and go forward in the best way possible.
4
1
TASK MANAGEMENT
In th is se ct io n, Mi ke wi ll wo rk wi th yo u in a wa way y th at al allo lo ws th em to no t only clearly identify what a task is...but to identify how to manage all the tasks they deal with today and going forward.
5
W H AT
YOU’LL
LEARN • What a task is… is … and what it isn’t. • How to to focus focus on task task and and not not on time. time.
What is a task? A task is defined as “a usually assigned piece of work often to be finished within a certain time”. But the thing that’s most important to notice here is that the word “task” is a singular item. Time—which is what we often try to manage first—is something much larger, something multiplicative in nature. This is why you need to focus on the singularity of a task and the
• Exerc Exercise: ise: Are Are you you a digit digital al or an analog? analog?
realization that time is far larger in scope. When you do that, you’ll understand that managing a task is far more manageable than
• How to to priori prioritiz tize e so YOU come come firs first. t.
managing time. What will happen is that you end up managing one thing at a time rather than something that is far greater in size.
• Exe Exerci rcise: se: Creati Creating ng your your Crucial Crucial Cube Cube
Failing that, remember this:
• What tools you can can use use to manage your tasks.
You can master a task, but you cannot master time. You can take on a task over and over again and and reasonably expect that you have a chance to come out on top. You can’t take on time in the same manner and expect the same result nearly as often. We place too much importance on the time we’ve got, and not enough on the task at hand. What we need to do is w orry about figuring out how to do a great job with the tasks we’re given rather than with the time we’re given. That’s how you can really become not just more productive—but a better kind of productive in the process. Much of our work is ruled by deadlines. We have due dates, and we are to finish our work by those dates. Sometimes we are given such work far in advance, sometimes we are given it with little to no notice, and sometimes the work is part of a greater routine we 6
follow on a regular basis. Regardless, all of this work is generally ruled by time.
EXERCISE
In order to be more productive and get to the good stuff—the stuff that we really want to do—we have to stop using this mindset. We
Are
have to stop focusing on being ruled by time and have to focus on being ruled by task instead. That’s the only way we can really get
or
ahead and get to the important stuff on our lists. Being ruled by time leaves you dealing with items of urgency. Being ruled by task allows
1. I am at this level of comfort with technology:
a
You
An
Di�ital?
you to deal with items of importance.
a) I live in the world of technology.
Shifting from a Time Mindset to a Task Mindset
b) I am very comfortable. c) I am somewhat comfortable
The first thing you need to do when making a shift in your mindset
d) I am not comfortable.
like this is to stop focusing on what the end will look like and s tart focusing on what the next move will look like. This may fly in the
Analo�
2. I have the following types of devices and use them often:
face of what many say you need to do in order to cross the finish line, but visualizing isn’t enough. You need to take small steps rather
a) Laptop/Desktop Computer and mobile phone. b) Mobile phone.
than huge leaps, and when you focus on the task at hand instead of the time on hand you’ll be better equipped to do that.
c) Laptop/Desktop computer. d) None of the above.
The ideal scenario for one’s personal productivity is to be both efficient and effective—not forsaking one for the other. Task management and time management are very different. Knowing what you have to do and knowing how much time you have to do it require different mentalities. You need to learn how to manage your tasks first, then you’ll be in a far better position to manage your time. I’ve created a quiz that will help you decide what tools you should be looking at in order to better manage your tasks: digital tools (devices, apps, etc.) or analog tools (pen, paper, etc.).
3. I remember things better when I... a) Type it into my mobile phone or computer. b) Email myself myself a reminder. c) Record me saying it in a recording device. d) Write it down on paper. 4.When I look at my handwriting, I think... a)“I a)“I have no idea what this says.” b) “What’s that word supposed to be?” c) “This is quite readable.” readable.” d) “My penmanship is really great.” 7
5.Your paper day planner is...
Task Yourself By Asking Yourself
a) Getti Getting ng pretty full. b) Is really great, but refills are expensive. c) Has barely been touched since I got it. d) What’s a paper day planner? 6. I read news and books using... a) My mobile device. b) My computer. c) Print editions. d) I don’t read news and books. 7. I like to keep all of my to do items... a) Easily accessible, but not in my face all the the time. b) Ready to be viewed if I haven’t done them, and out of sight if they’re done or aren’t urgent. c) In my face, all the time. time. d) I don’t keep a to to do list. 8. I keep my files organized by...
“
One option is no option. Two options is a dilemma. Three options is a choice.
Anthony Robbins
Now that you’ve decided which tool(s) are going to work best for you in our journey to better task management, it’s time to look at how to best prioritize them. I love that Tony Robbins quote because it is so true. Selection of the right things at the right times leads to a life of fulfillment and wonder, which means exploring the known and unknown together. A lack of options to select from limits all of that. When you have problems prioritizing, it’s not always a bad thing. It’s because you have too many options. It’s time to whittle those down.
a) All my files are organized, be they paper or digital.
But how do you do that?
b) Scanning my paper files and putting them in my computer. c) Putting them in a file folder and cabinet regularly.
Give yourself an honest self-assessment.
d) Umm...not organizing them.
Know your habits. Know your strengths. Know your weaknesses. The more you know how you’ll handle working towards a more
Give yourself 3 points for every A answer, 2 points for every B answer, 1 point for every C answer, 0 points for every D answer
productive lifestyle, the easier the hurdle will become. Once you’ve given yourself that assessment, it’s time to map things
0-6 pts: You’re definitely an analog person. Use pen and paper. 7-12 pts: You’ll use digital, but you’re still more analog. Use a mix.
out according to how you see them fit into the grand scheme of things.
13-18 pts:You’ll use analog, but you’re more digital. Use a mix. 19-24 pts:You’re definitely a digital person. Use an app. 8
The Eisenhower Matrix (later adopted by Stephen Covey) breaks things down into four quadrants:
negotiations were at a crucial stage)—adds instant power to the word it wouldn’t otherwise have, but the effects are still the same.
1. Urgent and Important Important
When something is said to be crucial, you know it’s important. When something is said to be important, well ... results may vary.
2. Not Urgent and Important 3. Urgent and Not Important
Getting clear on what’s crucial is the most beneficial thing you can do to enhance your productivity, your balance and your life. Doing
4. Not Urgent and Not Important
so could be the productivity wake-up call you need, the jumpstart to getting where you know you can be—and want to be. Moving
This is all good and well, and I think that using the matrix as intended (and there are tools that use this method) is a great thing to
beyond the word “important” and making a conscious choice to use the word “crucial” will power up your life in a simple, yet profound
do. But there’s a problem with the word “important”—and it’s not what you might think.
way.
The problem with the word important these days is that it is thrown around with little regard to what it means. Because of that, things that are important often are just things that have to get done, but have little resonance beyond that—they aren’t attached to anything deeper or more meaningful in the greater s cheme of things. Anything with the word urgent attached to it will always feel stronger because of the need for it to be dealt with s ooner rather than later. Even in passing, when someone says the word “urgent”, it creates a feeling or sense of immediacy. Enter the word “crucial”. Crucial doesn’t get thrown around as much. Better still, when someone uses the word in the same manner as they used important as mentioned above, you can really sense how much it matters to them all the more. When something is said to be crucial, it means that it is “of great importance” (by definition alone). It’s possible that the other manner in which the word crucial is used—decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something (e.g., 9
EXERCISE
U R G E N T / I M P O R TA N T
N O T U R G E N T / I M P O R TA N T
Creatin� Your Crucial
Cube
This next exercise involves what I call a Crucial Cube.
THE CRUCIAL CUBE
By adding it to the four quadrants, the focus shifts to what’s crucial to you overall rather than what isn’t. Placing it in the center draws focus, allows you to start there and finish on the outer realms (or vice versa). The key is to get you looking at what you really want to achieve and still displays the supporting things you can do to get there. The Crucial Cube feeds off of the remaining quadrants and the quadrants are fueled by what’s in the Crucial Cube. I’d like you to use the Crucial Cube template to the right and map out all of your priorities by either starting with what’s crucial to you first or what isn’t, and then work your way into the remaining boxes. (You can also create your own template if you’d like. Just use
U RG RG EN EN T/ T/ NO NO T I MP MP OR OR TA TA NT NT
N OT OT U RG RG EN EN T/ T/ NO NO T I MP MP OR OR TA TA NT NT
the format shown on the facing page as a guide.) Ready? Good. Let’s go.
10
Task Management Tools On the following pages, you’ll find a list of several task management tools.
Things
Choose one of them based on what you feel best suits your work style and stick with it for seven days. If you still like it, then use that
pretty powerful all the while.
tool of choice for another 30 days. Should yo Should you u de decid cide e aft after er the additional 30 days to switch, repeat this process. Otherwise, congratulations! You’ve found your task manager and have done the front-end work for that tool.
�
�
Another heavyweight in this space, has what is largely considered a “simpler” interface than OmniFocus and
ToodleDo
�
+
Another popular app, best suited for those who want power in a task management application that is cross-
Keep in mind that these are some of the tools I’ve looked at personally and feel can work for peo p eopl ple. e. I may be missing some, but
platform.
it is only because I wasn’t a fan of them, or simply haven’t tried them yet. I also have not listed pricing here as that can change over
Remember The Milk
time. For more resources, including an up-to-date list of tools that you can use, visit the Task Management page on Productivityist.com on Productivityist.com.. New and useful options will be added to the list regularly.
�
Ideal for collaborative projects/tasks and keeps you out of your email inbox. Also has a mobile version and iPhone app.
OmniFocus
�
�
versatility.
�
�
+
An effective and elegant collaborative task management app that has a lot of power under the hood and looks really good while helping you get things done.
Eisenhower
Another incredibly popular app, favoured much in the same way that ToodleDo is favoured...its power and
Flow Asana
�
�
A very robust and powerful task management application that is used by many across the Internet,
A different approach to the task management niche in that it relies on the 4 Quadrants approach originally
meaning there are plenty of resources out there including Asian including Asian Efficiency's Omni Focus Focus Premium Posts. Posts.
popularized by Dwight Eisenhower. ( You You can also order its paper-based equivalent. ) equivalent. )
,
11
Evernote
�
�
+
One of the most widely used (and adaptable) productivity apps out there. Even if you don’t use it for task management, grab it regardless. It’s incredibly useful for note- keeping and storing research. (To really get to know Evernote, I highly recommend Evernote recommend Evernote Essentials by my friend Brett Kelly. It’s a simply stellar eBook that delivers the goods on Evernote.)
30/30
� +
I use this app as a companion app in terms of task management. I’ve written about it in more detail here.
�
Paper-based Tools If you’re into paper, checkout Aaron Mahnke’s Get Frictionless products and David and David Seah’s Emergent Task Planner .
12
2
EMAIL MANAGEMENT In this section, Mike will put you in the position to think outside outside of the inbox. He will share the tips, tricks, and tactics you can use to treat email in a way that allows you to efficient and effective both inside your email app...and beyond it.
13
W H AT
YOU’LL
A Closer Look at Email It’s time to really think about email—from the inside out.
LEARN
Email is defined as follows:
•
What email is is… … and what it isn’t.
“... messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network.”
•
Whatt the Wha the REA REAL L prob problem lem is wit with h emai email. l.
– via Apple’s native dictionary dictionary application
•
E xe xe rc rc is is e: e: G et et ti ti ng ng O ut ut o f Yo Yo ur ur I nb nb ox ox
Let’s break that down in a bit. But what I found pretty disturbing from the get-go is the sample sentence offered with the definition:
•
Why you sho should uld NEV NEVER ER use use your your emai emaill appli applicat cation ion as a task manager.
•
Some Som e “canne “canned” d” resp response onsess to hel help p you you manage manage email.
“Reading email has become the first task of the morning.” Ugh. Not exactly the most productive way to start the morning. But I digress. Email is an abbreviation of “electronic mail”, which brings us back to the term “mail”, which is: “... letters and packages conveyed by the postal system.” – via Apple’s native dictionary dictionary application All of this may seem rather obvious to many of you. But let me ask you: Have you ever stood by the front door waiting for the mail to arrive? You may have on occasion, waiting for a particular package or letter to arrive. But have you done so ever y day, checking every so often to see if the mail has arrived? Probably not. So why do so many of us do that when it comes to email? The instantaneous aspect of email has created a reaction in many of us that would be preposterous if we applied it to regular old “snail 14
mail”. Trying to break away from reacting this way to email is difficult because it’s not just your own habits that need to be broken, but the habits of those who are sending you the messages. Trying to explain to them that you are going to be less reactionary when your inbox signals a new message has arrived is a challenge, and it will be a very tough pill for many to swallow. But it has to be done. Email is one of the greatest time sucks that we have coming at us every day of the week. That’s why many people consider email to be problematic for their personal productivity. When the problem with email comes up, what people often discuss are the problems that email has created (as well as the problems email has solved). There also has been more talk online about how we must work to “tame” email in order to fix the problems that it creates. But the problem isn’t email. Email doesn’t need to be tamed.
The problem, quite simply, is how we treat email. Individuals and companies treat email in ways that go against the
it is almost one of the first things we mention that we do during our day. Think about this: do you wait for the postal worker for all hours, opening and closing the door to check the mail nonstop every day? Of course you don’t. That would be a waste of time and energy. You know when the postal worker arrives (approximately), so if you’re expecting something then you have a general idea of when it will arrive. Because of that, you don’t sit by the door all day waiting. You go about your day, doing the actual work you have on tap rather than let the possibility of an important delivery get in your way. Do you do the same thing with email? Likely not. Instead, you keep your email application open, waiting for that imminent notification alert to come so you can check and see what new thing just got delivered to your inbox. Perhaps you don’t do this. Perhaps you check email 2–3 times per day, and that’s it. Perhaps you treat email in a way that it allows you to treat your other work better.
Perhaps.
grain of what email should be used for: to communicate in long form without using the phone. It’s not a replacement for the phone,
No matter what email app or service you use—unless you put the discipline and boundaries in place when it comes to using this
it’s not a means to get in touch with someone immediately. Yet the expectation is that it is—or should be.
valuable communication tool—you’re doing it wrong.
People seem to think that since you receive the email almost instantly that you should reply in kind. But for most people (there are some jobs where the work is email management) managing email is merely one aspect of their job—and a small one at that. Yet
So what’s the email problem?
It’s not the technology; it’s the people using the technology. And until we fix that, email will always appear broken. 15
EXERCISE Gettin� Out Yo u r
1
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
2
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
3
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
4
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
of
Inbox
Take the next five minutes to write down the first thing you need to do for the next five days—and make sure they don’t involve email. Look at your next five working days and mark one crucial thing for each day that you will start your day with, and make sure you do those things before checking your inbox. Then do it again for the next three weeks on your schedule. Cross off each day that you complete this on the form below and then initial the week indicating what you did (and didn’t) do.
16
The Other (and Better) Communication Methods
backlog. They also organize their emails in folders far more often than those who don’t use email to manage their tasks.
Once you’ve started to treat email in a way that puts your crucial items first, you’ll have a better chance of assigning the more
Basically, they consider emails to be ... tasks.
appropriate communication methods. To clarify, here’s an idea of what you should use rather than email in many situations:
The idea of using your email app as a task management app is
1. Instant messaging. Should be used when a response is needed immediately. Think of it as the phone for the 21st century.
counter-productive. You spend an inordinate amount of time with your email app open, allowing it to steal focus from you every time an email hits the inbox. But spending time in your task management app is the ideal. You keep on top of the tasks that are crucial to
2. Telephone. Still works better than email to convey the importance of matters at hand. Instant messaging is more efficient at allowing
enhancing your productivity. An email app keeps you connected to others but disconnected from your tasks, whereas a task
people to track conversations, but the phone is more human.
management app disconnects you from others, but—more importantly—connects you to your tasks.
3. Social networks. Takes things outside of your regular email inbox and often works better for sharing items. As long as privacy isn’t the main concern, social network sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ can keep your inbox clutter down.
And self-connection is key to progressive personal productivity.
Your Email App isn’t a Task Management App
It may seem counterproductive to bring an entirely new app for task management when you feel you can do it within the email app itself.
I’ve never been a fan of using an email application to manage tasks.
In fact, many organizations compel you to manage tasks with the email app by having you set up folders and other things that work
That’s because I’ve tried and know that it doesn’t work—at least not in a standalone manner. So I don’t use email as my task manager. Instead, I have used apps that are meant solely for task and project management. They manage to integrate into email in a variety of different ways, but they keep email at bay so that I can work on the bigger picture stuff and deal with communication later.
for them. But that really won’t work for you (or for them, either). As with anything, good “front-end” work is what is needed here. Y ou will need to adopt new habits in order to get out of your email inbox and into your task inbox. Give it time—and look at the options I’ve mentioned in the section on task management.There’s some real gold in there, and many of the options produce far less friction than
But that can be a problem.
you’d think.
For those who use their email app to manage what they have to do,
You’re ready for this. I know it.
they tend to react and deal with their emails almost instantly— meaning they handle them as they come in and have less of a
17
Email Management: Canned Responses to Use Take an axe to your inbox with these 3 ruthless “canned” responses that will annihilate your email and get your mind out of your inbox
1
“
and back onto what matters-and allow you to avoid email bankruptcy in the process. Each response is appropriate for certain circumstances—of which there are really only three: 1. Timely follow-up correspondence is needed. 2. No follow-up correspondence needed.
sure you replace the generic text with what you need to address, as well as the appropriate salutations and signature. Save these either as a text file, as a TextExpander snippet or in Gmail as a “canned response”—or whatever works best for your setup.
Thank you for your email. I’m glad you reached out to contact me regarding [INSERT SUBJECT HERE]. HERE]. That said, while I’m interested in what you’ve offered, my time is at a premium these days. I’ll give the matter further thought and will get back to you within the next [X] business [X] business days. If you require an answer sooner than that, simply respond to this email and give me a timetable so I can see if I can make something happen on my end. Again, thanks for your email and I look forward to hearing back from you shortly.
3. No need for the correspondence at all. Feel free to use these email responses so that you can push through your inbox and get on with what you need to focus on—just make
Follow-up Email Needed
2
Follow-up Email Not Needed
“
Thanks for your email regarding [INSERT SUBJECT HERE].. I appreciate the time you’ve taken to give me a HERE] heads up on this.
Start using these responses today and you’ll find that your time in your email inbox will be lessened and your time delivering
Unfortunately, it’s not something that I’m willing to take on at this time as I have other matters that require my attention.
actionable results will be enhanced. You’ll escape the rapture of the inbox and reap the rewards of conquering it.
Again, thank you for reaching out to me and good luck with [INSERT SUBJECT HERE]. HERE].
3
No Need to Respond Yes, deleting an email is a response. Either to you or to the sender, depending on the subject matter. On that note, here’s what you do: Delete it. NOW. it. NOW.
18
Email Management Tools Beyond the task management apps that are now incorporating some form of email management into them (such as Flow, Asana, and even the clipping power within OmniFocus and Things), there are several standalone email apps and add-ons that will better help you manage your email so that you can not only get out of your inbox more efficiently and effectively, but also enjoy the time spent in there. Keep in mind that these are some of the tools I’ve looked at personally and feel can work for people peo ple.. I m I may ay be missing some, but it is only because I wasn’t a fan of the m, m, o orr simply simply haven’t tried them yet. I also have not listed pricing here as that can change over time. For more resources, including an up-to-date list of tools that you can use, visit the Email Management page on Productivityist.com on Productivityist.com.. New and useful options will be added to the list regularly.
Postbox
�
Drafts is where you can prep, refine, and send text for a task called “Email Actions”, allowing you the ability to send emails right from inside the app. Using Drafts will also lessen the amount of time you spend inside Mail, which is always a good thing.
Dispatch
�
Dispatch is the iOS email app that is now in my dock. It al“lows you to actually deliver your email messages to a place where they can become actions (OmniFocus, Things, Evernote, Asana, Drafts, etc.) rather than simply "snooze" them. Sure, you can forward emails to the addresses provided by some of these apps, but Dispatch makes it a more frictionless process. I think it's the best $2.99 you can spend on an iPhone app.
�
This was was my my email client of choice until just recently. With its ability to integrate with Evernote, its Focus Pane feature, and the fact that it is multiplatform, Postbox is a solid choice for managing your email from the top down.
Airmail
Drafts
�
�
Airmail is the closest that I've gotten to Sparrow in an email client on the Mac. I can use Dropbox with it. I can have multiple accounts (and therefore, inboxes) with it. I can Send and Archive with one click. I can write in Markdown if I want. And -- after mentioning to the developers that this feature was missing -- I can sort my inboxes so that the oldest email appears first rather than last. The great thing I've found about Airmail is that it is simple and yet still scales, meaning that those who are power email users can really get a lot out of the app.
Sanebox
�
I’d like to think of SaneBox as Gmail’s Priority Inbox on steroids – but it works for all kinds of email platforms. Because of its algorithm, SaneBox separates your most important emails from the ones that can wait. This allows you to prioritize the way you read your messages, saving you time and frustration.
AwayFind
�
The idea behind AwayFind’s service is to keep you out of your email inbox by having their service send you urgent messages and things that are worth knowing about, while keeping the unimportant messages away. I am a big fan. 19
3
IDEA MANAGEMENT The process of seeing an idea through from start to finish is hard, and learning when to pursue an idea and when to let it go is more challenging. In this section Mike will offer you tips, tools and tactics that will help you do just that.
20
W H AT
YOU’LL
LEARN • What an idea does for you … and what it doesn’t. • Using The IDEA IDEA Criter Criteria. ia. (Exerc (Exercise) ise) • What to to do when when you you have too many many ideas. ideas. • Build Building ing your your Idea Idea Calendar. Calendar. (Exerc (Exercise) ise) • A closer closer look look at idea idea manageme management nt tools. tools.
We Are All Idea Machines Every day I’m struck with new ideas, whether they’re for a new writing project, an article I know that would resonate with a wide audience or something that would help keep my family life flowing. The problem with ideas is that until they are acted upon, they are just ideas—and aren’t worth much more than the thought thought they were initially given. Before we really dive into this section, let’s do a mini exercise. Grab a sheet of paper and write down as many ideas as you can think of. They could be ideas that you've been putting on the back burner for sometime. They could be ideas that you’ve got in progress. They could be ideas that you haven’t haven’t even thought of yet ... at least not until now. It doesn’t matter. Just write them all down on the sheet of paper in any way, shape, or form that you’d like. We’ll be coming back to them later, so keep them close at hand. So if you find that you are an “idea machine” that churns out so many ideas that you can’t possibly find time for them all, how do you know when to move forward on one?
The IDEA Criteria The IDEA Criteria is something I use to evaluate each and every big idea that I have, so that I know whether or not it is worth moving forward on—or how much time I want to invest at any given point. It is broken down as follows: As you can see, the four items spell out the word IDEA ... which is clearly intentional. But it is really not forced in that all of those four 21
deals I deals Does
that I hold must be upheld by pursuing it.
In fact, it should complement it in some form or another. another.
xcitement E Able
EXERCISE
not interfere with anything else that I am excited about.
about the idea must be lasting.
to generate direct or passive income.
things are what makes a good idea something that can take hold, gain momentum, and lead to greater things for all involved. Leaving something that is pretty much a “sure thing” and making changes is scary stuff. I’ve done it plenty of times and I still get scared—which means that it’s something worthwhile. But I don’t just run into (or away from) something without weighing weighing my options.
A P P LY I N G IDEA
THE
CRITERIA
Take the first idea that you have written down from the idea brainstorm you did earlier. Now apply the IDEA Criteria to that idea. Then decide if it is an idea that is worth moving on now, later, or not at all. Mark that down next to the idea by using a checkmark to represent moving ahead now, an arrow pointing right to indicate you’ll work on it later, and an “x” next to the ones that aren’t worth moving on at all. (You could actually just cross out those “not at all” ideas altogether -- which would be even better -- but if you’re not comfortable with that yet, just go with an “x”...for now.)
Having this tool in my arsenal makes the scary stuff less scary. Or perhaps it gives me an informed willingness to take on new things rather than stay still and do the same old things. Either way, the IDEA Criteria helps me make better decisions, and I have no doubt it will also serve you well.
Continue doing this for at least ten ideas on your list. You can keep going until you’ve applied The IDEA Criteria to all of your listed ideas, but do at least ten for now. You can always do the others later.The idea (pun totally intended) here is to build the habit of using the IDEA Criteria for each and every idea you have from now on.
22
What to Do If You Have too Many Ideas
do with it. If it’s something that sits in your review queue for four weeks, drop it. It’s clearly not crucial to you in the gr and
Once you’ve curated your ideas using the above method, another problem creeps in—idea stagnation. I wind up doing a little bit with each idea, and some are never seen through to completion. It’s an ongoing battle, and it’s something that I’m not alone in.
scheme of things. And besides, if you let it go and it comes back to you, then you’ll know it’s something that you need to
There’s nothing wrong with having too many ideas. But what you do with them is far more important than just having them. It’s like having a lot of money but not doing anything with it. Sometimes there are just too many options. Choice is good, but too much choice can cause paralysis. One of the best things about having ideas come to you regularly is that you’re never at a shortage of material to work with. But it’s the “working with” part that is the hardest part. Capturing your ideas is great, but thinking on them is what will keep you from being trapped in overwhelm and bringing your ideas to life. If you’re an idea machine, then learning to separate the projects from the rejects is a skill worth learning. An idea on its own isn’t worth very much, and you’re worth so much more than that.
act upon.
2. Adopt 2. Adopt a mission statement These come in handy when looking at what ideas you’re coming up with in that they keep you honest. If an idea fits in with the mission statement you’ve adopted, you’ll have a better understanding of whether or not it is something you need to see through to the end. If there are any conflicts with the statement, then it’s not something you’re likely to build – or build well.
3. Create idea buckets Put all of your ideas in a bucket—and if you’ve got areas of your life that are fundamental to your happiness (such as a passion project, your work, or your family life), then create an idea bucket for each. Every time you have an idea, throw it
1. Let them simmer until it’s time for a weekly review
into the pertinent bucket. When doing your weekly review (which you’re doing, right?) take a look at how many of those
When you have an idea, write it down. But don’t do anything with it until your weekly review day—the idea of such a
ideas are sitting in each bucket and how much progress has been made on them. If they are sitting there w ith no actions
review was popularized by David Allen is his book Getting Things Done. If the idea occurs to you less than two days
attached, it might be time to dump them. This tactic can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, the first
before your review day, don’t do anything with it until the following one. Let the ideas percolate and stand together with
tactic mentioned. I use both because once the idea has simmered and it’s something that I’m intending on doing, I’ll
everything else you have to do. This will help you g ain perspective on the idea in terms of what you can—and can’t—
put the idea in the corresponding bucket and turn it into a project when the timing is right. 23
4. Get Real This one is by far the most subjective, as everyone has their own way to do this. I look at all of my stuff (my task management application, my calendar, etc.) and really look at what I have time for. I connect with the ideas that I’m fondest of and know will bring about the most benefit to myself and others. Then I start to cull. I adopt a mindfulness by doing this regularly. I’m not really meditating, but I’m really getting in touch with all that I have on my plate and deciding—really deciding—what can stay and what has got to go. This is the hardest thing to do, usually because more ideas pop into my head while I’m doing it. But the ideas that come to mind during this time rarely stick, as they are usually meant to keep me from the objective at hand: to get real.
EXERCISE THE
What you need to do now is grab a calendar—or j ust write down the months of the year on a sheet of paper. Make sure you leave enough room next to the name of the month so that you can put down the idea on paper. Now, write an idea down for 9-10 of the 12 months in the year (it's important to give yourself 2-3 months of breaks from big ideas so that you can put your best work out there). You are committing to bringing that idea to life in that month (or at least starting the process of bringing it to life). The idea behind the idea calendar is to make sure that you schedule when you’re going to do the bigger picture ideas in your life. You will want to keep this close at hand throughout the year so that you can monitor your progress and make sure that you stick to your committed months. There is no cop-out here. Even if you are completing this exercise outside of the month of January, you can use that sheet of paper method and write down at least 12 months at a time. Then just translate those commitments into the calendar of your choice when the new yearly calendar is needed.
IDEA
CALENDAR You wrote down a virtual ton of ideas during during the initial meeting exercise. You then put all of your ideas through the IDEA Criteria. Now it’s time to start scheduling when you plan on making those ideas happen.
It’s time to put together an idea calendar. This exercise is where the rubber meets the road. 24
Idea Management Tools
Keep in mind that these are some of the tools I’ve looked at personally and feel can work for people. I may be missing some, but
Using the above exercises isn’t the only way that you can manage your ideas. There are certain pieces of technology—both digital and
it is only because I wasn’t a fan of them, or simply haven’t tried them yet. I also have not listed pricing here as that can change over time.
analog—that will help you get the most out of the ideas that you want to make happen and help you decide which ones aren’t worth
For more resources, including an up-to-date list of tools that you can use, visit the Idea Management page on Productivityist.com on Productivityist.com.. New
pursuing at all. Here’s a list of those tools that I have used and recommend.
and useful options will be added to the list regularly.
� DIGITAL
Unstuck
�
� ANALOG
NeuYear Calendar
�
This app is one that can help propel you forward, but it does so through in-the-moment prompting.
The NeuYear calendar shows you the whole year at once, meaning you can layout your goals for the year,
Unstuck has an amazing interface and is an excellent app to have on your iPad for those
and see the big picture plans for your year in one place. It’s tailor-made to be used for an idea calendar
instances where you just get, well ... stuck.
and is also available as a dry-erase calendar.
Idea Bucket
�
+
Creative’s Outfitter Stationary
�
This app lets you weigh ideas using real data, so the look and feel may be more clinical, but sometimes
This store sells the analog wing of the Action the Action Method gear but also much more. With radiant and inspiring
that’s just what you need when looking at options for a new product or entrepreneurial pursuit.
colors, what they offer can really help make ideas happen.
Knock Knock Stationary
�
With products like the Life the Life Log Idea Notebook , these products are a pleasure to use. Knock Knock really does put the “fun” back in function. function .
25
4
TIME MANAGEMENT In this section, Mike will provide you with with a better understanding of how time plays a role in your productivity, and how you can really take advantage of every moment you have.
26
W H AT
YOU’LL
Like Sand Through the Hourglass “...these are The Days of Our Lives.”
LEARN
Yes, it sounds cheesy—especially since that quote was taken taken from a
•
daytime soap opera—but it is true. Time passes by without thinking about who it’s affecting her how it’s affecting them. Just as we can’t
H ow ow t o m ak ak e ti ti me me w or or k fo fo r yo yo u
control Mother Nature, we can’t control Father Time.
•
Why being being a “nigh “nightt owl” owl” is just just fine fine (Exerc (Exercise ise))
•
Whatt “time Wha “time chu chunki nking” ng” is is and how to use use it. it.
•
The Cas Casino ino Exp Experi erimen mentt (Exe (Exerci rcise) se)
•
Analog Ana log and and digita digitall tools tools for for time time manage managemen mentt
But we can deal with time better. And that’s what this section is all about. It’s been said that “the early bird gets the worm”. There are numerous articles on the web where writers tell you that one of the best ways to become more productive is to get up early. By doing so, you get a jumpstart on the res t of the world and reap the benefits of a quiet work environment—among other things. Yet for the amount of articles about getting getting up early, there are many people who struggle to do just that. And I’m one of them. I tried time and time again to get up early, to “reset my internal clock” to make that happen ... and I wasn’t able to make it stick. While failure isn’t the worst thing in the world, after trying to become an early riser more times than I can remember, this quote came to mind:
“
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over ag ain and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein 27
Now I wasn’t doing the exact same thing each time I made an effort to change my sleeping and waking habits, but I realized that the act
during the late hours the day beforehand; I am being proactive in my own way.The notion that early risers are more
of trying to change my habits was the problem.
productive than night owls is a myth. They just do “more productive” differently.
That’s where the insanity was coming into play. I was frustrated that I simply couldn’t do what I thought I should be able to do—and I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working. And then it came to me: I was not meant to be an early riser. I am a night owl—and I needed to embrace that rather than fight it.
Now let’s look at another expression, one that is perhaps not so common.
“
The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Why It’s Okay to Be a Night Owl
Jeremy Paxman
To some that may mean that you should proceed with caution rather than be first into the fray, but I tend to look at it differently.
Further to that, I examined how somebody who’s a night owl could essentially “hack their day” in the same way an early riser does. Perhaps not surprisingly, the same benefits that apply to early risers can belong to night owls too. Here are two examples of where this is true, when enough foresight and thought are used in the process. 1.
There is no advantage to being an early riser over being a night owl when it comes to increasing your productivity. It’s all in how you handle what comes at you—day and night—and making sure that you handle it in a way that suits you and your lifestyle. If you find that you like getting up early, go for it. If you don’t, then don’t
Quiet Time. If you’re up past the bedtimes of those in your home, then you’re going to get the same sense of quiet that the
change that.
early riser gets. I found that I’m at my best in a creative sense later in the day, once all of my essential actions and errands
Your body knows you better than the outside forces forces that compel you
have been taken care of. I call it my “Finally Time”—as in I finally have the clarity of thought, quiet I need, and time I
to get up early or stay up late do. It knows when you're at your peak and when you aren't. Listen to it and go with the flow.
want to get my great work done. 2.
Getting Ahead. While many are up at the crack of dawn and getting an early start to their day, I’m sleeping. And I’m no further behind because of it. I’m no less productive than the early riser because I did what they do in the morning hours 28
EXERCISE
1.
Over the the next 7 days, days, make note note of when you you wake up up and when when you go to bed.
DEALING
2.
Review your history history and and honestly honestly describ describe e yourself yourself as one one of the the following: an early riser (regularly up and at ‘em before 7 a.m.)
WITH
or a night owl (regularly up and at ‘em past 12 a.m.). Make a note of it in the space provided.
YOUR BO DY CLOCK 3. As I mention in my manifesto, The Way of The Productivityist, you shouldn’t fight your body clock. You need to listen to your mind and
Now that that you know know what category category you fit into into (and (and if you fit fit into into both, then you need to commit to one or the other—there is no middle ground here) and commit to sticking to those times for 30 days. This way you will build a consistent sleeping and waking
body and drive yourself to do more when it works for you. Don’t drive yourself insane trying to do anything that doesn’t. This exercise
habit that automates the process over the long haul.
should help set you up to figure out what your body clock is trying to tell you. Here’s the exercise:
Questions
� SUN
� MON
� TUE
Rise: ________
Rise: ________
Rise: ________
Bed: ________
Bed: ________
Bed: ________
✓
� WED
� THU
� FRI
Are you regularly up and at ‘em past 12 a.m.?
Rise: ________
Rise: ________
Rise: ________
Bed: ________
Bed: ________
Bed: ________
Are you regularly up and at ‘em before 7 a.m.?
✓
✓
␡
✓
␡
Turns out you’re an early riser. Ideally you should go to bed no later than 11 p.m every night.
Turns out you’re a night owl.You should adjust your rising time to ensure you get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
� S AT Rise: ________ Bed: ________ 29
The Process of Time Chunking
When you decide to start time chunking, I recommend you start chunking by day of the week. Take certain days for certain things.
One of the best ways to manage not only your days, but your weeks (and even larger portions of time), is to use a process called “time
For example, you might want to make Monday the day that you do all of your administrative work. That way you get the bulk of the
chunking”.
“have to” stuff out of the way earlier in the week so that you can get to the “want to” stuff for much of the rest of the week. On
Time chunking isn’t a new process, but if it is new to you then it’s worth examining how it has worked for me. I have chunked my time on a daily basis, setting aside certain chunks of the day for projects or tasks, depending on the time I had at my disposal. But now I am now chunking by day of the week, rather than by hours within a day of the week. I have dedicated certain days to certain projects and tasks, allowing me to keep that much further ahead of (or on top of) all that I’ve got on my plate. In fact, by switching to this method of time chunking, I was able to see what projects I had room for in my life better than ever before. This allowed me to make the decisions to stop working on those projects with more confidence, since my time chunking process had shown me what I had time for and what I didn’t. Also, by time chunking my week rather than my day, I have room for more flexibility. I can play with the hours in a day now, whereas I couldn’t before.
Wednesday you could set aside some time to work on a project that is really going to be exciting. That way you revitalize and recharge in a way that can carry you through the rest of the work week. Friday would be a great time to set some time chunks up for reflection of the week gone by or a preparation for the week ahead. Then you can go into the weekend with a clearer mind and actually enjoy your time away from work more fully and completely. Once you’ve gotten used to the idea of time chunking your days, then you can break it down into hours of the day as well. This is where tools like the Emergent Task Planner and apps like 30/30 for iOS come into play. ( But more on them later.) later.) Time chunking—and fine tuning the practice—will allow you to work with optimum productivity. It’s worth trying in some form or another because it removes a decision from the process of doing: what to do and when to do it. it .
(Yes, I work from home, but I know that a lot of people who don’t work from home can time chunk in the same manner—or at least use a combination of daily and weekly time chunking—so that they can make better use of their work week. I know this because I did it back when I worked in an office environment, and even when I worked in retail management.)
30
EXERCISE THE
CASINO
EXPERIMENT This may seem like a simple exercise, but trust me ... it’s not. What I want you to do first is look at time chunking the next five days. You can do this in any fashion, but the idea is to get the ball rolling. I only want you to time chunk by the day, not by the hour. The next step is maybe a little ... unconventional. On the first day that you’ve time chunked, I want you to remove all manners of telling time from your work space. This includes the
Time Management Tools On the following pages, you’ll find a list of several time management tools. These tools are ideally going to be helping you with your workflow. Task management apps are generally what will help you deal with the tasks you have—which is a far greater indicator of personal productivity than dealing solely with the time you have. Time management tools are simply designed to help you make sure that you’re using your time wisely. Keep in mind that these are some of the tools I’ve looked at personally and feel can work for people. I may be missing some, but it is only because I wasn’t a fan of them, or simply haven’t tried them yet. I also have not listed pricing here as that can change over time. For more resources, including an up-to-date list of tools that you can use, visit the Time Management page on Productivityist.com on Productivityist.com.. New and useful options will be added to the list regularly.
following:
� +
- the clock on your computer
30/30
- any mobile devices that can display time
This app will allow you to be very flexible with the time you allow for tasks. That means you can spend
- any clocks that are within your working space The idea is to get rid of any apparatus or any means that you may have at your disposal to tell what time it is. Next up: go about your day. You’ve already put your plans in place through time chunking, so just do those things. The idea here is that
one hour on one project and thirty minutes on exercise, for example. Rather than use paper to put down your most important tasks of the day, you can use 30/30’s lists to set these up in advance for daily use.
you shouldn’t be worrying about the time you’ve got on hand. You should just be worrying about doing the work you’ve got on hand. 31
MyMinutes
�
A great way to track how long you have spent over a longer period of time working on particular tasks. This app is a great way to keep tabs on how long you are engaged in deliberate practice.
@Timer
�
A simple timer that has pre-determined times ready to go. If you’re looking for something that requires no set up and does one thing really well, @Timer is ideal.
�
The Emergent Task Planner
�
Created by Dave Seah, this is a great way to map out your day on paper and keep it both manageable and trackable.
Concentrate
�
The great thing about Concentrate is that you can go really in-depth about what you want to be able to do on your Mac at any given time. It’s what I call a “forced discipline” application, and it sure does the trick—I still use it to this day.
RescueTime
�
RescueTime gives you a comprehensive analysis of the time you spend on your computer everyday, as well as where you spend it. And all of that goes on in the background so it doesn't require you to enter any data. 32
CONCLUSION
“
I am ready and willing to seize the opportunities life offers.
Jonathan Lockwood Huie Huie
It’s my hope that you found in these sections the fuel to get you ready for what lies ahead. That said, this outlines the other
Within the pages of this workbook, we’ve gone over four integral components that you’ll need to work on in order to
ingredient that you are going to need in order to have more productive years to come.
boost your personal productivity. And if you’ve done the work, then you’re ready. Now all that’s left to do is to get set ... and go
You’re going to need willpower. Willpower isn’t something that comes easy all the time. That’s in
bigger, faster, stronger than ever before. Thanks for allowing me to help you get ready to g o.
its very nature. But it definitely won’t be any easier without the right resources in place that will allow it to flourish. That’s what these sections were designed to do: to give you tools, tips, and tactics to allow that willpower that you have within you to come out and help you get your work done. And to get it done as efficiently and effectively as you possibly can.
33
