Get More Done by Doing Less

Doing any thing takes time - agreed?
We are limited to 24 hours each day - right?
So, the number of things we can do is limited by time - are you with me so far?
Most entrepreneurs respond to this truth by trying to do as much as they can every day. But what happens is they […]

Want Effectiveness and Productivity? Use a Checklist!

I mentioned this before but I don’t think I gave it the focus it deserves. The focus it deserves is actually in this New Yorker article and a shorter one in Fast Company.
But consider this key quote
If someone found a new drug that could wipe out infections with anything remotely like the effectiveness of […]

For Time Management, Use a Timer

I got this idea from a client - Thanks, Kendra.
In meetings when they have an topic on the agenda they allot a certain amount of time to it. Then they set a timer at the start. It keeps the meeting on schedule.
We also talked about the benefits of spending 15 minutes at the start of […]

Management and Incentives - Good or Bad?

There are examples to show incentives are good: they improve some behaviors and are a way to give people what they want in exchange for effort you want. There are also examples of why incentives are bad: they promote individuality at the expense of teamwork, they morph motivation to extrinsic rewards when motivation could (should?) […]

Are you Working Smarter? Harder? Longer?

We all know about working smarter not harder. But Seth Godin has an interesting insight that we often confuse working longer with working harder (or smarter).
Here are a couple of choice quotes (but you should really read the whole thing - especially on Labor Day).
None of the people who are racking up amazing success stories […]

5 Questions to Shrink Your TODO List

1. Does it fit into the big picture?
This is the 80/20 rule. Should eliminate 80% of stuff. Of course you have to know what the big picture is. I think many people are afraid to eliminate stuff because it MIGHT turn into something useful.
2. […]

It’s Obvious When you Think About it - so Take Time to Think

One of the services that makes this blog worth every dollar you pay for it, is the time I take to scour the web and find the gems for you. Two posts in blogs I love come together today under the heading :Why didn’t I think of that?
Seth Godin says make sure your system works […]

An Error Rate of Only 1 in 6 Million

200,000 deliveries a day. 5,000 employees (many barely literate) and an enviable error rate without depending on electronic technology. And such dedication that when Royalty visits, Prince Charles (yes, THAT Prince Charles) adjusts his schedule to fit theirs, because they won’t deviate.
What’s your error rate?
Your dedication level?
Read about the Dabbawala and see if you […]

How do you Plan when everything is an emergency? Part 1

“When you’re up to your eyeballs in alligators, it’s hard to remember that you set out to drain the swamp.”
Many clients come to me in that situation. And they feel paralyzed with so many emergencies they don’t see how to get ahead. I’ll make this short for those of you who have to get back […]

3 R’s of Scheduling

An effective schedule is composed solely of Routine, Rocks and Reserves. You should be able to look at your calendar and see them.
Routine.
This is missing from most entrepreneur’s schedule. It’s the routine meetings and regular times you review reports. Of course you don’t have time for this. There’s too much happening in your day. And […]

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