Time Management & Productivity

– #1 When Am I Typically Most Productive?

• This question is built around the idea that not all hours are created equal.
• That there are times when we are more and less productive.

– #5 How Might I Make it Easier?

• Instead of going from complexity to simplicity, why not start from zero and ask:
• What is the outcome I desire?
• What are the minimum steps that are required?

– #6 At What Timescale Am I Playing?

• What may seem important today may seem unimportant in a year.
• It is therefore helpful to ask yourself what timescale you are playing at:
• A day? A year? Or, a decade?
• In short, how long a game are you playing?

– #7 What Am I Doing That I Do Not Know I Am Doing?

• Virtually all human activity takes place out of conscious awareness.
• Despite this, when looking to reduce their workloads most people look to trim their to-do lists – the tasks we are conscious of.
• And yet, what if that were only one source of overwhelm?

– #10 How Do I Know That I Am Doing Enough?

• Ever feel like no matter how much you do there is still so much more to be done?
• For many people, to-do lists are eternal with the focus on what has not been done creating a sense of being incomplete, of not being enough.
• It does sort of beg the question – when then will be enough?
• And indeed, how will you know?

– #23 How Do I Know What Is Important Today?

• The distinction between what is urgent and what is important goes to the heart of any discussion on time and productivity.
• In essence, how can we be sure that we’re working on our priorities as opposed to following someone’s else agenda?

– #26 How Are My To-Do Lists Stressing Me?

• To-do lists are supposed to be helpful, right?
• And yet, for many people they turn into millstones, nagging them about what remains to be done rather than congratulating them on what has been done.
• So, are your to-do lists more a source of stress or a source of satisfaction?

– #28 How Do I Balance the Past, Present and Future?

• A famous Harvard study back in 2010 found that in fact around 47% of our waking hours are spent in the non-present.
• Where do you spend your days?

– #38 How Do I Allocate My Time?

• This question is deeply intriguing: how do we decide what to do, moment by moment?
• These decisions, often automatic, shape our lives in significant ways.
• To fully grasp our time allocation process, we must bring these decisions to the surface and understand their role in setting our priorities.
• So, how did you decide to read this now, and why did it become your priority?

– #40 How Is My Morning Routine Serving My Day?

• The wonderful gift we receive each morning is a blank canvas on which to paint our day.
• So, I’m curious, what are the first things you put on that canvas?
• In short, what is your morning routine?
• How does it help set you up for your day?

– #41 Do I Feel My Life is Balanced?

• Although we may express it in different ways, life is in many ways a quest for balance.
• We often intuitively know when we are off-balance but do not always know what to let go of, especially when we feel we have to deal with competing demands.
• How balanced do you feel your life is?
• Indeed, what does “balanced” mean to you and how balanced would you like life to be?

– #42 What Are My Time Defaults?

• Much of our lives are lived through default behaviour (habits, routines, rituals…).
• Such behaviour can become so ingrained that we hardly notice it.
• And yet it can highly condition how we allocate our time and energy.
• Where might you benefit from paying more attention?

– #47 What Priorities Am I Living?

• Our priorities are what we do, not what we say or think.
• Many people struggle with this, saying one thing whilst their actions tell a different story.
• The key question then is what priorities are you living?
• Do these differ from the stories you tell yourself?
• Indeed, how do you even know what your true priorities are?

– #52 Why Do I Multitask?

• A very common question is How can I multitask more effectively?
• The assumption is that we need to do more.
• If only we could get more done, we could clear that to do list and be more productive.
• And yet, is this true? Are there truly only upsides?
• What about possible downsides?
• What about the assumption that life and work are simply about getting more things done?

– #56 What is My Relationship with No?

• Yes and No are bound together.
• In fact, when we think we are saying Yes to something, we are actually saying No to an infinity of other opportunities.
• It is therefore crucial to prioritise and only say Yes to those things that align most closely with our vision and objectives, effectively saying No to everything else.

– #264 How Do I Think About Efficiency and Effectiveness?

• Efficiency lies at the heart of modern productivity thinking.
• It urges us to do more with less or to do tasks faster.
• The pursuit of efficiency is broadly seen as a positive, its value seldom questioned.
• However, in realms demanding creativity and innovation, blind allegiance to efficiency may stifle potential.
• Ultimately, efficiency should be a tool that enhances effectiveness, not a goal in itself.
• Why be efficient if it is not effective?

– #329 What Really Matters in Life?

• Many (most?) people seem to feel increasingly busy.
• On top of this, there is also a growing trend to measure ourselves by how much we get done.
• The logic is “the more I get done the better person I am”.
• And yet, what really matters in life?
• If today were your last day on this earth, of the things you have not done which ones would be front of mind?

– #331 How Might I Delegate More Effectively?

• If we are honest, we sometimes delegate tasks as a means of clearing our to-do lists.

• It may feel easier to get it off our plate than to start a deeper exploration as to whether the task itself is worth the effort.

• What then is the task worth to you? What will having it completed mean?

• Having this clarity allows us to communicate its meaning more effectively.