Chapter 3: Improve time management & organization
Simple structures create consistency and follow through.
If you feel like you’re scrambled and don’t have control of your life, institute a daily and weekly system that works for you.
Here is one system that you can try and make your own.
Systems to make your own:
Materials needed: A priorities list, your to-do list, and your calendar.
Weekly system: Prepping - Pick one day a week where you review the week ahead, answering the following questions:
What do I need to do to make progress on my priorities this week?
Do I need to block time for my own work, set up meetings, or something else?
What do I need to deliver next week? Any milestones, presentations, projects, etc.?
What is the work back schedule or smaller tasks needed to deliver those?
Do I need to block time for these or set up meetings?
What do I want to complete on my to-do list?
Do I need to block time for these or set up meetings?
How does my week flow over the week? Does information flow correctly? Are there meeting conflicts?
How does my personal life balance with my work life? Do I need to make any adjustments?
Daily system: Prioritization - Pick a time, either the afternoon before the day or the morning of, to identify your top 1-3 priorities for the day. Just 1-3. If you complete them, you can add more, but focus on 1-3. This is what you focus on in between meetings, at every working moment.
Daily system: To-do list - As new actions come up, add them to your to-do list AND to your calendar. Look at your calendar to see where it fits in and then commit to when you can deliver it. By consulting your calendar before committing, you’re increasing your likelihood on delivering on time.
Daily system: Calendar - Refer to your calendar regularly throughout the day. You’ve prepped and planned what you need to do, blocked your calendar, so when it’s time to do the action, do the action. No debates. Just action. Use the reminders with the appointments, so they pop up 15 minutes before you need to do something; it will help break time up the time blindness if it’s set in.
Weekly system: Review - Pick one day a week, like a Friday, where you review the week, answering the following questions:
What progress did I make on my priorities?
What worked well this week and what do I want to improve next week? What do I want to keep doing, stop doing, and start doing next week? What are “wins” I want to celebrate? What do I want to learn from this week?
What am I grateful for?
What aspirations do I have for next week?
The review meeting can be at the same time as the preparation meeting.
Create a daily and weekly system that works for you to make your priorities come to life, your to-do list complete, and your schedule rich with work you want to do and limited conflicts.