How to gain an extra hour every day

How often have you wished you had a bit more time each day? With a bunch of projects that I’m trying to juggle (and an inability to say “no” to more), that’s something I frequently wish for.

Well, I’ve discovered a way to gain more than an hour everyday. I’m sad to say, it’s a fairly recent realization that I wish I knew about years ago.

I was recently analyzing how I spend my time and I discovered: When I sit down to do my work, I know what I want to work on but it usually takes me about 5 minutes to actually get into the work. The first 5 minutes is taken up with clicking to open documents, opening the appropriate windows in my web browser, and thinking about what I want to do on the project. It’s not that I dawdle on these parts of the project, it’s just that I’m not up to full-speed/full-production mode just yet. I’m just getting off the runway, so to speak.

It led me to wondering what would happened if I shortened the runway. How would I do that?

And after some trial and error, here’s what I’ve found: When planning the details of my day (the night before), I need to do more than just say “At 3pm I want to write a blog post for TheHappySelf“. Instead, I need to push deeper and say: “At 3pm, I want to write a blog post for TheHappySelf about the 3 challenges you face when setting health goals.” I also note mentally what documents or windows I need open on my browser. In other words, I figure out all of the things that used to take me the first 5 minutes of the project. In effect, I’m shortening the runway and getting to that point of productive critical mass sooner.

The result is an extra hour of work for me every day. At least. Here’s how the math plays out: If I start 12 projects (i.e., 12 half-hour projects over a 6 hour workday, for example, which isn’t that unusual for me), and each project used to burn the first five minutes, I have regained an hour in the day. Simple!

The cost of gaining back this hour? Maybe 10 minutes of planning the day before. That’s a great return on investment!

Of course it might vary for you — maybe you have 6 1-hour projects in your 6 hour day (and you’ll regain half an hour) or 24 half hour projects in a 12 hour day (and you’ll regain 2 hours). Whatever. If you can save five minutes on each project (and that is entirely feasible with a little advanced planning), you can win back a huge amount of time in the day.

5 Powerful Creative Thinking Techniques

There are all sorts of situations where creative thinking comes into play.

Generally, we might associate creative thinking with art: writing a story, creating a painting, or composing music, for example.  In reality, creative thinking is something that even the lay person uses on a daily basis, especially when it comes to problem solving.

When you find yourself in a quandary about how to solve a dilemma or create your next masterpiece, here are some powerful creative thinking techniques that can get the ideas flowing.

The Random Element

One problem we often face when trying to solve a problem is that we tend to think in a straight line. 

The Random Element Technique allows us to take our mind in different directions to hit on solutions that may have never occurred to us using a more conventional approach.

To use this technique, start by defining your problem.

For example, let’s say that you are having trouble getting along with a coworker.  Look around you and find something completely unrelated to your situation, say a jar of jellybeans on your desk.  What kind of inspiration can you get from applying that jar of jellybeans to your problem?

Some possibilities include:

• Jellybeans are sweet.  Maybe I need to be sweet to this person and “kill him with kindness.”

• All colors of jellybeans are mixed together.  Maybe I need to recognize that it takes all types of personalities to make the world work and accept our differences.

• There are a whole lot of jellybeans in a jar.  Maybe this person and I spend too much time in close proximity to one another.  Would moving to a different desk or cubicle make a difference?

It’s amazing when you discover just what kinds of connections your mind can make, and it gives you a whole new list of possible solutions to try.

Read more..

Clean Your Desk, Clear Your Life

Many of us spend a lot of time at a desk.

Whether your desk is in a corner office with a view, in a row of cubicles or in a crowded corner at home, chances are good that you haven’t given a lot of thought to how your office space is arranged.  Even if your office is not your ideal, you don’t have to feel that you’re stuck with it.

There are small changes you can make to any workspace that will make it a more enjoyable and productive place to work.

The first place to start is by looking at the amount of clutter in your workspace.

Unless you’re diligent about keeping things neat, it’s easy to end up with a workspace that’s full of clutter.

The proliferation of communication methods has made it easier to communicate, but it’s also increased the amount of information to track.  Post-it notes, documents and email printouts are great ways to keep on top of deadlines and commitments, but it’s easy for this paperwork to start taking over your desk.

When the paperwork starts to push you out of your workspace and your productivity is suffering, it’s time to declutter your desk.

Here’s a roadmap to follow:

1. Start by making a clean sweep of your desk.  Remove everything that’s portable, then put back only the items you use the most – i.e., phone, keyboard, mouse.
2. Sort the clutter.  Go through the clutter you just removed from your desk.  Trash the things you no longer need and file the rest. Try to do this quickly and don’t waste time lingering over each piece of paper or publication.  If you don’t have an organized filing system, now’s the time to set one up.  Get in the habit of filing things away when you’re done with them.
3. Use a single notebook or pad of paper to keep track of to-do lists, meeting minutes and phone calls.  Think of it as your work journal.  You may want to use an online app or computer tool instead, but the portability and easy access of a notebook makes it a low-tech solution that never goes out of style.
4. Keep your bulletin board clutter-free. Check it regularly for outdated items and remove them.  By only displaying meaningful items, your bulletin board will be a useful tool instead of a catchall.  If you have a whiteboard, clean it regularly.  Markings that are left on the board too long will become permanent.
5. Make a habit of clearing your desk each night. This will let you start the day with a clean desk and a clean slate.  If you’re in the middle of a project at the end of the day, make some notes to refresh your mind when you return to it and then file it away.  Beginning each day with a clean desk will give you an entirely new perspective.

Once you’ve decluttered your desk, remember that keeping it clutter-free is a habit that you’ll have to establish.  Just as you have to keep exercising to stay in shape, you’ll need to spend a little time each day sorting through your paperwork and either tossing it or filing it.  Take the same approach with your email.  As your inbox fills up each day, delete the messages you’ve read and don’t need to keep.  Save important email messages in folders. Or, just kill your email all together.

Now that you have a plan for clearing your desk of clutter, it’s time to look at the ergonomic aspects of your workspace.  How comfortable are you at your desk?  Does your chair provide the proper back support?  At the end of the day, do you have aches and pains?   Physical pain that’s caused by your chair or desk height can lead to chronic injuries over time, so it really pays to make some changes and replace any problem furniture.

The next ergonomic considerations should be your mouse and keyboard.

Does your keyboard leave you enough room to easily maneuver your mouse?  Are you able to position your arm so that you can use the mouse without straining?  If not, try to rearrange your desk and remove any obstacles to the ideal keyboard and mouse setup.  Pain from improper mouse use is another problem that can build over time and end up causing a chronic condition – it pays to do everything possible to avoid it.

The final ergonomic issue is the lighting in your workspace.

Is there enough light?  Too much light can actually be a problem if it causes a glare on your monitor screen.  If glare is a problem, first investigate using your computer screen settings to modify your screen’s brightness and contrast.  If there’s too much ambient sunlight in your office, the solution may be as simple as using blinds to filter light coming in from a window.  If there’s too much overhead lighting, try using a desk lamp instead.

Once you’ve taken care of the clutter and solved your ergonomic issues, it’s time to put the personal touch back into your workspace.  Position a few personal items on your desk, but don’t get carried away.  A couple of framed photos and a plant should be enough to add a calming touch.  Lots of gadgets, toys or office supplies will just contribute to desktop chaos and can end up being a distraction.

One of the hardest parts about creating a clutter free and comfortable workspace is taking the first step towards getting it done.  It’s easy to procrastinate or feel too busy to tackle your office clutter.  Instead of trying to do the entire job at once, approach it as a series of small changes.  As your workspace becomes more organized, the odds are very good that you’ll find yourself becoming more productive.  Creativity and focus are easier to tap into when you workspace is clear and clutter-free.

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”  Albert Einstein

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