From the course: Time Management Tips
Adapt your favorite app
- Every once in awhile a student of my Time Management Fundamentals course reaches out and says, "Dave, I like to use XYZ app. "How can I use Time Management Fundamentals "with this particular app?" And the answer that I give them often isn't what they want to hear, yet it is the truth. We're going to get a little philosophical here, so be prepared. My time management training, including the tips and this weekly course, are built in such a way that anyone anywhere in the world using any kind of software program or tool can still practice the principles of successful time management. Let's focus on that word, principle. A principle is something that is true forever. It doesn't change over time. Like the foundation of a building, a true principle is the foundation of any successful system. If you study principles of success, you can reapply those principles in a variety of different situations. It's helpful to visualize the value of principles like a three-tiered pyramid. At the bottom are principles, the foundation. Next come the systems, which are a way of doing things. And lastly, above those rest the tools, the implements we use to help us follow a system. For example, one principle that I teach in Time Management Fundamentals is everything has a home and no visitors allowed. That applies to any office or any home, any situation anywhere. To live this principle, we need a system, a process or procedure to follow. Systems are more flexible than principles. In the example of everything has a home and no visitors allowed, the system we follow is the process by which we determine where things go. In Time Management Fundamentals, I provide a suggested system for filing away papers. Yet if a person wanted to modify that system, there's no issue so long as they abide by the principle of everything has a home and no visitors allowed. Which leads us to the last step, the tools. Tools are implements that help us follow systems. So, in that example of putting something into its home, I might use a Tupperware container as the tool to store my cables, while you might prefer to use an organizer that you can hang on your wall. Tools are always subject to change based on innovative technology, changes in circumstances, or even shifts in your personal taste. Because tools change frequently, it's important for us to never become too dependent upon them. Let's put that in perspective by returning to the original question, "Dave, how do I use Time Management Fundamentals "with my favorite app?" The app is simply the tool of the year. It's the implement you'll use today to live the timeless principle, yet you'll likely exchange that tool for another one over time. When I first began privately coaching in time management fundamentals, I personally used Microsoft for everything. Over time, I switched to using Google programs such as Calendar and Gmail, and I'm now thinking of switching back to Microsoft again. But even with these changes, the systems I follow are relatively stable and the principles never change. I still follow a system of having roughly five hours a week of processing, and I continue to live the principle of having as few number of gathering points as possible. Changing the tool didn't change the value of the underlying principle. So, if you want help with using a particular tool for time management, improve your knowledge about how to use it. You can search here on the library and find many wonderful tutorials to use a variety of different tools. Most major programs that people use for productivity have tutorials on this library. I'll let the experts in each of those tools focus on helping you learn to use them. But when you and I learn time management together, our focus will be on flexible systems and universal principles. Please bring your favorite tool and apply it in whatever way works best for you.
Contents
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Power tips for sending email3m 14s
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Reduce interruptions with 1:1 meetings2m 6s
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Positive procrastination3m 15s
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Set voicemail and email expectations3m 25s
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How to deal with feeling overwhelmed4m 32s
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Make the most of an inbox and outbox3m 2s
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Remove the "busy" tag2m 58s
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How to respond to quick questions3m 4s
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Follow through on your commitments2m 57s
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Fight negative procrastination3m 58s
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Ergonomics' impact on productivity2m 55s
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Replace to-do lists with a schedule3m 21s
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Establish boundaries in open workspaces3m 9s
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Manage digital interruptions4m 19s
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Find your productivity rhythm2m 56s
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Craft a visually productive workspace3m 16s
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Use background tasking to get more done2m 51s
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Make the most of meetings2m 52s
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Participate wisely in social media3m 23s
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Follow up on delegated items2m 58s
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Overcome opportunity addiction2m 51s
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Make sound your productivity ally3m 12s
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Embrace the power of doing nothing3m 3s
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Implement a closed door, open calendar policy3m 26s
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Become tech savvy4m 33s
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The two most important hours of your day2m 40s
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Make investments to gain time2m 40s
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Maximize your energy each day2m 5s
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Focus on the person2m 37s
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Use your email archive effectively1m 52s
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How snacks and scents affect productivity2m 14s
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Stay engaged in video meetings2m 49s
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Embrace harmless distractions2m 12s
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Find focus in an interruption-heavy environment2m 19s
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How to check email and still stay focused3m 53s
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Manage time before and after vacations2m 35s
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Handling tasks that take too long2m 33s
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Using quarterly planning for maximum benefit2m 28s
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Clearing your mind with note-taking apps2m 35s
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Overcoming analysis paralysis2m 41s
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Protecting your processing time3m 18s
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Time management for moms and dads3m 58s
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Efficiently setting appointments with others2m 58s
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Creating your digital-free zone2m 29s
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Prioritizing your work to free up time3m 3s
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Understanding virtual assistants2m 51s
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Regaining focus with reminders2m 26s
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Getting the most from learning opportunities2m 18s
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Power tips for frequent travelers3m 32s
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Staying engaged in conference calls2m 40s
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Building transition time into your day2m 7s
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Increasing follow-through by making yourself accountable2m 57s
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Time management for students2m 59s
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Handling the inefficiency of others2m 29s
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Time management for managers and leaders2m 34s
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Making the most of extra time1m 59s
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When work and personal matters collide2m 29s
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Time management for assistants and gatekeepers2m 43s
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Avoiding less valuable activities2m 45s
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Ending meetings with action1m 44s
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Establishing a productive daily routine2m 26s
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Time management for working in teams2m 32s
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Setting achievable expectations2m 31s
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Tips for bill-by-the-hour professionals2m 4s
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Helping others improve their time management2m 4s
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Make the most of your commute4m 5s
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How to handle interruptive ideas2m 59s
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Dealing with overlapping responsibilities3m 18s
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Stop coworkers from encroaching on personal time4m 4s
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Organizing and using stacking trays3m 26s
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How to avoid unnecessary meetings4m 43s
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How to deal with a reading pile3m 17s
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Handling unexpectedly long tasks3m 13s
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Processing long projects with many steps4m 21s
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Connecting personal values to productivity4m 28s
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Building a not-to-do list2m 46s
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Putting news in its proper place4m 49s
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Making peace with the truth of time4m 5s
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Avoiding the crowd mindset2m 58s
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Placing a value on your time3m 30s
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Celebrating success for improvement3m 20s
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Exploring the weekly planning session4m 8s
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Coordinating family schedules3m 24s
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Tracking your daily activity4m 3s
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How to schedule a meeting3m 35s
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Prioritizing learning opportunities3m 7s
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Finding your optimal break cycle3m 57s
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How to develop flexibility4m 19s
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The trouble with texting3m 48s
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Yearly planning to support goals3m 52s
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Create a perhaps list4m 58s
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How to deal with incomplete tasks4m 45s
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Reduce attention switches4m 46s
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When to fix, and when not to fix, a problem3m 10s
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Make time to build relationships3m 10s
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How to take notes productively3m 39s
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Time management fundamentals at home5m 10s
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How to cultivate more patience5m
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Adapt your favorite app4m 33s
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Make time to get more time3m 49s
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Read vs. unread email3m 52s
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Use typing shortcuts to save time3m 36s
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Work across multiple time zones3m 36s
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Make time to have fun3m 57s
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Set boundaries with your smartphone4m 48s
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Make phone calls more productive4m 36s
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Prepare your schedule for emergencies4m 47s
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Tips for the paperless office3m 45s
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Create a nightly ritual for sleep4m 25s
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Create a morning ritual3m 23s
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Help others keep appointments with you2m 37s
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Get your time management back on track2m 51s
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Meetings and conversations that run long2m 44s
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When to create new homes3m 26s
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Negotiate deadlines with coworkers3m 51s
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Take responsibility for finding answers3m 47s
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Stop perfectionism from hurting productivity3m 6s
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What to do with business cards3m 10s
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Manage the rate of communication3m 51s
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Share email with a team member3m 33s
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When and how to use video in email2m 51s
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How to reduce spam3m 48s
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Why repetition saves time2m 48s
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How to be prepared for anything2m 32s
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How to shake off negative experiences3m 37s
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When someone doesn't respond to your email3m 7s
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What to do when appointments are cancelled3m 23s
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How to leave an effective voicemail message3m 1s
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Gambling with time for profit and fun2m 51s
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When others fail to keep their commitments3m 21s
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How being kind improves productivity2m 49s
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What to do about unsolicited phone calls3m 11s
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What to do when someone is multitasking on you3m 13s
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How to deal with feeling overwhelmed1m 59s
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What to do when major life events occur1m 51s
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Productive passwords2m 3s
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Productive web browser tips1m 51s
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Using reply to all and carbon copy1m 30s
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Writing a productive email1m 55s
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What to do before sending an email1m 51s
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Understanding why you procrastinate2m 10s
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Use your calendar to stop procrastination2m
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Use positive procrastination2m 8s
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Commit to your calendar1m 54s
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What to say instead of ASAP1m 46s
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Set voicemail expectations1m 43s
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Set email expectations1m 46s
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How to use an inbox1m 41s
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How to use an outbox1m 53s
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Dealing with distracting coworkers2m 6s
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How to stop ignoring recurring reminder2m 1s
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