Learn how to be prepared for anything. Consider having duplicates and evaluating what has gone wrong to prevent future problems.
- Are you prepared for any situation that might arise in your career? Being prepared is essential, not only for your success, but for your productivity. Here's a little story to illustrate this principle. I was in New Jersey for a speaking event and had an extra day. So I decided to take trip into New York. I hired a driver to take me there. Halfway through the trip he turns around and looks at me and very seriously asks, "Do you know how to get there?" Not only had his GPS stopped working, but he was unfamiliar with the area.
Luckily, I had a phone with working GPS and was able to give him directions to my destination. You and I cannot afford to caught unprepared like this. Often, this requires having duplicates of everything that we need. In this driver's case, rather than having just one phone, or one GPS unit, he should have had second one, a backup. Think about your workday. What it is something that could possibly go wrong? And do you have a backup for it? Another way to be prepared is to give yourself extra time.
This means that if a project is due at work by a certain date, we don't need to rush through the project immediately. We want to ensure that we schedule our completion date to happen several days before that due date. Why? Because if something goes wrong, we've got that extra time built-in to address the problem. This is why, as a speaker, I always arrive at least one hour before the event to do a soundcheck, to make sure that everything is right in the room.
Another way to be prepared is to double-check your work. It's always very time consuming to retrace your steps and fix mistakes when you make them. Make it a habit, whenever you have an important project to deliver, double-check it. Review critical emails for errors before you send them out. If you're like me, and don't trust yourself to do a good job of reviewing, enlist some help. Get in the habit of using a friend or a co-worker to review your work before you present it for completion.
A little attention toward preparation, can save you tremendous amounts of time.
Author
Updated
4/15/2019Released
4/11/2016Productivity expert Dave Crenshaw provides techniques on a wide variety of topics, designed to help people better manage their time and ultimately become more productive. Tune in to learn about everything from managing emails and calendars to setting priorities, collaborating with coworkers, reducing interruptions, crafting a "productivity mindset," and creating a more comfortable and effective work environment.
Have an idea for a future video from Dave? Submit it using our course feedback form. If you want more time management strategies now, we recommend watching Dave's Time Management Fundamentals course.
- Reducing interruptions
- Dealing with feeling overwhelmed
- Responding to quick questions
- Making the most of meetings
- Following up
- Implementing a closed door, open calendar policy
Skill Level Intermediate
Duration
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Introduction
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Welcome43s
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1. Time Management Tips
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Power tips for sending email3m 14s
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Positive procrastination3m 15s
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Remove the "busy" tag2m 58s
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Manage digital interruptions4m 19s
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Make the most of meetings2m 52s
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Follow up on delegated items2m 58s
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Become tech savvy4m 33s
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Focus on the person2m 37s
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Time management for students2m 59s
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Ending meetings with action1m 44s
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Building a not-to-do list2m 46s
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Avoiding the crowd mindset2m 58s
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Placing a value on your time3m 30s
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How to schedule a meeting3m 35s
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How to develop flexibility4m 19s
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The trouble with texting3m 48s
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Create a perhaps list4m 58s
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Reduce attention switches4m 46s
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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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Make time to have fun3m 57s
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Create a morning ritual3m 23s
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When to create new homes3m 26s
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How to reduce spam3m 48s
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Why repetition saves time2m 48s
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Productive passwords2m 3s
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Productive web browser tips1m 51s
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Writing a productive email1m 55s
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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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Video: How to be prepared for anything