To-do lists are the classic work organization. But do you also have a not-to-do list? If you want to be more productive or have a lot of work to do, you should pay attention to such a list. Tim Ferriss thought about it and found 8 things you should avoid during a working day.
TIM FERRIS RECOMMENDS NOT-TO-DO LIST FOR MORE PRODUCTIVITY
“What you don’t do defines what you can do,” says bestselling author Tim Ferriss, who deals a lot with ways to success and productivity techniques. His not-to-do list includes nine things you should do better with for a productive day at work. As for a to-do list, the following applies here: don’t plan too much at once but choose one or two points that you would like to take into account in a day or a week.
SET CLEAR PRIORITIES
At the beginning of a working day, everything may seem urgent or important to you. Starting without setting priorities is a pretty bad idea – you lose track and get bogged down. First to-do of the day: define the most important task and keep an eye on it. According to Ferriss, you may have to make small sacrifices to get a big deal done: a missed call, an email that you answer too late, etc. Apologize for this and accept that not everything is equally important can.
NEVER CHECK EMAIL IN THE MORNING
If you check your e-mails in the office in the morning, chances are that this will change your entire daily schedule. Even before you can get down to work, the other people’s to-dos and desires catch you. You should also no longer check your emails in the evening – this applies to everyone who takes their cell phone or laptop home and has access to business emails there.
NO MEETINGS WITHOUT AN AGENDA!
Someone sends you an appointment without a clear agenda? First ask, then agree. This way you know what is going to happen to you and how much time you have to plan for it. Ferriss rule of thumb: calls and meetings with clear objectives should not take longer than 30 minutes.
CALLS WITH A SUPPRESSED NUMBER
Surprise! You only know who is hiding behind anonymous calls when you have already picked up. According to Ferriss, this puts you in a weak position because you have to adapt to the caller and his concerns at lightning speed. His advice: leave calls with suppressed numbers to the mobile box and only listen to the message later.
GET TO THE POINT
A little bit of small talk is okay, but don’t let chatting chase you out of work, especially on the phone. You don’t have to go into the question “How are you?”, But you can still stay friendly: “Thank you, good! I’m in the middle of an evaluation, what can I help you with? “
DON’T CHECK YOUR EMAILS ALL THE TIME
A classic in terms of productivity tips, but very effective: only open your mailbox at fixed times and then process the emails collectively. Some manage to take a look at the inbox only twice a day. Your job must, of course, make this possible.
DON’T BOTHER WITH TIME-CONSUMING CUSTOMERS
As a self-employed person, you may have customers who keep you busy, but only make up a small fraction of your income. A rather unpopular tip: set these customers clear limits and set new rules, e.g. that they have to wait up to eight hours to answer a non-urgent request and that you cannot always be available by phone.
You may also have to separate from very engaging customers: give them recommendations for industry colleagues and invest the time you have gained in customers who will advance your business.
DON’T ALWAYS CARRY YOUR SMARTPHONE WITH YOU
Tim Ferriss describes the smartphone as a “digital leash” and is therefore not entirely wrong: calls and emails are always under control. If you have a company cell phone and are not on call, turn it off in the evenings and on weekends and best store it in such a way that you are not tempted to quickly check the emails.
Recommended Readings: Productivity Secrets Of Successful People
BOTTOM LINE
Work can be fulfilling and fun, but the job is not everything. Don’t expect work in your life to fill the void that may have resulted from a lack of relationships. Make enough contacts with people who are not your colleagues and take enough time for your private life instead of answering emails on weekends.