Master time management and make the most of every minute (part 1 of 3)

“What would happen if 80% of your effort was focused on high-results-producing activities? … All it takes is pigheaded discipline and determination.” — Chet Holmes

There are two types of people: those who write lists, and those who don’t write lists.

Two years ago, I smugly thought that I managed my time very effectively because I wrote lists. Very long lists. And that was my problem — my lists were so long that each time I had a few minutes spare I would cherry pick tasks that were quick, easy, or cried the loudest.

But as Gordon MacDonald puts it, “Not everything that cries the loudest is the most urgent thing.  Just because an email comes in asking again for a meeting next week, doesn’t mean you have to answer it now.”

I was regularly falling foul of this. How can we attend to what is truly important, on a daily basis?

I found my answer in Chet Holmes’ excellent book, The Ultimate Sales Machine and I have regularly been putting it into practice since. Holmes calls his method “the time management secret of billionaires”. At its core, it’s a quick way to make the right kind of plan for your day that will enable you to focus and release time for other activities.

In this 3-part series of blog posts, I will share with you 3 simple steps that helped me – and will help you – make the most of every minute.

Here is the first step:

1. List the six most important things you need to get done the next day, and allocate timings to them The problem with a long list is that you almost never finish it. But psychologically it is a big boost to finish all six items on your list, and to know that they are the most important items.

So here’s the rule as Chet Holmes puts it: “list the six most important things you need to do and, by hook or by crook, get those six things completed each day”.

My list for today looks like this:

• Write first draft of two Coachify blogs
• Speak with Bob about the Organisational Effectiveness project
• Respond to emails about meetings and travel
• Create initial draft of a speech about transformation
• Meet with my publisher
• Meet with the leadership team at one of my clients, a large UK healthcare organisation

Key point: No more than six!

Once you have done this, allocate amounts of time to each task.  Your list might now look something like this:

1. Write first draft of two blogs (1.5 hours)
2. Speak with Bob about the Organisational Effectiveness project (30 minutes)
3. Schedule meetings (30 minutes)
4. Create initial draft of speech about transformation (2 hours)
5. Meet with my publisher (1hour)
6. Meet with the leadership team (1 hour)

Key point: the total time allocated needs to be around 6 hours, not 8-12 hours, because unexpected things usually crop up.

Note that Sweden is currently attempting to limit the working day to six hours in total!

What next?

Click here for the second post in the 3-part series. I share step number 2, which will help you turn your timed list of six key tasks into an effective plan for the day

For more inspiration to make the most of every minute, sign-up below and I will send you my FREE infographic “The 10 Commandments of Time Mastery” now.