productivity

Twenty-Five Words To Conquer Thieves of Time

Bardees, , Leave a comment

I listened to author Juliet Funt as she summarized the big ideas from her book A Minute To Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busynss and Do Your Best Work on the Next Big Idea app, and this part resonated:

“There are four key drivers that cause companies, teams, and human beings to become overloaded. They are actually all assets that simply overgrow. We call them the Thieves of Time: drive, excellence, information, and activity. Despite being positive and helpful in their basic nature, these forces are also the biggest reason that white space disappears.

When taken to extremes, the Thieves of Time become corrupted:

  • Drive becomes overdrive. 
  • Excellence becomes perfectionism. 
  • Information becomes information overload. 
  • Activity becomes downright frenzy. 

Our job is to notice which one or ones tend to carry us away, and then reclaim control of that process. We want them to serve us.

We need a tool that will directly disarm them. That reductive tool is Simplification Questions. They are twenty-five words that I use just about every week, and each question maps back to one of the Thieves’ risks and becomes its remedy:

  • Drive: Is there anything I can let go of?
  • Excellence: Where is “good enough,” good enough?
  • Information: What do I truly need to know?
  • Activity: What deserves my attention?

Each person finds resonance with a different question and that’s their charm. We’re drawn to the ones we need most. The questions can be used at the individual level or at the team and organizational level. They endlessly and nimbly allow us to amplify the best by removing the rest.”

Twenty-Five Words To Conquer Thieves of Time

Decluttering: A Daily Practice, Not An Annual Project

Bardees, , Leave a comment

Last year, my friend moved into a new house and shared a lot about the tremendous amount of decluttering she went through before moving. She only took what she thought she would be happy to have in her new home.

This year, her family came for a one-week visit, so she embarked on another decluttering journey in preparation for the visit. It was funny when she reminded me of the clutter vision we acquire when we think of someone visiting us; we suddenly see items that don’t belong, which we overlooked before.

Continue reading “Decluttering: A Daily Practice, Not An Annual Project” →
Decluttering: A Daily Practice, Not An Annual Project

Win Your Day: Start Strong with This Question

Bardees, , Leave a comment

I have been applying the highlight-of-the-day idea, which I learned from the book (Make Time), with my goals group members for around six months, and it has been wildly successful in helping them focus during the day.

How do we do it?

At the start of the day, I encourage them to share their goal: What is one thing that, if they finish, would call the day successful? And then, at the end of the day, the group members share the status of their goals.

This daily goal habit helps them define “a successful day” on their own terms and not leave this evaluation to chance. In addition, they get to avoid the feeling of a wasted day many of us have if we don’t start it with intention. I also usually encourage them to share a maximum of three goals as they are sometimes inclined to share their entire to-do list.

My friend and group member told me that this daily goal habit helps her fine-tune her estimate of the time it takes to finish a task and improve it gradually to avoid the planning fallacy we humans are so prone to.

I also share my daily goals with the group because I love the accountability we create; I need to do it because I said I would, and if tasks do not get done, I provide reasons.

Sharing daily goals is also an excellent way to offer mini-coaching sessions if I notice a pattern. For example, a group member set a goal to “finish studying the material.” Some questions I asked:

  • What do you mean? Does it mean you want to stay up all night to finish it, no matter what? (the answer was no)
  • How much time do you really have to finish it?
  • Why not change the goal from “finish studying the material” to “Allocate 120 focused minutes to study” This goal? You can achieve!

When it comes to goals, time is usually the most critical factor in achieving them. How much time can you allocate to do what you say you want to do? Setting the goal this way helps you win, and we all need to feel these wins adding up, or else we will give up on planning before it becomes a habit.

At the beginning of every day, ask: What’s your one goal today? or, what are your top three goals? Remember, any other tasks you come up with need to go to a “Might Do” list; do them if you have time and energy, as author Ali Abdaal advises.

Win Your Day: Start Strong with This Question

How to Overcome Note Overwhelm in 10 Simple Steps

Bardees, , Leave a comment

A good chunk of my weekly review goes to processing my handwritten notes, and this is how I do it: 

  1. During the week, I collect notes in one place. I write any task, idea, or insight on the daily pages in my planner. 
  2. As the week goes by, I process some tasks by crossing off done items.  
  3. At the start of the new week, during the weekly review, I read all my notes from the past week. 
  4. I cross off done tasks. 
  5. I do tasks I wrote that need a very short time, like sending a text or a reminder email. According to David Allen’s GTD, these actions take less than 2 minutes. 
  6. I add digital reminders to my task app with due dates where applicable. 
  7. I copy insights or good ideas, like a sentence I read and wrote or a post or a podcast idea into my task app in a proper list, such as “Instagram content” or “podcast content”.  
  8. Or I copy ideas to one of my favorite note-taking apps: Google Keep and Evernote.  
  9. As I review my daily pages and process them, I cross off every single word. 
  10.  I then write in a colored marker the word “Reviewed,” which means I will never read or even visit this page in the future, and it was successfully processed.  

I genuinely enjoy this process, and it gives me an immense sense of clarity and relief. As David Allen says: “You can only feel good about what you’re not doing when you know what you’re not doing.” 

As I wrote this post, I realized that I need to work on better processing my digital notes. I do this randomly, not systematically. I need to account for processing the digital notes, perhaps every month and see which of these notes are still relevant and which need deleting or archiving.  

How to Overcome Note Overwhelm in 10 Simple Steps

Are you ready? Your fresh start awaits.

Bardees, , , , Leave a comment

Today, October 1st, 2023, is the start of a new week, month, and quarter.

Do you know when was the last time this happened? It happened once this year, on January 1st, which was a public holiday. And October 1st is the last time these three beginnings coincide this year.*

To make the best of your fresh start, spend time as soon as possible this week planning the habits you will track and the most important goals you want to achieve this quarter. Decide your last 90 days of the year ambitions and the problems you want to solve. A wise person in a podcast called problems “projects.” Your problems are projects you want to work on and take action steps to improve. Brilliant, no?

Do you plan to commit to the weekly reviews in the next 12 weeks?
Do you plan to track your weekly expenses and save for the holidays?
Do you plan to sleep at a reasonable hour most nights?
Do you plan to start journaling a few days a week?
Do you plan to move your body?
Do you plan to check on the people you say you care about most?

After you decide what you want to do this month:

  • Write your habits and goals on a post-it note in a visible place to keep them on top of mind because the days will get busier, and the list of goals will be forgotten if not present in your space.
  • Track your habits on a habit tracker like the one in the spark below, or create your own. You will feel discouraged sooner than expected if you do your habits without tracking them. Tracking makes you feel great about progress before the changes in your life become tangible. Track the total number of days you commit in October to beat your record in November and be realistic in December because it would be different from October and November.
  • Open your calendar and book action steps for your non-daily habits and goals, such as a coffee date with a friend, walking times, budgeting days, and weekly review days… you get the picture. It would help if you saw them in your calendar to make sure they make sense with the rest of your commitments.

One last tip: my friend told me about a journaling exercise called Remembering The Future, in which you write how you want to feel at the end of the year like it happened already, e.g., “I am so happy I finished that project, passed the exam, and improved my relationship with my mother.” Cool, huh?

So tell me, what will you say on December 31st about the year 2023?

Let’s end it with a bang, shall we?

*P.S. I learned this when I was designing my 2023 calendar. If your workweek starts on Monday, a new week and month collided once this year; on May 1st. These small facts are a lot of fun for a goal and time nerd like me!

Are you ready? Your fresh start awaits.

Work affirmations matter

Bardees, , Leave a comment

The other day, I wrote my work affirmations as an employee on a card to read them every day as part of my work-start-up ritual:

  1. I am a leader, an initiator, an over-communicator, and a fast deliverer, and getting better and better at my job every day.
  2. I am committed to communicating with all colleagues as clearly, effectively, and professionally as possible.
  3. The more I give generously to others, the more I receive and the happier I feel.
  4. I am expanding in abundance and success and inspiring others to do the same (credit: The Big Leap)

I am sharing them to inspire you to write your own. If you feel the sentence (I am) creates cognitive dissonance when you read it because you don’t believe you are there yet, I learned from Hal Elrod to say “I am committed to….” instead.

I keep other affirmations on a card at home regarding my relationships, creativity, home, and abundance. I choose one affirmation and write it a few times as part of my morning routine to remember it throughout the day. Repeating my affirmations in writing helps me remember them more.

I also love these my-own-business affirmations that my friend and business coach Muna Shakour is teaching on her page every week:

  1. I trust myself to make the right decisions for my business.
  2. I value my time and use it mindfully and respectfully.
  3. The success (or failure) of my business is my responsibility and mine alone.
  4. My business is a reflection of me. If I want it to grow, I must grow.
  5. I have all the time I need to do the things that matter most. (I use a variation on this affirmation, I have the time, energy, and money to do the things that matter most).
  6. I am my word and I keep my promises to myself.
  7. I always bounce back stronger.

Which affirmation resonated with you the most?

Work affirmations matter

Do this before you leave for the weekend.

Bardees, , Leave a comment

1. Celebrate: 

What did you accomplish this week? Write a short list to keep track of the progress you made.

2. Leave breadcrumbs: 

Write notes to help you know exactly where you left things off so you can easily pick up work the next time, no matter when. For example, if it’s an excel sheet, take note of the sheet name you were working on, specify the analysis you need to do next, and so on. This step helps your momentum build up fast the next time you start working on this excel sheet. 

3. Check your calendar for the upcoming week:

Are there any meetings that need preparation beforehand? Any personal appointments you need to account for? Any occasions you need to consider?

5. Write a short to-do list of tasks you must check off next week:  

This list will help you save time transitioning from the eventful weekend you just had back to work mode. 

4. Book meetings you need to get done next week:

People are more likely to accept your meeting request before the weekend than within the same work week.

Happy Weekend!

Do this before you leave for the weekend.

How to choose what to focus on before the end of the year?

Bardees, , Leave a comment

Use your feelings:

  • What would be a relief to get over with before the end of the year? 
  • What is something don’t you want to be talking about planning to do next year? Instead, you want to say it’s done!

Use joy and regret:

  • Joy: Yes! It would be great to get this done. 
  • Regret: I would regret not getting this done now!

Use the calendar:

  • Is there an event you want to be ready for?
  • Is there an externally-imposed deadline that you need to meet?  

If you listed several answers, let these questions help you prioritize :

  • Is there a sense of urgency, time-sensitive or otherwise?
  • Did you promise to do it? 
  • Are you expected to do it?
  • Is it required by your management? 
  • What is at stake if you don’t get it done? 

Tip: Replace (the end of the year) with the end of the week/month/quarter, your Birthday, Christmas, Ramadan, or trip. You get the picture. 

How to choose what to focus on before the end of the year?

Can you meet me halfway?

Bardees, Leave a comment

If your workweek starts on a Monday at 5 am, can you guess the mid-week point? 

According to Laura Vanderkam, or with a bit of calculation, your mid-week point is Thursday 5 pm. Were you right?

If your workweek starts on a Sunday at 5 am like me, then Wednesday, which happens to be the day I am writing this post, is the middle of the week.  

Many of us get it wrong because we think the week is over when the workweek ends and the weekend starts. 

Why am I telling you this? 

Because it is such a relief!

We can’t get everything we care about done in 24 hours. We roughly spend 8 hours sleeping, 8 hours working, 1 hour eating, 2 hours driving, 1-2 hours on screens, and 2 hours taking care of home and family. So, that leaves only 1 hour to read, journal, connect with loved ones and work on a meaningful personal project. 

But, when you remember you still have half of the week ahead of you, you feel hopeful that you can create more time for these activities if you plan with a weekly perspective of 168 hours instead of the limited 24 hours. For example, you can exercise, read or visit your parents on weekends instead of feeling guilty you have not done any of these things during the workweek. 

Does not this give you a sense of renewed determination? 

I believe that creating weekly and even monthly plans is an act of genuine self-care, and I encourage you to try it.

You got this!

P.S. Laura is releasing a new book in October, and I am sure I will love it as much as I loved her previous ones.  

Can you meet me halfway?

How to Stay Focused and Achieve More During Your Workday

Bardees, , , , , Leave a comment

A student of mine asked me this question lately and I chose to answer it in this post for all of you to benefit.

  1. Select the most important task(s) of the day.
  • First thing in the morning, select one to three tasks that need to get done by the end of the day. 
  • Anything else you write will go under your might-do list, as Ali Abdaal calls it. 
  • You are a pro if you choose these tasks before leaving work the day before to avoid morning brain fog syndrome. 

2. Use the Time Blocking technique.

Allocate time for your selected priorities on your day’s schedule using the time blocking technique.

  • Draw three columns on a piece of paper.
  • In the first column, write the working hours in 30-minute increments, for example, 9:00-9:30, 9:30-10:00, and so on.
  • In the second column, write your planned work tasks in time blocks, for example, from 9:00-9:30 (check email) or 9:00-10:30 (run brainstorming session).
  • You need to have a mix of time blocks in the second column:
    • Focus blocks: this is when you work on your most important task of the day with no interruptions, whether they are self-started like when you check your email or phone or initiated by others like an unexpected office visit. Set a focus block for a minimum of 30 minutes to make progress and no longer than 90-120 minutes as your focus fades by the end.
    • Emails. 
    • Calls
    • Administrative work that does not require your best focus, like filling sheets.
    • Breaks to stretch your legs, take a walk around, fill up your water bottle, have a bite away from your desk if possible, or socialize with your colleagues. 

 When you get interrupted by a call, a new task from your boss, or a quick drop-by from your colleague, you will know that these interruptions are replacing something you planned to do. That’s when you use the third column.

  • Use the third column to document what actually happened in your time block. If you did what you planned, add a checkmark; if not, write down what you did instead.

The Dos and Don’ts of Focus Blocks: 

Prepare to focus by tackling three key areas; your phone, your PC, and your environment.

Your phone:

Do’s

  1. Turn on Silent mode (forever).
  2. Turn off Bluetooth so you will not receive notifications on your smartwatch if you have one.
  3. Use an app like Forest to help you leave your phone alone during your focus block.
  4. Use an app like my favorite for Android AppBlock to block attention-stealing apps during your focus blocks or working hours. 
  5. Put your phone in your drawer (it works like magic).
  6. Should I even mention that you need to turn off all your notifications? I will say it to anyone who still needs to hear it.
  7. Extra credit: Put your phone on no-disturb mode. This will allow certain people you save on a list to reach you, like your partner, your kid’s school, and your mum. When other people try to call you, they will hear the standard ringtone, but you won’t be notified until you turn off the no-disturb mode. 

Your PC:

Do’s

  1. When you start a focus block, use apps like Rescuetime /Freedom or chrome extensions like StayFocused or Leechblock to block all distracting websites.
  2. Better yet, close your web browser and don’t open it until your focus block ends. Unless…
  3. Unless you are listening to focus music on your browser, in which case, I recommend you would listen to binaural music like this or my favorite go-to music (Brain FM) that I have been using since 2019.
  4. Close your desktop email application.
  5. You can use your shared digital calendar to block your focus sessions, so you will not receive meeting requests that collide with them.

Don’ts

  1. Don’t listen to music with lyrics.
  2. Don’t listen to instrumental music that might get you too emotional.

Your Environment:

Do’s

  1. Invest in noise cancellation headsets like these, or wait until you get a good deal on them (like I did last year). I first used a cheaper model called Cowin E7 that is not currently on sale. It served me for two good years until its color changed with time.
  2. Invest in a visual timer that will help you stay focused. Use it to work on tedious tasks for a limited time, say 10 minutes?
  3. You could create a sign or a little chalkboard to signal you can’t talk now. Once on a deadline, I could not afford to get interrupted, so I wrote on my little chalkboard: “Come back after 2 PM, please”. It was perfect. Two things would happen when you use a sign; some people find a way to solve their issue, or if they really need you, they will show up at 2 PM for your support. 

To turn focus blocks into a habit:

  1. Track your focus blocks. Try to achieve a certain number of focus blocks, like four daily sessions, where the minimum session is 30 minutes.
  2. Reward yourself with a little celebration after each focus block, such as saying “way to go!” to yourself. This little celebration is called Shine.
  3. Make it a bit painful to get distracted. For example, decide that you will have to start over if you touch your phone or look at your email during a focus block.
  4. Practice saying “not now, come back at ()” when you get interrupted by a non-urgent request.
  5. Whenever you think of something you need the answer to right away, or so your brain thinks, write it down on a list to check later, after your block. I call it the no-distraction list.

P.S. I am grateful to Cal Newport and Scott Young for what they taught me about focus in their work and course Life of Focus.

It’s your turn; tell me what was the most valuable tip for you that you will apply right away?

How to Stay Focused and Achieve More During Your Workday