Time Management

[dzinerbear]

I'm having real time management issues. Everything seems to take way longer than I think it will. My to do list is approaching epic proportions. A month-long CMS project has put me way behind and I just can't seem to get caught up.

What are some of your tips for managing your time better ... for being more efficient?

Today I started with a list of what I'd like to do today, and I'm keeping track of what I actually do. For instance, the ePass request for docs wasn't on my to do list but it had to be done.

Thanks
Michael

[gaydemon_jr]

I've started making a list too, but then I joyfully cross off what I have done, and as the day goes on its nice to see the list getting smaller.

[HunkMoneyLuke]

I hired on another helper, figured it was about time!

[gaydemon]

I find the only thing that helps is to concentrate on only 1 thing at a time. The more you go to do, the easier it is to get working on 20 different things at the same time ending up finishing nothing..

The only way to do it is really concentrate on only one thing at a time. I'm really bad at doing it myself.. which means everything I do take such a lot longer time than it should.


I'm having real time management issues. Everything seems to take way longer than I think it will. My to do list is approaching epic proportions. A month-long CMS project has put me way behind and I just can't seem to get caught up.

What are some of your tips for managing your time better ... for being more efficient?

Today I started with a list of what I'd like to do today, and I'm keeping track of what I actually do. For instance, the ePass request for docs wasn't on my to do list but it had to be done.

Thanks
Michael

[fetishlad]

1 good piece of advice: stop masturbating every time you come across a horny site ... that saves a lot of time.

Something else that helps me: take a break a couple of times a day - do something totally away from your computer: reading, gardening, etc ... when you return you will be more concentrated and work faster.

[Johnny]

Lists! Lists! Lists!

Take 10-15 minutes each morning to put your to-do list together and identify those that are urgent and important, then begin working on those first.

Limit checking your email to a few times a day as it is easy to get distracted by new requests and the old, "this will just take a minute!" - which then turns into hours.

Take 10-15 minutes at the end of the day to review what wasn't done and what needs to be done tomorrow.

[abostonboy]

Limit checking your email to a few times a day as it is easy to get distracted by new requests and the old, "this will just take a minute!" - which then turns into hours.



Tell that to my affiliates. Seriously, email is the WORST issue for me.


Sometimes, I have to be an ass and log off icq.

[fetishlad]

Sometimes, I have to be an ass and log off icq.

that is why I don't even have icq.

It doesn't do me good anyway wth the UK/US time difference - I would be talking at 2am local time to other people.

[abostonboy]

that is why I don't even have icq.

It doesn't do me good anyway wth the UK/US time difference - I would be talking at 2am local time to other people.


I have one affiliate in the UK that wakes up at 2am my time and pretty much three times a week starts a conversation right about then. Right when I try and sleep.

[wowmediacash]

Write down, what you would like to achieve in the next week ahead, then day by day realistically write down what you can do today, and if you have free time left go onto something thats written down for the next day.
I easily get side tracked, so its important to know what you have to do that day.
It sounds logical but by writing it down, you dont forget and do achieve things better.
Its like having goals etc

[RottenRay]

First, someone made a comment about checking email a few times a day instead of letting it check itself all day long.

That's great advice. Most email is a distraction, and most of the important comminiques you receive can wait a few hours.

Next, work on the things that are already running and turning a profit.

After that, develop new ideas, and when you can spend quality time, deploy them.

Then, when you have time, look at things you did 3 months to a year in the past and see if you can re-use ideas, improve what is there.

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[Johnny]

I might be misreading the response. On one hand it seems supportive, but the statement "most of the important comminiques you receive can wait a few hours" seems a bit snarky.

As the person who suggested checking emails a few times a day, unless I hear a reasonable argument that disputes the suggestion or provides caveats; I whole heartedly stand by the suggestion.

I'm happy to share my justifications if others are happy to tell me why I'm bonkers.

1) I never said people shouldn't check their email at all during the day.
2) I never said emergency emails that demanded immediate attention wouldn't come in during the day.
3) If one is receiving critical, business halting alerts via email -- one might want to reconsider how they receive these messages as there are too many points of failure -- to name a few: one's email server, the sender's email server, whomever is hosting those email servers, the ISP, and everyone's computers.
4) If those are reasonable points of failure for business critical failures . . . one might reconsider their risk management strategy.
5) If one is running their business in such a way that not responding to an email within 1-2 hours will sink their business -- they've got bigger problems. Especially if the only method of communicating business critical issues is via email.

Again, I may have misunderstood the response. However, I'm happy to challenge anyone who disagrees to a wrestling match.

DISCLAIMER: This may or may not be a fetish.

Totally kidding!

or am I?

[RDude]

1 good piece of advice: stop masturbating every time you come across a horny site ... that saves a lot of time.

Something else that helps me: take a break a couple of times a day - do something totally away from your computer: reading, gardening, etc ... when you return you will be more concentrated and work faster.

So that's why I have time management issues too!! lol Too much jerking off. I will have to keep a tight reign on that. No wait.....that will turn me on too. He He.

I try to take a few breaks a day myself. Go talk to someone or play with my landlord's new puppies in the backyard. Because I can't walk long distances or stand up for lengthy periods of time I can't really go anywhere. But I can get around the house and stuff so that's good.

For the longest time all this was pretty well part time to me. But as of the last 8 weeks I have taken on a fair amount of work. Thus, I'm starting to TRULY enter the world of adult webmastering. What a concept. My sales are even starting to increase a bit. Who'd a thunk:confused:

[RottenRay]

I might be misreading the response. On one hand it seems supportive, but the statement "most of the important comminiques you receive can wait a few hours" seems a bit snarky.

Johnny -
I was agreeing with you completely, and simply trying to point out that not everything which is important is also an emergency. Obviously, there are items that need immediate response - but not everything falls into this category.


...and...

5) If one is running their business in such a way that not responding to an email within 1-2 hours will sink their business -- they've got bigger problems.

Again, complete agreement. Operating in "emergency mode" all the time is bad for business and bad for health as well.


Years back in a past career, the government contractor I worked for hired a team of consultants to do a "time and motion" study - basically watching us busy bees at work and taking notes which they would then organize during an interview with the watchee at the end of a shift.

I considered myself organized, but it was amazing to see just how much time I wasted by not thinking about where tasks fit in with the flow of an average day in my cubicle.

[AnthonyDeAngelo]

• we have a weekly production meeting and outline the week's goals

• we divide the work

• I have a piece of foam core up next to my main work station where I have all of my tasks on individual small post-its and organized per project

• we have several cpu's going at once and

• job out whatever we can that makes sense

• we also tend not to over-commit our time and appearances and...

• we take time every day to walk along the beach for an hour while we get some cardio (good for the brain) and discuss issues - that's after an hour or more every day at the gym where we have a chance to chill...

oh, and most important, I don't carry a lap top or blackberry which frees me from being tied down - in other words, I leave the office at the office(s)...

[xstr8guy]

Don't read drama threads on other boards!!!!! Hehe.

Sorry I sent you the link on AIM Michael. ;)

Seriously, it can be fun to read somone else's drama but my god... what a complete waste of time. I could have finished my updates for the day and started editing a new video. But no, I got sucked into a huge pile of bullshit.

[RottenRay]

• we take time every day to walk along the beach for an hour while we get some cardio (good for the brain) and discuss issues - that's after an hour or more every day at the gym where we have a chance to chill...

I mean this VERY SERIOUSLY.

That's excellent time management. Most people don't know how to spend the time it takes to refresh themselves so the rest of the time they spend working really counts for something.

You can be totally dedicated, but still work yourself into a mess and then an early grave.

And really, it's not so much how you prioritize things, but how you tackle them - which requires a clear head to do with any efficiency.

Thanks for pointing this out, all of us seem to have missed it.


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