All posts by John Rampton

How to Schedule Your Day for Optimal Productivity

By | Scheduling, Time Management | No Comments
Schedule

Introduction

We all have the same twenty-four hours each day. So why do successful people get so much done in their twenty-four hours while others struggle to accomplish the tasks on a basic to-do list?

One answer is time management. Many people have trouble using their time efficiently throughout the day. But if that’s you, don’t worry. By using productivity tips and creating and sticking to an efficient daily schedule, you can do more and do better every single day.

Why Scheduling Your Day is Important

How to Schedule Your Day

Types of Scheduling Techniques

Why Scheduling Your Day is Important

Time is a finite resource for all of us. Leaving your limited number of days and hours up to chance is not responsible resource management. Instead, use a schedule and reap the rewards:

  • Reduce Wasted Time: Unless you’re putting “Spend 2 hours on Social Media and Video games” on your daily schedule, then using your schedule keeps you from wasting time on things that aren’t on the agenda.
  • Increase Happiness: Even science agrees. Following a schedule makes you happier!
  • Improve Productivity: You get more done when you follow a schedule.
  • Reduce Stress: Scheduling creates more certainty which reduces stress–and that improves health. Win-win!
  • Facilitate Collaboration: Anytime you’re working with a team, a schedule keeps you all on the same page in the same place at the same time.

How to Schedule Your Day

It’s clear that scheduling your day is valuable. However, you can’t just throw stuff onto your Cute Kittens calendar and hope for a productive life.

Instead, you need a strategy so you can schedule for productivity and get the important work done efficiently. Here are some guiding principles to help you use a schedule for efficient days.

1)    Define Your Why

Let’s face it. Not everything we do in a day is fun. There are definitely tasks we simply don’t want to do. We can rely on grit and determination to power through, but that can sap energy. Instead, find internal motivation by defining your why.

Everyone’s why is different, but it’s the meaning and purpose behind everything we do. This concept was popularized by Simon Sinek in his book Start With Why. Sinek demonstrates that “why” can truly motivate individuals and businesses to reach their goals.

Your why should be bigger than “Because I have to,” or “Because someone told me to.” For an individual, there why might be to provide a safe and happy life for their children. For businesses, a why might look more like, “To help people succeed.”

Then, everything you do as a person or as a company should be in service to that why.

2)    Set Priorities

There are literally millions of ways you could spend each day. And you can’t do everything. Without priorities, you may find yourself spending time on tasks that don’t get you anywhere. And if you’re a team leader or manager, you want to set priorities for your team so they know what’s important, too.

So you have to figure out what you really need to get done in order to achieve your goals in service to your why.  First, write down everything you can think of. Then eliminate anything not related to your why. Then put your priorities in order of importance.

Having a direction to go in is just as important as going. A journey without a destination might be interesting, but without a destination in mind, who knows where you’ll end up.

3)    Estimate How Long A Task Will Take

Once you’ve figured out what you need to do, figure out how long it will take. And we’re not talking about how long it will take in fantasy land. You need to know how long it really takes you to do the thing.

One of the most common scheduling mistakes people make is not correctly estimating how long a task or project will take. “If you over-or-underestimate on how long this will actually take, you’re more likely to throw your entire schedule off. Even worse, you may miss a deadline or waste valuable time for you and key stakeholders like employees and customers.”

So, you need to get real with yourself and encourage your team to do the same. Take a week or two and track your time. How long does it take you to write 1,000 words or answer emails? Then, you can plan your schedule realistically, improving your chances of success.

4)    Work Smarter, Not Harder

Tim Ferriss, author of the 4-Hour Work Week is onto something. In the age of hustle, sometimes we feel like we have to go go go all the time. But what if we used our time in such a way that allowed us to work less? Then we’d be onto something, too.

Ferriss advocates a work smarter strategy using systems that make it “impossible to misbehave.” Then he doesn’t have to rely on the finite resource of willpower. So, establishing productive systems is a key step for Ferriss.

Other ways to work smarter involve identifying your most productive times of the day and then scheduling key tasks for that time period. For many of us, energy levels are highest in the morning. However, if you’re a true night owl, feel free to take advantage of that time to get things done.

You also need to be strategic. Yes, there are many ways to reach your goal. When choosing which path to take, factor in the risk-benefit of what you’re doing. You could cold call 100 people and get one yes. Or you could cold call the right ten people for the same benefit.

Types of Scheduling Techniques

There’s no one size fits all solution to creating the most productive schedule. But these scheduling techniques can help you along your path.

1)    Create a Productive Morning Routine

Start your day off right with a morning routine that reinforces productivity.

According to Hal Elrod, author of The Miracle Morning, “How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) dramatically affects your levels of success in every single area of your life. Focused, productive, successful mornings generate focused, productive, successful days.”

Elrond turned his life around by waking at 5 in the morning to spend time in silence, meditating, reading, and exercising. This set the tone for his days and he was able to pull himself out from under crushing debt and achieve new levels of success.

Your perfect morning might look different than Elrond’s, but it makes sense to set aside time early each day to determine the course of the rest of the day.

2)    Avoid Task Switching

Multi-tasking may seem efficient. After all, you’re getting more done at once, right? Wrong. In fact, although you’re doing more at once, you aren’t truly getting more done. You’re getting less done.

In fact, the true cost of multi-tasking can be up to 40% of your productivity. Each time you move between tasks, it takes your brain time to switch. Additionally, people are more prone to mistakes when task switching. And the more complex the task, the bigger the losses.

So, it makes sense to do only one thing at a time. This allows you to truly focus on what you are doing. Then you can do it more efficiently.

When you’re scheduling your day, avoid task switching if possible. Give yourself enough time to complete tasks at one go. Oh, and when you’re doing it? Don’t check your email.

3)    Batch Tasks & Block Scheduling

We’ve seen how task switching can impact productivity. However, we all have more than one thing to do in a day. So you can minimize the effect of the task switching by batching tasks and using block scheduling.

You can define “like tasks” in many ways. But the key is that the tasks should have a unifying feature that makes them more efficient when done together. Think about running errands. It makes more sense to go everywhere in a certain geographic location.

Similarly, you can batch tasks in terms of the mindset required to do them. For example, administrative tasks take one kind of mindset, but creative tasks like writing a blog post or debugging code require something entirely different. But grouping tasks by mindset, you can reduce the impact of totally switching gears.

Elon Musk famously uses task batching to make sure he gets everything done for his business and still spend time with his family. Task batching is the process of scheduling like tasks together so you can do them more efficiently.

4)    Expect the Unexpected

You can’t predict the future, but you can be pretty sure that something unexpected will happen at some point. You don’t know what it is or when it’s coming, but it’s out there. And a productive schedule will take that into account.

It’s probably happened to you. You identified your why and created your priorities and tasks. You scheduled the key tasks into your most productive time. You were a productivity rock star.

Then suddenly, an emergency comes up. You push everything to the side to address this urgent task. Your efficient schedule dies a painful death.

It doesn’t have to be an urgent project, either. It could be a sick kid keeping a team member home. It could be a weather emergency keeping everyone home. It could be unexpected server downtime slowing everyone’s pace. The little things can kill productivity just as effectively as the big things. And frankly, they are more common.

Just like it’s smart money management to have an emergency savings fund, you should also have an emergency time fund. Of course, you can’t stockpile time, but you can build a time cushion into your schedule. That way when the unexpected comes up, you’re ready.

5)    Leverage Technology

Technology is really good at scheduling. After all, on a basic level, a schedule is just a spreadsheet. But scheduling technology can go way beyond a simple grid.

Tools like Google calendar help you schedule recurring tasks, color code tasks, set reminders, and even share calendars among teams. All of these increase the efficiency of your schedule. Plus they keep you from forgetting that client meeting.

However, you can also do so much more. Use an iPhone app to access your calendar on the go. Eliminate the back and forth phone calls and emails to schedule meetings by allowing others to schedule meetings right in your calendar.

The possibilities are endless!

6)    Paper Planners, Bullet Journals, & To-Do Lists

As good as technology is at upping your scheduling game, don’t discount the value of paper in this digital world.  Paper planners, bullet journals, to-do lists and other analog tools can be just as useful.

In fact, planner industry leader Erin Condren’s Lifeplanner received the Good Housekeeping seal of approval as a productivity tool. And notebook systems like Ryder XXX Bullet Journal are also trending as productivity tools.

Of course, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned to-do list for keeping individuals on track. Writing things down saves you the trouble of remembering them. And the reward of crossing things off your list can be highly motivational.

7)    Eat the Frog

According to Mark Twain, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”

Using this logic, one scheduling method is to put the most difficult, most important tasks first. And if you have more than one such task, you should do the harder one before the easier ones.

To use this method, you must be able to identify your key priority for the day. Ultimately, priority should be singular, since we can’t do two things at once. (See Task Switching!)

The more difficult tasks are often the most prone to procrastination. After all, most of us really don’t want to eat a frog. So doing them first thing in the morning keeps you from pushing them off all day. Plus once they’re done, you have the free time to do more fun tasks.

8)    Evaluate and Pivot

Scheduling for productivity can be a moving target. And you may have a perfect schedule but So take time to assess the results of your efforts. Are you and your team being truly productive people?

Here are some key questions to ask yourself and your team to evaluate the effectiveness of your schedule:

  • Are you meeting deadlines?
  • Were time estimates correct?
  • Did unforeseen issues interfere with timelines?
  • Did you feel under the pressure of the clock?
  • Did our meeting schedule work?

Once you’ve gathered your data, you can make informed decisions about where to go from here. Missed deadlines may indicate poor time budgeting, a problem that is easily solved in the next month, sprint, or quarter. Extraneous meetings can be eliminated. More padding can be added to accommodate unforeseen issues.

Conclusion

There are so many tricks and tools for creative productive schedules that really work in the workplace and at home. If you aren’t giving them a try, you may be throwing money out the window. And we can’t think of anything less productive than that!

What are your best productivity tips and routines?

Be Proactive, Not Reactive with Your Time

By | Time Management | No Comments

I recently had to leave town for an important meeting. Instead of flying, I decided to make a little road trip out of the event. As long as I can listen to music and roll down the windows, I actually get a kick out of driving. And, if there are no mishaps along the way, that’s even better — but there will always be a mishap — if you aren’t prepared. Be proactive, not reactive with your time.

Of course, there was a minor hiccup during my journey — I got a flat tire. While it’s not the end of the world, it was an inconvenience. And, while getting a flat is common, in this case, it was unavoidable.

Before I left, I knew that it was time to get new tires. That’s when you hurry and take care of something — right when you think that thought. However, I figured I would do this after I returned home. That decision came back to bite me — and as a general rule — they do come back to bite you.

While making excellent time on my way home, the rear driver tire went kaput. As a result, I had to spend the time changing the tire. The tire incident would have all been avoided if I had just gone and replaced my tires before departing.

In other words, I should have been more proactive. If I had been proactive — I wouldn’t have had to deal with this minor headache. According to Stephen Covey’s influential book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, proactivity is the most critical characteristic of effective and successful people. Proactivity t’s so meaningful that it lays the foundation for the other six habits in Covey’s book.

More recently, however, I’ve come to realize that being proactive is also vital to time management. It encourages you to prepare for the unexpected, become more self-aware, and focus only on the activities that are tied into the big picture.

But, how can you be proactive, not reactive, with your time? Well, here the best places to start.

Develop a “hunter” mentality.

Creating to-do-lists are laudable. They can assist you in identifying everything that you need to get accomplished. Unfortunately, sometimes, they’re not effective when it comes to managing your time. The ineffective nature of lists comes from the fact that we don’t estimate the right amount of time needed to complete specific tasks. And, lists also have a knack of helping us avoid what’s most important, even critical.

A better solution? Develop a “hunter” strategy.

I came across this concept from Aytekin Tank, the founder, and CEO of JotForm. According to Tank, our ancestors didn’t rely on to-do-lists to survive. Instead, they rose “every single day with one goal in mind — to make a successful hunt — which was the single most important thing for the hunter and his family.” If the hunt weren’t successful, then there would be nothing to eat.

“I think when it comes to scheduling, this is a great mindset to have,” adds Tank. “Instead of writing down dozens of tasks that you need to get done each day — choose one that MUST get done and will deliver the most impact.”

Schedule your time.

After determining your priorities, add them to your calendar. Ideally, you should work on your most important tasks a couple of hours after waking since this is when you’re most alert and energetic. The key, however, is dedicating the proper amount of time to these tasks and blocking out distractions while working on them.

I’d also suggest that you share your calendar with others so that they’re aware of when you’re available and busy. You shouldn’t share everything, like personal obligations. But, it’s easy to eliminate interruptions.

Create and stick to a routine.

Being proactive means that you’re consistent. And, is there anything more consistent than a daily routine?

Your routine should be built within your schedule and should include chunks of time for both high and low priority tasks. It should also include morning and evening rituals that will supercharge today and tomorrow. For instance, instead of being glued to your phone as soon as your eyes open, get up, exercise, eat a healthy breakfast, and review your calendar.

During the evening, skip anything work-related and do something relaxing like reading. You should also plan out tomorrow, prepare your meals, and pick out your clothes to avoid decision fatigue.

Focus on your circle of influence.

Covey came up with something called the Circles of Concern and Influence. Circles of Concern are the things that we have no control like the weather. On the flipside are the things that you can change, aka your Circles of Influence.

“According to Covey, what separates reactive people from proactive people is which circle they spend the most time, attention, and energy in,” writes Brett and Kate McKay. “Reactive people pay more attention to the items that are just in their Circle of Concern — the stuff they have little or no control over.” As a result, they become “psychologically debilitating.”

Proactive people don’t spend their time and energy on these matters. Instead, they focus on their Circle of Influence. They’re able to do this by figuring out your circles and jotting down the things that make you anxious. It’s a simple exercise to see what you do have influence over.

You can also rephrase your language. For example, replace “I can’t” with “I prefer.” Meditation is also helpful since it forces you to be more present. And, take action, no matter how small, as this “ kickstarts a virtuous cycle of proactivity.”

Don’t feel pressured.

“When someone’s pressuring you to make a decision you’re not sure about, simply buy time and say:’“I’ll think about it,’” recommends Preston Ni M.S.B.A. “This phrase can instantly lift the psychological pressure, and put you in greater control of the situation.”

“Whether it’s an acquaintance asking for a favor, a romantic interest pursuing a date, or intense sales pressure, take the time you need to evaluate the pros and cons of the situation, and consider whether you want to negotiate a different arrangement, or if you’re better off by saying ‘no,’” says Ni. Of course, you don’t want to keep them hanging. But, when it comes to requests for your time, at least sleep on it before committing or rejecting it.

Have a “no” policy.

Speaking of saying “no,” establish boundaries by implementing a “policy.” For example, enforce a one-day-a-week no-meetings policy. It doesn’t matter which day of the week this is, although Wednesdays have been a popular choice. The idea here is that you don’t accept any meetings on this particular day. Instead, you use this time as a “Maker’s Day” or to focus on solving problems without being interrupted.

A “no” policy is also useful in maintaining a healthy work-life balance and preventing you from overcommitting. Let’s say that Friday nights are reserved for your family. That means you don’t plan any work-related events or accept any other social invites on this night because it will interfere with this ritual.

Overcome Murphy’s Law.

Coined by the American aerospace engineer Captain Edward Aloysius Murphy Jr., Murphy’s Law states that “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” And, it should go without saying that this concept can impact your time.

Going back to my flat tire experience. If I had a meeting that day, this would have caused me to be late. While it was unexpected, I should have addressed the problem in advance. Staying proactive will take care of a considerable percentage of issues that come up. Prevention and proactive are words that should be listed together in problem-solving.

You can’t anticipate everything that could go wrong. But, you can determine the possible scenarios and develop a contingency plan. For instance, since I was traveling that day, it would be wise not to have any appointments scheduled just in case something went wrong during my travels.

Another example is that I always carry the computer charge and my phone charger in my bag. If these two items are not in my slim computer bag — I will need them. And remarkably — I help someone else out daily with these two items.

Other ways that you can overcome Murphy’s Law could be:

  • Preparing as much as possible the night before. Let’s say your alarm didn’t go off in the morning. If your work gear is already packed and your clothes are laid out. It will solve everything. But, it will make things a little less hectic.
  • Being realistic with your time. Time yourself until you know precisely now how much time you need for repeated habits. Habits would be showering and getting ready. Time the drive or the walk to the office. Know yourself well enough to calculate realistically. What can you achieve in a day? Don’t spread yourself too thin.
  • Adding time buffers. Let’s say you have meetings all day. As opposed to scheduling them back-to-back, space them out. Now, if a meeting runs late or you got stuck in traffic, it won’t impact the next event.
  • Double-checking your tasks. I recently missed a deadline because I didn’t double-check the due date. If I had taken the extra second to read the fine print, this could have been avoided.
  • Learning how to separate the urgent from the important. While this isn’t the easiest of feats, it will help you focus on what deserves your attention right now and what can wait until later.

Don’t become complacent.

Being proactive is all about tracking your progress and finding out where you need to improve. For instance, I used to spend almost an hour each morning on email and social media. After tracking my time, I realized that this was a colossal waste of my time. Thanks to self-discipline and automation, I’ve reduced this amount of time and use it more productively.

 

Why Leaders Need to Embrace Transparency

By | Business Tips, Knowledge Base | No Comments

One of the most important goals you should have as a leader is to be able to unleash your employee’s full potential. And while there are many ways to accomplish this, workplace transparency is often the most effective. Workplace transparency makes everyone feel valued. Transparency encourages employees to step outside of their comfort zones and not fear being punished after sharing feedback. Freedom to share both ways also keeps them in the loop whenever you’ve made an important decision.

Many leaders still hesitate to embrace transparency. Possibly the hesitation is from a lack of understanding of how to create transparency or cultivate it. Let me try to convince you of the benefits.

Why Leaders Need to Embrace Transparency in the Workplace

Improves workplace engagement.

Transparency in the workplace is one of the most effective ways to motivate and engage your team. Using current research, we see that transparency is the number one factor contributing to employee happiness. When your peeps are satisfied, they’re more productive and loyal.

What’s more, transparency reduces stress and creates a healthier work environment. Mainly the work situation changes because transparency creates a sense of fairness. It also encourages collaboration and cultivates a safe space where everyone can express their opinions. Employees and other people don’t have to be concerned about being penalized for making a mistake. Instead, they’re encouraged to learn from the experience.

Better alignment.

“Employee alignment, for transparency’s sake, means taking a look at the big picture and seeking to understand everyone’s role within it,” Andre Lavoie wrote previously for Entrepreneur. “This is easily done when employers practice transparency in the workplace.”

“Transparent leadership results in employees who understand the company vision and how their efforts help achieve company-wide goals,” adds Lavoie. As a result, both you and your team will become more proactive, improve your decision-making, and only fill your calendar with items that push you closer to your goals.

Problems are solved faster.

Employees and leaders learn more about one another and can grow to work toward solving problems faster when their leaders are transparent. While creating an open environment, we can see less of the ‘perilous’ leader. “Three factors contribute to one behaving as a perilous leader,” says Karol Wasylyshyn, Psy.D. in Psychology Today.

Using transparency as the vehicle, the managers and bosses begin to embrace total brain leadership (TBL), and better emotional intelligence (EI) can start to emerge. When there is less fear, there is more honesty, and people are freer to express opinions. Empathy increases and narcissism fades in a more competent transparency environment.

For example, if you need to improve your bottom line, then solicit feedback from your team on how to improve your cash flow before jumping the shark and making cuts, like issuing pink slips.

It creates a flat hierarchy.

As Angela Ruth points out in a piece for Calendar, “more and more organizations are opting to go with structures that are flatter and are more democratic.” For starters, it’s been found that organizations with flat structures outperform those with traditional hierarchies.

Furthermore, hierarchies are becoming outdated, move too slowly, stifle creativity, and prevents everyone from getting on the same page. However, through transparency, organizations can become more flexible and encourage more fluidity within positions.

Builds trust and respect.

Employees will trust and respect you more when you’re open and honest. For instance, you could discuss the challenges and mistakes you made early on in your career and how that helped you grow. While you don’t need to be too personal, you could also share your struggles with mental health as a way to improve your employee’s well-being.

Being transparent isn’t a sign of weakness. It actually shows that you’re a human being who had flaws, as well as strengths. That takes a lot of courage to admit. And, it can make you more relatable to others, which in turn, creates stronger bonds.

How You Can Create More Transparency Within Your Organization

There’s no denying that transparency should be on your radar. But, how can you promote it within your organization? Well, here some of the best ways to achieve this specific goal.

Hire wisely.

Yes, you can embrace transparency as soon as you begin hiring and recruiting employees. For example, make sure that you post detailed and accurate job descriptions. Look for potential hires who are honest. And keep the lines of communication open during the interview process.

Not only will you find the right people for the job, but you’ll also find those who will fit in with your culture. And, it also sets a precedent for openness right from the start.

Build connections through swift and focused frequency.

“Building trust isn’t just about intent, but also frequency and detail,” Marcus Buckingham, author of “Nine Lies About Work,” told Fast Company. “Employees need to know that you have their back and that only happens through regular check-ins or light touch, individualized communications.”

“If you meet with employees once a week for 10-15 minutes and simply ask, ‘what are you working on and how can I help?’, it goes a long way toward building trust,” adds Buckingham. In addition to one-on-ones, find other ways to communicate and engage your team frequently.

At Calendar, we use Slack to touch base, share information, and keep everyone updated. However, you can also break down silos through town meetings and implementing an open-door policy. And, don’t forget to provide easy access to crucial information like sharing cloud-based documents or creating web-based Wikis.

“People want to know where they stand with you as a manager, and every employee knows that’s a moveable feast,” says Buckingham. “When you take time to hear from each team member on their near-term priorities, while also letting them know ‘we don’t need to solve everything this week,’ you move the relationship forward, and see stronger engagement and performance as a result.”

Share results.

“Don’t just share plans, let employees see what worked and what didn’t,” notes Kasey Fleisher Hickey over at Wavelength. “Leaders who speak openly about the state of the company gain trust.”

“While it can be difficult to reveal you had a bad quarter financially, keeping employees in the know every step of the way maintains confidence in your leadership and company,” continues Fleisher Hickey. “It can be particularly important during periods of high growth or financial struggle.”

Ask questions and show interest.

Put your ego aside for a moment and admit that you don’t have all of the answers. Instead, talk to your team members who do have the right answers. Not only will you learn something, but it also shows your humanity. And, most importantly, it lets your team know that you actually care about what they’re bringing to the table.

Treat everyone the same.

It’s only natural that you would click with certain people. But, when it comes to the workplace, you can’t pick favorites. It’s a surefire way to breed an unhealthy and toxic environment. Treat everyone with the same amount of respect. And never make exceptions when someone breaks company policies.

Involve others in the decision-making process.

Solicit feedback from your team through brainstorming sessions, online polls, or even the good ole’ suggestion box. It makes them feel like crucial players within your organization. And, because everyone made the decision together, you don’t have to explain yourself.

Don’t avoid difficult discussions.

A long time ago, I worked at a job that promised me a promotion. Every month I kept asking, and there was always an excuse. Finally, right around Thanksgiving, I was laid off because they were making cuts. I was furious. They strung me along for several months instead of just being honest with me.

Of course, no one likes having these types of conversations. But, at least you’ll be admired for addressing it head-on and not avoiding it. And, who knows? Maybe you and your team can find a way to resolve the problem together without having to resort to something as drastic as layoffs.

Always know “why.”

Discovering your “why” gives meaning and purpose behind your work. It’s what gets you out of bed in the morning and keeps you plowing ahead when times get tough. And, it keeps you passionate and motivated.

When it comes to leading a team, explain why each member is essential to your organization. Acknowledge why their contributions matter to you. Encourage honesty through understanding. Let your employees know the purpose behind their work, so they buy into the dream of your business. When you take a moment to be transparent, your team, office, and employees will be more driven and focused during the day-in-and-out efforts.

Will a Four-Day Work Week Produce Greater Productivity?

By | Scheduling, Time Management | No Comments
work computer on desk

Companies continue to tout the importance of work-life balance for their talent. They acknowledge that workers need rest and relaxation. However, wanting to create this balance and actually achieving it are two very different things. That’s because the process for striking this ideal balance with available time has proved elusive. However, Microsoft Japan may have finally discovered the formula for greater productivity and a work-life balance that works for their team. Their answer is the four-day workweek. The result of everyone working four days with three days off equates to a 40 percent increase in overall productivity, according to the company’s research.

The idea that everyone in the company would take three days off may not seem like the pathway to higher productivity. After all, essentially shutting down operations for three days doesn’t sound like much can be achieved. Also, while the shorter workweek may help one, it may not produce the same everywhere. Nor may it result in productivity gains across all companies in the U.S.

What Works with a Shorter Week

Employees enjoy a shorter workweek for the same pay. That’s because today’s workforce feels overworked. Many talented individuals are working upwards of 70 to 80 hours a week. This intensive work schedule can be done in the short run. At some point, workers that pound out this many hours experience burnout. As time goes by, they may still be working 70 to 80 hours. Yet, what they produce at that time diminishes. In the meantime, the rest of their responsibilities outside of work get neglected, including their health, family, and friends.

Now, take those talented individuals and give them four days to get their work done and three days to rest and enjoy their lives. They will love the exciting work they do and are satisfied with their wages. These workers will have the time to reflect on the work they are doing. They will also be able to divide their time across other interesting pastimes. The shorter week works because employees now have the best of both worlds.

Therefore, a four-day workweek calibrates a work-life balance and increases productivity. Workers realize they have four days to get everything done. That leads them to look at how they are working and identify smarter processes that help complete tasks within a shorter timeframe.

Sounds Good, But Can it Be Done?

Despite the enthusiasm for a shorter work week and the proof that it simultaneously results in work-life balance and productivity, there are barriers to implementing it. Companies cannot make the switch to a four-day workweek overnight. That’s because it’s more than switching physical schedules. Mindsets must also change.

Beyond the hours, companies have become accustomed to technology that has made their workers always accessible no matter what the time of week or day. Even if workdays decrease, it won’t make a real difference to these employees until there is a mindset shift away from the idea that managers can still contact them on these three days off about work-related tasks or questions. If this continues, then workers will continue to feel they lack control over separating work from life. As a result, the talent will continue to feel stressed and eventually burned out.

And, it’s for this reason that some employees have noted in surveys that they don’t think a four-day workweek will help them. They cited the requirement to stay in the office or on-call longer during those four days. In doing so, these workers are then unable to take care of things outside of work on those four days and instead must cram them into the three days.

Control and Change Mechanisms

The conclusion is that the issue for employees relates to control. They want to have that sense that they have control over their work schedule so they can develop their own version of work-life balance.

With control as the central factor impacting whether a different work-day schedule can be implemented across U.S. companies, the right approach might involve discussions within individual companies to understand what works for employees.

The answer could result in a range of remote work schedules and options. Ideas for how to reduce meetings and other time-consuming tasks may also help develop a shorter, more productive week. Better preparation, brief meeting times, and set agendas can help reduce the amount of time wasted during meetings. Making these physical changes may then help managers start to change their mindset, moving away from the idea of “always-on” and back to the respect for boundaries between employees’ work and life personas.

Hybrid Four-Day Work Weeks

While the four-day workweek can be implemented in a wide range of industries and business segments, some like hospitals, factories, retail locations, and call centers may find that the four-day week can’t work. These types of companies focus on helping people who need help seven days a week.

In these situations, the four-day workweek would help productivity and work-life balance. However, those benefits wouldn’t count if these companies lose all their customers. Yet, a hybrid workweek could make workers available for seven days a week. At the same time, the workers could have ample time to relax, reflect, and recharge. In this case, rotating four-day workweek schedules across the team could help tap into the benefits of the shorter week. Plus, these companies can still assist customers on a 24/7/365 schedule.

Why Small Business Owners Deserve Vacation Days + How To Take Them

By | Time Management | No Comments
Should You Offer Unlimited Vacation Time?

Small business owners deserve vacation days. There I said it. It’s essential to take time off no matter what type of work you do, but when you run a business, this can be extremely challenging.

When you work for yourself, you can enjoy individual freedoms and flexibility, but you also don’t have anyone around to recommend you take a break. Kids have winter and spring break, and employees get around 2-4 weeks of paid time off each year.

Entrepreneurs need to plan to take time off on their own somehow. Check out these three compelling reasons why small business owners deserve vacation days, along with some key tips and strategies to help you take time off.

3 Reasons Why You Should Take Time Off When You Run a Small Business

It’s no secret that everyone needs a break from time to time, but this is a crucial step for business owners to take. According to a Gallup Poll, 39% of business owners say they work over 60 hours per week. That many work hours is way more than the average 40-hour workweek that most employees have. Working more likely requires more rest time to recover.

Another reason why is that small business owners don’t seem to have a reasonable level of work-life balance. Sure, you can set your own hours and choose who you work with, but running a business puts an insane amount of pressure on an individual. If you are in the beginning stages and don’t have much of a team, this can leave you carrying most of the burden.

According to a Bank West Small Business Growth survey, at least 50% of business owners live with considerable uncertainty about the future; nearly 40% struggle to balance work and leisure time, and 43% admit always being on the job.

The third reason why you should take time off is pretty apparent. With you working all the time and handling most of the pressure of running the entire business, you are merely not scheduling enough vacation time into your budget. But this can change if you’re willing to make an effort. Here are a few key strategies to implement when you want to start taking more time off because let’s face it – you deserve it.

Budget In Your Own PTO

Aside from time, one of the most significant factors that stop small business owners from taking some much needed time off is money. You may not feel like you can afford to take a few unpaid days off from work, or you may fear that your business will stop making money while you’re gone.

The best way to combat these doubts is to budget in your own PTO. Since you won’t get paid for vacation time, start saving up for it in advance. Realize that you may need to take time off for health reasons or take a few personal days. Calculate how much you typically earn during a workday and start stashing some funds away so you won’t have to deal with any financial blowback when you take time off.

Work Ahead on Projects

In addition to budgeting in your own PTO, you may want to work ahead on projects regularly. I like to work ahead on projects often because it provides peace of mind to know that if I have to change my schedule, my deadlines for the following few days are met.

Whether you’re planning a week-long getaway or want to take the week of Christmas off to relax with family, make it a habit to get your work finished ahead of time. Working ahead may mean you are stuck working on projects one Saturday out of the month or have to pull a few late nights.

Planning ahead is not just perfectly normal — it’s a way to help yourself and your productivity. Above and beyond that — nothing beats knowing that your work is completed a week or two in advance so you can get paid even if you take time off.

Delegate Tasks

Stop trying to be a one-person show and start delegating to team members and contractors. You can work fewer hours and have more time for vacations and personal days when you delegate tasks.

Start by outsourcing a single task that is time-consuming or that you’d rather not do. For there, you can hire a virtual assistant or a part-time team member to help regularly with specific responsibilities.

Delegating tasks or asking for help can ensure you have more work done in less time. Once you train the right people, you can rely on them to hold down the fort while you take some time away from your business.

Put Things on Autopilot

Work smarter and not more laborious by putting more things on autopilot so you can take time off when it’s necessary. Start with your most tedious tasks then look into free and affordable ways to automate them.

You can set up an email auto-responder to help you filter through messages and prompt leads to schedule calls and meetings with you. You can schedule out content on your website along with social media posts and email newsletters.

Use a combination of working ahead, delegating, and automating your business to free up more time and energy so you can have the freedom to step away from your business if you feel you need to.

How do you plan for more vacation time as a small business owner? Which one of these strategies is your favorite, or do you prefer a combination of all of them?

Is Time Blocking Effective?

By | Time Management | No Comments
Planner and laptop

Folks like Elon Musk and Bill Gates may have been getting some bad press as of late. But, regardless of how you personally feel about them, there’s no denying that they’re super-successful in business. They’ve also mastered the art of time management. Here’s the question: is time blocking effective?

Want to know Elon and Bill’s secret? It’s something called time blocking. It’s been proven to be one of the most effective ways to become more productive without burning yourself out.

What is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is simply a time management technique where you set aside a specific amount of time for a particular task. For example, instead of checking your phone every time you receive an email or social notification, you would do this at clearly defined times. Personally, I set aside a block before diving into my work in the morning. There’s another block after lunch. And, the final one is later in the afternoon before calling work a day.

How you segment your day, however, is totally up to you. Musk and Gates are known for creating five-minute blocks for activities like email and meetings. Cal Newport, a computer science professor and author of Deep Work, dedicates “ten to twenty minutes every evening to building my schedule for the next day.”

“During this planning process, I consult my task lists and calendars, as well as my weekly and quarterly planning notes,” adds Newport. “My goal is to make sure progress is being made on the right things at the right pace for the relevant deadlines.”

Newport says that this “is like a chess game, with blocks of work getting spread and sorted in such a way that projects big and small all seem to click into completion with (just enough) time to spare.”

Regardless of how you section out your calendar, time-blocking forces you to focus on more meaningful activities. In turn, this will reduce the time you spend on unnecessary and unproductive actions. Additionally, it encourages you to carve out time for yourself so that you can remain at peak condition.

Why Time Blocking is Effective

The benefits listed should be enough to sell you on time blocking. But, that’s just peeling the fit layer of the onion.

To-do-lists are inferior.

After interviewing over 200 billionaires such as Olympians, straight-A students, and entrepreneurs, Kevin Kruse, New York Times best-selling author, and LEADx founder found a common thread. “Ultra-productive people don’t work from a to-do list, but they do live and work from their calendar.”

As Kruse further explains in a piece for Forbes, this is because to-do-lists don’t account for time. “When we have a long list of tasks, we tend to tackle those that can be completed quickly in a few minutes, leaving the longer items left undone.” Research shows “that 41% of all to-do list items are never completed!”

Kruse also argues that lists don’t distinguish between urgent and essential. And, lists can contribute to our stress thanks to the Zeigarnik effect. For those unfamiliar, this states that we often remember unfinished business better then what we’ve completed. As a result, these “intrusive, uncontrolled thoughts” can make us feel overwhelmed. Lists can even contribute to insomnia.

Time blocking discourages multitasking.

“Time blocking is the opposite of multi-tasking, a cool-sounding term that, in reality, can cause long term damage to your productivity — and happiness,” notes writing productivity expert Chris Smith. By scheduling chunks of time for a specific task or problem, you’re promoting deep focused work. It also helps you focus less on “shallow work,” which is urgent, but not essential activities.

Science has also found that when we multitask, we experience “attention residue.” In a nutshell, this is a more sophisticated way of saying that our attention is divided when constantly switching between tasks.

Moreover, behavioral researchers Thomas Buser and Noemi Peters conducted an experiment to see how multitasking impacts performance. They concluded that the “Subjects who are forced to multitask, perform significantly worse than those forced to work sequentially.” Interestingly, they also discovered that “subjects who can freely organize their own schedule also perform significantly worse.” According to Buser and Peters, this means that “scheduling is a significant determinant of productivity.”

It combats perfectionism and procrastination.

Perfectionism and procrastination are two of time management’s most challenging adversaries. Thankfully, time blocking is a powerful way to thwart them both.

Time blocking encourages you to reserve your energy and willpower by scheduling your most challenging tasks first. You can also use it to break larger projects into more manageable pieces. Also, when you add items to your calendar, it forces you to commit to getting them done.

And, researchers Dr. Todd Rogers and Dr. Katherine L. Milkman have found that“concrete plans help people follow through on their intentions.”

Time blocking makes it easier to say “no.”

Saying “no” to others can be awkward. But it’s one of the best ways to protect your time. After all, if you say “yes” to ever time request that comes your way, you won’t get as much done. Eventually, your priorities will get buried underneath others.

Time blocking makes it easier to say “no.” For example, let’s say someone asks if you can meet for lunch. You can politely let them know that you already have plans and suggest a time when you’re available. Or, you could avoid this conversation altogether by sharing your calendar with them so that they can see when you’re free or busy.

Encourages you to reflect on your priorities.

Finally, go back and review your schedule this past week. How did you spend your time? Were you able to spend your time productively? Did you allocate the right amount of time to the right activities? Or, did you spend too much time cleaning out your inbox or attending unnecessary meetings?

When you reflect on how you spent your time, you’ll be able to plan better your schedule going forward. More importantly, it will encourage you to fill your calendar with more meaningful entries.

The Downside of Time Blocking

Despite these benefits, there are drawbacks to time blocking that you should be aware of. For starters, time blocking may be too rigid. If your calendar is jam-packed, it can’t handle emergencies. It also takes the fun out of spontaneous encounters. And it can be complicated. Mainly this is because we’re not always the best at estimating the amount of time it takes to do things.

While valid, these concerns shouldn’t stop you from trying time blocking out. The key is striking the right balance. For instance, block out specific times for when you need to focus on uninterrupted deep work. But, leave some white space in your calendar in the afternoon so that you can address any schedule changes.

Outside of work, don’t hyper-schedule yourself. Having a little unstructured free time makes life fun.

Getting Started with Time Blocking

Ready to take time blocking for a test spin? Then here are some pointers on how to get on your way:

  • Find out when you’re most productive. Instead of sticking with the traditional 9-to-5 schedule, identify when you’re most productive. When you know this, which is by determining your ultradian rhythms, you’ll want to schedule your most important or challenging tasks when you have the most energy.
  • Allot enough time. Track how long it usually takes you to complete certain things. It can help avoid under-or-overestimating your blocks of time. Also, add buffers just in case you run over.
  • Reserve breaks, time off, and the unexpected. You need time to recharge. So, set aside time for breaks, vacations, and when you’re off the clock. What’s more, keep your calendar flexible so that you avoid overcommitting and have the time to handle the things that happen.
  • Ditch those distractions. Write down the things that distract you the most. Then, you can find ways to eliminate them to make your blocks more productive. For example, if the notifications on your phone interrupt you, then either turn your phone off or block certain apps during the time that you’re working.
  • Track your progress and revise it. At the end of the week, reflect on how productive you were by reviewing your calendar. If you noticed that you underestimate how long it took you to finish something, then add more time to that task when creating next week’s schedule.

How to Build a Highly Productive Remote Team

By | Business Tips, Time Management | No Comments
7 Ways to Optimize Your 2021 Appointment Schedule

Instead of looking for talent in their own backyards, more and more companies are turning to remote workers to fill their gaps and expand their capabilities. Offering for workers to contribute remotely increases productivity, retention, and stress.

A highly productive remote team can also help reduce sick time and overall costs. Remote work leads to significant gains for employers and is desirable for today’s top recruits. Telecommuting has become a valuable recruitment perk, with 85% of workers claiming it as their number one reason for taking a job.

Yet, managing a remote team comes with unique challenges, including communication, time management, and accountability. While the stats suggest the team will be more productive, managers need to use smart strategies to ensure everyone is contributing and working together as a team. Productivity doesn’t just happen on its own; instead, it needs to be fostered.

Although 91% of remote workers claim they feel more productive when working from home or other non-office locations, companies shouldn’t take productivity for granted. Security issues, distractions at home, and lagging communication can all affect how much your employees accomplish. Leaders must understand these and other productivity challenges to mitigate them as much as possible.

How to Build a Highly Productive Remote Team

There are certainly best practices to develop the best team around. If you’re looking to create a highly productive remote team, you should cultivate the following in your company:

Develop a Strong Company Culture

Remote workers don’t have the benefit of enjoying the same collaboration that comes from working on-site. Working onsite is one of the key reasons companies like Yahoo! and IBM have ended telework, claiming that face time is more productive and that ideas happen in person.

However, many experts argue that, when a remote work program fails, it’s often more attributable to a lack of communication or a company culture that isn’t set up for remote success.

That’s why companies must invest in company culture and ensure they are carrying that culture beyond the four walls of the office. Remote workers must be engaged in the company’s mission, values, activities, and strategies. Make them feel like part of the team by ensuring they’re included in meetings and announcements. Invite them to team activities if they’re local, or take a page from Buffer’s playbook and hold annual meetups for those who reside elsewhere.

Invest in Coworking Memberships

Coworking workspaces provide offices-on-demand that eliminate the distractions associated with working from home to help employees focus on their workload. Fortunately, the number of these flexible workspaces located across the country is growing, enjoying an increase of 16% in 2018 alone.

In one study, 74% of workers said their productivity increased after joining a coworking community. Working out of a coworking space may help create a routine for remote workers. These workers also have the benefit of working around other companies’ employees, which may lead to new perspectives and creative insights.

While it comes with a bit more of a monthly cost, companies may want to consider offering a coworking membership to remote workers. Enjoying a change of scenery may help to stimulate creativity and give remote workers the focused environment needed to be productive, and the new ideas may have a great payoff.

Simplify Communication

Ideally, remote worker communications with the in-house team should be as swift and straightforward as if every worker was on-site. Realistically, that’s not usually the case. One report notes that when a remote work program ends and employees are called back into the office, their managers haven’t contacted many workers in months – even years, in some cases.

Companies that fail with remote work usually lack a robust communication structure. But thanks to the widespread availability of tools like Slack and Zoom, remote teams can still enjoy consistent, ongoing communication with their supervisors, employees, and fellow remote workers. Just having these tools is not sufficient. To foster direct and effective communication, your company should set rules about what to use.

For example, Slack should be used to contact co-workers about immediate questions during business hours. Email can be reserved for ongoing, long-term projects. Additionally, phone calls or video conferences should be used during brainstorming and reviews or feedback sessions. These rules will help remote, and on-site employees know when and how to communicate internally.

Acknowledge Achievements

Employees love when their work and accomplishments are appreciated. But it’s more than just an ego boost; recognizing employees for a job well done has been shown to motivate performance and improve productivity.

It’s easy for team leaders to get bogged down in daily tasks. Being overworked and bogged down can lead to forgetting to recognize their employees’ efforts – especially when they are remote. But it is essential to building this acknowledgment into your remote culture to ensure employees remain engaged. Even a simple thank you on Slack, or a personal email can go a long way. It creates a positive and productive remote workforce.

Additionally, celebrate the company wins together if you are having a celebratory happy hour on-site, video conference in remote workers. Ship them a drink so they can also participate and feel included in the most social aspects of the job.

Consider the Impact of Security Issues

One of the biggest under-the-radar productivity killers for remote workers is the potential impact of security issues. Workers who rely on public spaces like coffee shops could leave themselves vulnerable to cyber attacks, yet only 18% of workers say that it’s one of their top concerns.

Also, 38% of workers say they don’t receive the technological support or expertise they need while working remotely, which could pose more significant security challenges to businesses. Security is a potentially serious issue. Remote workers who unknowingly download viruses while working may have their entire system taken hostage. These attacks can be costly in terms of data stolen, removing viruses, and lost employee work time.

Remote workers that can use their own devices (like mobile phones and tablets) might house company information. Using their own devices provides great device freedom to the remote worker. It can lead to a higher mix of operating systems, browsers, updates, apps, and software to contend with, making the work of your IT department more complex. But help when figuring out bugs for customers.

To overcome tricky security challenges, many companies implement VPNs, two-factor authentication, secure browser requirements, or other security features with their remote workers. Investment here makes sense. It’s expected that cybercrime will rack up a bill of more than $6 trillion by 2021. No company is immune to these attacks, as even large companies such as Yahoo! and Capital One have suffered expensive damage from cybercrime.

Proper security is a productivity concern. Major security breaches have the potential to grind company operations to a halt; even smaller impacts can disrupt a team’s performance for days, weeks, or even months. Make sure your team implements solutions that allow for higher productivity while also protecting the company’s digital infrastructure.

With Great Reward Comes Great Responsibility

Remote teams have given companies and employees more flexibility and potential, but they also require a higher level of accountability. Work must continue to be completed, no matter where in the world associated team members are located. Unfortunately, neither employers nor employees can realize the full benefits of remote work if productivity suffers.

It takes careful planning to re-think the workplace and facilitate a thriving remote work environment. Recognize potential barriers and asking the right questions. You’ll be as prepared as possible to help your team overcome the most common obstacles. Overcoming obstacles will allow the productivity of your company’s remote workers to thrive.

How to Connect Your Calendar to Alexa?

By | Appointment | No Comments

There are a lot of cool things that you can do with Alexa. For example, you make phone calls, control your smart home, play your favorite tunes, and look-up recipes. You can train Alexa to do pretty much anything you want — including helping you stay organized by syncing with your calendar.

Regardless if you’re using Google Calendar, Office 365 Calendar, iCloud Calendar, or Calendar, here’s how you can connect your calendar to Alexa.

Syncing Your Calendar With Alexa

Connecting your calendar with Alexa isn’t a complicated or time-consuming task. It should only take you a couple of minutes to do if you follow these six steps.

1. Link a Calendar

Your first step is the obviously connect your online calendar with Alexa. To do this, open the Alexa app on your smartphone or tablet — this is in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. If you prefer, you can also do this on your computer on the Alexa website.

Once there, tap on Settings.

2. Calendar Setting

Next, when within the Settings menu, scroll down until you see Calendar. Go ahead on tap on that.

3. Select Your Calendar

Here you can choose from either Google’s Gmail or G Suite, Microsoft’s Outlook.com or Office 365, or Apple’s iCloud.

If you use Google or Microsoft, all you have to do is click the link to your calendar account.

If using iCloud, you’ll first have to enable two-factor authentication. To do this, you’ll need to go into your Apple device and locate the Two-Factor Authentication option within Password & Security to enable two-factor authentication.

4. Sign In

You’ll now be asked to sign on using your login credentials for the specific calendar account you have. So, if you use Google Calendar, then you would enter your Google username and password.

5. Allow Access

Amazon will ask to be allowed to manage your calendars. Just tap on Allow or Accept to move on to the next step.

You should receive a confirmation message informing you that Alexa is ready to use your calendar.

6. Choose Which Calendar to Access

When completed, tap Done, so that you can return to the Alexa app. If you have more than one calendar, then here’s where you can select the specific calendar you want to connect with Alexa. For example, you can choose to connect only your family’s Google Calendar so that everyone in your home is on the same page with schedules and events.

Note that while you can connect to more than one service for your calendar, Alexa only allows you to have one active calendar at a time. You can switch calendars on the Alexa Calendars screen.

If you’re no longer using a calendar, you can remove it by going into the Alexa Calendars screen and tapping on the link to unlink this calendar.

Managing Your Calendar and Schedule With Alexa

Once completed, you can start asking Alexa questions like, “Alexa, what does my week look like?” She’ll then describe your next four appointments. If you want to know more, ask her to share more.

You can also quickly add events by saying a command like, “Alexa, add lunch meeting with Jane for tomorrow at 12 pm.” Alexa will then add the event to your calendar.

Here’s a couple of other useful voice commands you have after linking your calendar with Alexa:

  • “What time is my next event?”
  • “What’s on my calendar for Tuesday?”
  • “What’s on my calendar for tomorrow at 10 am?”
  • “Delete team meeting from my calendar.”

You can also grant Alexa access to your contacts to make scheduling events with others a breeze. For example, you could schedule a status meeting with your team for Wednesday at 3 pm. After it’s been created, Alexa will ask if you want to send out an email invitation to the necessary recipients.

To do this, go into the Alexa app and tap on the Conversations button. It’s on the bottom of your screen and is represented by a speech balloon. It’s where you give Alexa permission to access your device’s contacts.

If you have privacy concerns, like anyone in your home or office being able to access your calendar, you can limit access to this information based on your voice. Go into Settings, then Calendar, and select the calendar you want to restrict access to. Then, in Voice Restriction section, tap the CREATE VOICE PROFILE button to set this up.

Alexa’s To-Do-List

What if your online calendar isn’t supported by Alexa?

You can get around this by simply adding an event to Alexa’s to-do-list. For example, “Alexa, add lunch meeting with Jane for tomorrow at 12 pm to my to-do-list.”

You can then ask Alexa what items are on your to-do-list, and she’ll read them to you one-by-one.

How Technology Influences Productivity

By | Appointment | No Comments

No matter how old you are, take a second and think what your life would be like without technology? While I’m sure that there’s a minority who would welcome this, I think a majority of us would freak out. How could we contact people? How could we entertain or inform ourselves? And, how are we supposed to run our businesses without being connected? But how does technology influence productivity? And, what can you do about it?

Believe it or not, it wasn’t all that long ago that life was like this. Even though complex phone systems, fax machines, and connected computers have been around for decades, it wasn’t until the end of the 20th Century that technology completely reshaped the workplace.

Overall, this was a positive and exciting development. But, there was a cause for concern.

As Phil Kotacka recalls, when email was introduced to this former company in the ’90s, “everyone was working with a 20th-century mentality.” What Kotacka means was that people “lacked the maturity to use this new technology responsibly.”

“Suddenly, employee productivity was shot as people were using e-mail for personal use, sending obscene attachments to the entire corporate mailing list and spreading debilitating viruses of the electronic kind,” continues Kotacka. And, as you can imagine, leaders were cursing this new technology.

Of course, technology is now an essential part of daily life. But, that doesn’t always mean that we treat this great power responsibly.

Instead of focusing on your work, you’re busy scrolling through your social feeds. You and your colleagues embark on lengthy digital conversations that aren’t always work-related. You take precious time out of your day to clean out your inbox. And, like Pavlov’s dog, you instinctively reach for your phone when a notification goes off.

In short, technology has a significant impact on productivity — both good and bad.

How Technology is Increasing Workplace Productivity

There’s no denying that when used correctly, technology can increase workplace productivity. While I’m sure that you’re already well aware of this fact, here is how technology has dramatically improved output:

Brings the team closer together.

No matter when and where you and your team are working, technology has made it possible to collaborate and communicate with each other. You can share and edit documents together. You can exchange ideas or feedback via email, instant messaging, or project management software. And, you can track the progress of each team member.

Technology has made scheduling meetings a breeze. Just share your calendar with your team, and they can see when you’re available to meet, as opposed to playing a game of cat and mouse.

Also, besides saving a ton of time, that’s good for you financially. After all, it’s been found that companies with less than 100 employees lose approximately $420,000 per year due to miscommunication.

Access to information.

Let’s say that you just purchased a new dresser from IKEA. If you’ve ever purchased a piece of furniture from here, then you know that you need instructions. And, in some cases, you’ll also need additional items, like screws and tools. Without these, then there’s no way that you can put together your new purchase.

The same is true when you assign work to your employees. If they don’t have the correct information and tools, then how can you expect them to get the job done? Thankfully, you can easily share this information with them through word documents, spreadsheets, Wikis, or videos.

And, if they do have a problem, they can quickly get in touch with you. They can even take a screenshot to make troubleshooting less as painless as possible.

Automates repetitive tasks.

Gone are the days wasting precious time on trivial, tedious, and repeating tasks. By harnessing the power of automation, you can handle customer service inquiries, schedule social updates, and create automatic office replies.

With artificial intelligence, this will only get better. For example, Calendar uses machine learning to make smart suggestions on when and how to schedule meetings. It will even recommend what type of meeting to plan and who to invite. It can also analyze how you spend your time so that you know how to spend it more productively.

It makes project management seamless.

With project management software like Asana, Basecamp, or Wrike, you can outline projects, assign deadlines, and see where everyone is at. There’s no excuse for anyone to claim that they didn’t start on their part of the project because they were waiting for a colleague to let them know that they were done with their part. The employee can see who is working on what and how far along they are.

Conducive to remote working.

Thanks to technology, remote work has become more commonplace. And, that’s a good thing for the following reasons:

  • Those who work remotely are more productive.
  • It increases employee retention.
  • Remote workers rarely take sick days.
  • It reduces costs from employers and employees.
  • Remote work increases diversity.
  • It can improve mental and physical health.
  • Promotes a healthy work-life balance.
  • Not only does a majority of people want to work from home, but it’s also become a “standard operating procedure.”

The Darkside of Technology

While technology has improved productivity, it can also have the opposite effect. Mainly, that’s because of the following five reasons:

It’s distracting.

There’s no need to beat around the bush about any subject nowadays. Smartphone notifications, cleaning out your inbox, surfing the net, and talking to others through messaging apps are some of the most common workplace distractions. Considering that Americans check their phones every 12 minutes, it’s a wonder that we get anything done at work.

We’re addicted.

It’s true. Research has found that the constant stimulation we get from our smartphones raises dopamine, which has turned us into bonafide addicts. Social media platforms “leverage the very same neural circuitry used by slot machines and cocaine to keep us using their products as much as possible.”

It’s gotten so bad that “we sometimes feel our phones vibrating in our pockets when they aren’t even there.” I don’t know about you. But, it’s almost impossible for me to be productive when I always believe that I’ve gotten a text or social media notification. That’s because I’ll stop whatever it is that I’m doing and check my phone to make sure.

It’s not good for your physical and mental health.

When you’re not in peak physical and mental health conditions, you can kiss productivity goodbye. After all, it’s difficult to focus when you feel like crap. But that’s exactly what technology is doing to us.

  • The way we hold our phones, tablets, and computers is terrible for our posture. As a result, this can lead to neck and back issues. It can also influence our mood and assertiveness.
  • Spending too much time on our devices can cause eye strain and headaches. This can also make it difficult to concentrate.
  • If you’re on your device too close to bedtime, it can delay your body’s internal clock and circadian rhythm. In turn, this can lead to insomnia.
  • Technology is encouraging us to lead a more sedentary lifestyle. As a consequence, this can lead to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
  • Social media usage can cause anxiety and depression.

Limits creative thought.

Don’t get me wrong. Having an endless amount of knowledge at your fingertips is incredible. But it also makes us less self-sufficient. Instead of us working through a problem or recalling a piece of information, we search for it online. Some people would go as far as to say that technology is making us dumber.

We’re connecting with technology, not people.

Again. It’s great that you can communicate with anyone in the world whenever you like. But face-to-face communication is still essential.

For starters, it allows you to pick-up on non-verbal cues like body language. It’s also more effective and efficient. Just think about all the times you needed clarification on something. Wasn’t it just faster and more practical to discuss this in-person instead of a lengthy email thread?

And, communicating with others in-person adds that personal touch. It may not sound all that important. But, it allows you to interact and engage with others. In turn, this builds trust and strengthens relationships.

How to Prevent Technology From Inhibiting Productivity

Obviously, we need technology in our professional and personal lives. But, it can also hinder your productivity. Thankfully, there are some easy ways that you can prevent this.

Don’t look at your phone when you first wake-up.

“After turning off your alarm in the morning, take some time before looking at your phone,” recommends Graham Young in a previous Entrepreneur article. “The light from your screen triggers your brain to go into a reactive mode.”

As a result, it “becomes almost a fight-or-flight state.” In other words, your brain has learned “that when the phone is on, potential threats may be coming your way, like emails, text messages, and notifications.”

That’s not the best way to kickstart your day. Instead of focusing on your morning routine, you’re worried about whether or not you received an email response or if anyone liked your social media update.

Turn it off.

I don’t think we need to elaborate too much on this. Turning off your phone when you don’t want to be interrupted is the most effective way to prevent notifications from distracting you. If that causes you too much anxiety, at least put it on an airplane or do not disturb mode.

Block schedule your day.

Definitely block out times for undisturbed work. But, also schedule breaks throughout the day. Ideally, this should be a 17-minute break following 52-minutes of work. If you don’t take a break, then it will be more difficult to resist temptations like checking Facebook or watching a pointless YouTube video.

Additionally, set aside blocks of time to check your email, texts, and any other electronics notifications. If you don’t, you’ll become anxious because of FOMO. To combat this, check your phone during energy, like right before starting work, after lunch, and when you’re wrapping up work for the day.

Impose limits.

I’m not going to lie. For some people, this may seem unimaginable. But, if you follow with the rules and boundaries that you’ve set, eventually, this will become a habit. Even better, this is something that you could do with others. For example, you could designate “tech-free” zones in your home like the dining room. You could also make it a rule that you and your spouse will not look at any electronic devices an hour before bed.

At work, you could implement something like no-email Fridays. Instead, go over and talk to your colleagues in-person. If you have a virtual team, then schedule a call with them. In most cases, however, whatever you need to discuss isn’t an emergency. So, you can wait and send out that email on Monday. Just save the messages as a draft so that you don’t forget.

And, if possible, create a “tech blackout” day at least once a week. For example, on Saturdays, you could completely unplug by spending the entire day outside. If you do need to check your phone, do so sparingly.

Call the productivity police.

Of course, there is no literal productivity police. But, if you’re struggling with time management, then you may want to check out tools like RescueTime, SelfControl, Anti-Social, StayFocusd, or Cold Turkey. They can help you see how you’re spending time on your devices. From there, you can use this data to optimize your time. Better yet, these tools will block distracting websites, apps, and games when you want them to.

Use the 4Ds of time management.

Digitally communicating with others can be a waste of time. Mainly this is because we keep touching each piece of communication more than once. For example, you receive an email. You read it, but then don’t act. You save that for later. Instead, you probably should have just replied or deleted the message when you first interacted with it.

One method to help you with this is the popular 4Ds of time management, which is as follows:

  • Delete anything that either doesn’t serve a purpose, or you no longer care about the item.
  • Delegate requests to the right party.
  • Defer, or delaying, are important messages that you shouldn’t delete. But, that can be addressed when you have time.
  • Do is for any messages that take under 2-minutes to respond to.

Should You Schedule Your Free Time or Go With the Flow?

By | Appointment | No Comments

The other night, without being provoked, I woke-up suddenly from a deep sleep. My mind was in a frenzy about everything that I needed to do tomorrow. Of course, those thoughts snowballed into all of the errands, deadlines, and appointments I had scheduled for the upcoming week and month. It was a chore to get back to homeostasis and doze off for a couple more hours. But, should you schedule your free time or go with the flow?

Obviously, I’m not the only one who has had this experience. We all have a million things to do. On top of work obligations, there also personal responsibilities like picking up dry cleaning, taking your dog to the vet, household chores that keep piling up, and spending quality time with the fam. With so much to do and little time to get around to everything, how on Earth can you possibly squeeze in any free time?

Well, you could schedule all of your free time. That means if you wanted to go out to dinner with friends or attend a concert, you add these to your calendar. It may sound extreme. But, it prevents you from scheduling anything else during this block of time.

The other option would be to “wing it.” If you went into this direction, then you would leave your calendar black whenever you’re “off-the-clock” and see how things fall into place. Without a rigorous schedule, you’re able to spend your time however you wish — without being restained to your calendar.

But, which approach is best? To answer that question, let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Likely the best idea will be to find a balance between the two.

The importance of free time — and how it should be spent.

Before I go any further, I want to discuss why free time is essential. I know. You might be rolling your eyes at this. Who realistically has the luxury of such a thing? But, everyone, including entrepreneurs, needs to realize that there’s more to life than work. If you want to have a more meaningful and fulfilled life, then free time should be a priority for the following reasons.

For starters, free time makes you happier. Researchers have even found that free time can make you happier than money.

“It appears that people have a stable preference for valuing their time over making more money, and prioritizing time are associated with greater happiness,” said lead Ashley Whillans, who was the lead researcher from the study conducted by the University of British Columbia. Their research also shows that “giving up a few hours of a paycheck to volunteer at a food bank may have more bang for your buck in making you feel happier.”

Whillans adds that “buying time boosts happiness by mitigating the effects of time stress — the feeling that there aren’t enough hours in the day.” For some, that may sound obvious. After all, if you continuously feel pressed for time, then satisfied, do you think your life will be?

Additionally, free time encourages you to attend to your own self-care, boosts creativity, and gives you something to look forward to. It also can improve relationships since it shows others that they’re a priority. Moreover, it adds flexibility to your calendar and gives you a sense of control. And, most importantly, our brains require downtime to recharge and process information.

Spend your free time wisely.

However, for you to get the most out of your free time, you need to spend it wisely. For example, you may be tempted to spend your entire Saturday binge-watching a show on Netflix. There’s nothing wrong with watching an episode here or there. But, those precious hours should mainly be used towards something more productive like reading, journaling, learning, exercising, catching up on household chores, or hanging out with friends and family.

Other options would be planning a vacation, picking up a new hobby, or organizing your home or workspace. And, don’t forget to relax and reflect to help you decompress and become more present.

The case for and against scheduling downtime.

If you were to look up time management tips, you’d probably notice that a lot of successful people, such as Elon Musk and my colleague John Hall, schedule every minute of their time. On the surface, this makes sense.

“Scheduling my days means that I, not the circumstances around me, dictate how I spend my time,” Hall explains. “My schedule is flexible enough to let me put out fires but rigid enough to ensure that I never find myself wondering what to do next–or when I’ll find time to do the things that matter to me.”

Additionally, scheduling hours forces you to stay focused on the present and prevents conflicts. Did you commit to attending a housewarming party on Friday night? If it’s in your calendar, then you won’t also schedule a happy hour with your team on the same night. As a result, you won’t tick anyone off because you didn’t double-book your time.

Also, because you have more certainty, life isn’t as stressful — no more overcommitting to time requests. Also, no more trying to bite off more than you can chew. You won’t spend your downtime aimlessly wandering around, deciding what you should so. You know precisely how you’re going to spend your time, which, in turn, reduces the number of decisions you have to make.

But, perhaps the best part of scheduling your leisure time is that it makes it happen. As Laura Vanderkam explains, if you have a busy life, especially if you’re a parent, “you have to plan, or there will be no leisure in your life beyond watching TV.” The reason? That’s “the easiest thing to do, and it does not require any planning to do during the downtime that presents itself after the kids go to bed or are occupied with other things.”

The dark side of scheduling free time.

Despite these benefits, there some problems associated with daily scheduling. The most obvious is that it can be stressful. Don’t believe me? Just close your eyes and think about filling your calendar for the next week, month, or year. I’m sure you’re anxiety is through the roof right now. And, to make matters worse, if you have an unpredictable or irregular schedule, planning your free time is even more complicated.

What’s more, this approach doesn’t leave much room for spontaneity or flexibility. Some people may not be able to enjoy the present moment because they’re obsessed with sticking to a schedule, squeezing out every minute.

Why you should, and shouldn’t, go with the flow.

On the flip side, there are some perks to taking the “go with the flow” approach. The most common reason is that it allows for more flexibility in your schedule. Without being shackled to a strict schedule, you’ll become more spontaneous. As a result, you’ll be happier.

But don’t take my word on this. Studies show that those who don’t schedule their free time are indeed happier. “When scheduled, leisure tasks feel less free-flowing and more forced — which is what robs them of their utility,” Selin A. Malkocan an associate professor of marketing at Ohio State University and an author of the study “Activity Versus Outcome Maximization in Time Management,” told the Washington Post.

Furthermore, you’ll be less stressed and more resilient since you aren’t freaking out when plans don’t go accordingly. Instead, you adapt to the circumstances and enjoy the present.

Going with the flow is similar to the concept of “wu wei.” Derived from Taoism, “wu wei,” basically means taking ‘effortless action’ or ‘actionless action’ and “being at peace while engaged in the most frenetic tasks so that one can carry these out with maximum skill and efficiency.” It’s like a river flowing down a mountain. Although it’s still active, it’s not trying to do anything else consciously.

The downside of “winging it.”

The idea of just rolling with the punches may sound relaxing and very zen. But, for many people, winging-it can come with heavy costs. Without certainty, it’s much easier for you to get distracted or put other people’s priorities ahead of your own.

Eventually, things will spiral out of control. You’ll have to cancel attending social functions because you already RSVPd to another event. You may bail on meeting with a friend at the last minute because the errands you decided to do on a whim took longer than anticipated.

And, sometimes, going through life without direction can make you anxious. It’s fun sometimes to get lost when driving around. But, what if you can’t find your way back to the highway and you realize that you need gas? There’s probably nothing as terrifying.

Striking the right balance.

As you can see, there pros and cons to both scheduling your free time and going with the flow. The solution then is to find a healthy balance between them.

While this can vary from person-to-person, the most effective way to achieve this is by always scheduling your most important tasks and events. For example, if you can only take your car to the mechanic on Saturday morning, then block out the time for that task. Spouse, partner, or BFF’s birthday? Definitely put that date on your calendar.

When you do this, you prevent any potential scheduling conflicts. And, it creates enough structure in your life to maintain control of it.

Also, like with your work schedule, add time buffers to your schedule so that you aren’t literally rushing from one thing to the next. And, be realistic about how much you can achieve in the available time that you have. It’s ambitious to think that you’ll clean the house, mow the lawn, head to the grocery store, watch a movie with friends, and make it to a wedding on the same day.

Finally, don’t hyper-schedule yourself. When you have unstructured free time, you ’re in a better position to be more spontaneous and flexible.

Register Now & Get a 30 Day Trial Register Now