Anyone working from home knows that distractions clutter our minds and squander our time. They're like undisciplined children. They shout for attention and break concentration: You need to wash the clothes! When are you going to do the taxes? Your telephone messages are stacking up! How about a game of solitaire?
Distractions leave us side-tracked and unproductive. We tell ourselves there aren't enough hours in a day. In truth, we all have the same number of hours to work with. The people who master time-management skills are able to combat distractions, reduce stress levels, and enjoy greater productivity.
David Allen, productivity consultant and the creator of the "Getting Things Done (GTD) Time Management Method" said in a GTD lecture, "your ability to generate power is directly proportional to your ability to concentrate. Your ability to concentrate is directly proportional to your ability to eliminate distraction. Your ability to eliminate distraction is directly proportional to your use of effective time-management skills."
Randy Pausch, former computer science professor from the University of Virginia, agreed with Allen. Most of us remember Pausch for his profound "The Last Lecture," given shortly before his death from pancreatic cancer. Pausch also gave a Time-Management lecture in 2007. He said, "time is a commodity more valuable than money. We can never earn time back; we can earn money back."
Following are time management strategies gleaned from the teachings of Allen and Pausch. They recommend ways to control distractions, to combat clutter and to manage time.
CONTROLLING DISTRACTIONS
Allen says the mind stores up distractions and reminds us of them at inappropriate times. For instance, we wake you up in the middle of the night worrying about something that we can't resolve until morning. He says the solution is to provide our minds a better system, so that it can let go of the distractions and let us sleep.
Allen says a better system comes by identifying the distractions and listing them. We want to be conscious of all the things we can choose to do at any time and place. He calls this "control." He says gain "perspective" by prioritizing our options, choosing our direction, and then working the list1 by 1. We are then able to relax and work on the things most important to us.
Pausch ranked commitments in this way: #1 due soon, important #2 not due soon, but important #3 not important #4 not important, not due soon.This ranking is the beginning of a daily plan, or to-do list, for getting things done when working from home. He recommends:
* Setting work-related priorities at the end of every week. Spend an hour or so planning for the next week.
* Having a to-do list visible at all times. Make adjustments, as needed.
* Designating a room as your office. Shut out distractions when working at home.
* Setting office hours. Focus on work projects during office hours. Learn to say "no," when interruptions occur.
CONTROLLING CLUTTER
Both Pausch and Allen say clutter muddles thinking. Allen points out that people tend to have the greatest job satisfaction right before a holiday. Why? At this time, we "clean, organize, clarify, grab and re-negotiate agreements." He recommends doing this weekly, rather than yearly.
* Keep your desk clear. Keep one item on your desk at a time. When finished, cross it off the list and move to the next item.
* Go through all your paperwork. Dispose, file, archive, or prioritize commitments. Do the same with emails.
* File everything alphabetically, including receipts.
* Have a designated place for your phone book and all office supplies. Organized people can find things.
CONTROLLING TIME
* Pausch suggests keeping a "Time Journal." He says to monitor ourselves in 15-minute increments for between 3 days and 2 weeks to find out how our time is spent when working from home.
* Allen and Pausch both mentioned the 80/20 rule as a guideline for planning: 20% of the things we do are vital and 80% are trivial. Put 80% of your time on the 20% that give you the best results. Work on the 20% during your most creative time of day. Schedule the 80% for your "down-time." When distractions cause you to re-adjust your schedule, don't compromise the most important 20%.
* They recommend the development of short and long-term-goals. Goals give us a benchmark for what we want to accomplish. We should keep goals posted where we can always see them.
PAUSCH'S PRIMER FOR BEGINNERS
* Keep track of all commitments.
* Create a "To-Do" List. List tasks in priority order.
* Keep a Time Journal. Count the number of hours you watch TV. 4. Make a note for 30 days from today. Ask yourself, "What have I changed?"
Developing time-management skills isn't a prison sentence. It's quite the opposite. Implementing time-management skills allows us the freedom to control what we do and when we do it. Consistent use of time management skills will make us more relaxed, more confident, and more productive. We don't have to live in a "some day I'll get it together" mentality.
Pausch brings it home best. "Time is all we have." he said. "You may find one day you have less than you think."
Such wise words from one who knew.