Who else wants to be productive AND watch tennis.
So taking Kyle’s blog entitled “While you are idle, I am getting things done” to heart I set out to see what could be achieved as well as enjoying the Tennis.
It worked out well - because:
1. There is always a 10 to 15 minute commentary before the competition starts, and often again in the middle of the morning session.
2. There is always a gap between each change of players where they only show replays.
3. In each match there is a warm up period.
4. In each game there are gaps between the serves.
5. At each odd score situation (5 to 4 for instance), the players sit down for a well earned (!) break.
All of these add up and I estimated that in a three hour session of TV watching you can actually achieve over 70 to 80 minutes of productive time if you are well organised.
In my case today this meant:
1. Getting through 45 emails and commenting where applicable.
2. Reading seven posts and commenting
3. Reading 6 articles and commenting.
4. Having two cups of tea.
AND watching the tennis.
So fired up with enthusiasm I looked for a couple of other opportunities to do the same thing and found the following:
1. I went to pick up my Grandson from school and because of building works at the site we have to wait in a long line of cars for 15 minutes. So out with the iPad and wrote the outline of this article and also a re-design of my web site home page as it needs a face lift. Got back home and sent my notes to my laptop so I could flesh out this article.
2. I usually do the homework run with my Granchildren after school but they have lunch first which is 15 minutes and again I was able to work on this article and my new web page (not finished yet so please don’t look).
What this really means is that if you look for opportunities no matter how small you can get work done.
The other point I would like to make is that I find short bursts of creativity like these I managed today, are super productive.
The end result is that I get to feel like I have had a great day because I watched the tennis, fetched the grandchildren, did the homework run, and still got a lot of work done.
Try adopting this approach and see what opportunities you can find and see if it works for you – I hope it does.
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to ask.
Hudson.
Recent Comments
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Keeping it all going at once is a real challenge. Ability to multi task is a good talent, but sometimes you just have to focus hard on something. You know, do one thing at a time to the exclusion of all else. It's a conundrum to me. Good post Hudson. Got me thinking about it.
Good post, I usually spend a lot of time at a school picking up disabled kids, this means I wait around for about an hour, I go through a lot of stuff in my head that I intend to do when I get back to my computer. From today I will take a note pad and write it all out so I don't forget that "great idea" I had and lost in my other thoughts!
Great post! I agree with Romeo and have had this coaching too...
Priority 1: Campaigns
Priority 2: WSS (because it does directly influence campaigns)
Priority 3: Needed Training
Priority 4: Networking and Blogging on WA
However, due to my own situation, I usually can't get all of these in every day.
Great post, Hudson. I feel my only challenge is dividing my time between responding to blogs, articles and emails and actually working on my website and training.
I feel that working on my website and training should be primary and the rest secondary, but I guess I have a little OCD issue when it comes to my inbox lol
Either way, it's all being productive and that is key!
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Hudson, you're a true master of time management!