Maximizing Your Day

BALANCING LIFE’S ISSUES, INC.

Objectives

Maximize your 168 hours this week

Work smarter

Decide when to say “NO” or “YES”

Handle interruptions

Multi-task vs. single-task

Best practices for

maximizing every

second, every minute

Objectives

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing,we would literally astound ourselves.”

Thomas A. Edison

Work Smarter

Plan your work and then work your plan

Maximize your day from the moment you awake

Establish and follow a daily routine

Eat a healthy breakfast

Maximize commuting time

Get enough exercise and sleep

Start your day the night before

Prioritize and evaluate tasks

Re-wire your brain to say: “I can do this”

Decide When to Say No or Yes

When to say “NO” When to say “NO”

How important is this task? Do I have to do this? What happens if I don’t

do it?I HATE this task:

Can it be shared or delegated or learned?

When to say “YES”When to say “YES”

If it is good for you Activities for healthy

living: nutrition, exercise, sleep

Going to push your career to a better place

Important to a loved one

Handle Interruptions

Be aware of how they are disrupting your day“Making a Cake” analogyHave a range of responses for interruptions

Know which one to use at the right timeUse the “link and leave” strategyDiscourage squattersUse body language techniquesFor the persistent: Be firm!Make technology work for you!

Email & cell phone strategies

Multi-Task vs. Single-Task

Multi-TaskMulti-Task

Simple tasks that don’t require concentrated thought

Single TaskSingle Task

Cerebral tasks – things that require thought and concentration

Benefits: Allows full attention Less prone to make

mistakes Task may be completed

quickerUse both techniques throughout your day - just be sure to match the best approach for the task at hand

Best Practices for Maximizing Every Second, Every Minute

Look closely at how you spend your day Track your time and categorize how your time is allocated

throughout the day Evaluate if there are more beneficial and efficient ways to spend

your time

Keep on top of clutter and stay organized so you don’t waste time

looking for things – everything should have its “place”

Stop procrastination Release the need to be “perfect”

Tackle toughest jobs first - “just do it!”

Recognize your own energy level

Nip e-mail overload

Accept the times when you just need to zero in and

get things done

Write your eulogy and live it

Maximizing Your Day

“The bad news is that time flies

The good news is that you’re the pilot.”

~Michael Altshuler

Maximizing Your Day