Tag Archives: time management

we can do anything…

by on 18 Jul 2012 in VA Diary

…but not everything.

We can do anything...

Photo by The US National Archives

I recently came across this quote by David Allen in relation to productivity.

You can do anything, but not everything.

I think it serves as a reminder that no one can take on every task presented to him or her – it’s simply just not possible. Learning to say ‘no’ is just as important (if not more) as saying ‘yes’.

But how do you get the tasks done that you need to do, in a world where everyone seems to be more and more time-poor? Well, it appears that there is a whole industry out there looking to help us do just that. And business is booming. The time-management industry is apparently larger than the weight loss industry! Ironic?

Not long ago I attended a very interesting Flying Solo webinar on productivity, hosted by performance coach Andrew May. Andrew discussed how various performance areas impact one’s functioning at work, and one of the biggest lessons I took away from this webinar was to avoid distractions.

Technology now makes us available 24/7 on multiple devices. This constant interruption takes away our focus and makes it nigh impossible to stay on track.

In line with this I spent a day testing out the Pomodoro Technique in its simplest form. If you are not familiar with this, it is a time management tool designed in the 90′s by Francesco Cirillo. It works along the principle of multiple concentrated bursts of output in order to complete tasks that have been broken down into manageable blocks. I certainly achieved a lot using this method, however having not employed it again is probably more a reflection on me than the technique!

Productivity is not just about getting things done, but getting the right things done. And mastering how to do this effectively may just be the key to a stress-free life.

fighting fatigue

by on 30 May 2012 in VA Diary

Have I accidentally become a part-time business owner?

Fighting Fatigue. balance, business owner, downtime, fatigue, relax, self-discipline, sleep, social life, theadminassistant, time management, Virtual Assistant, wellbeing, work

Photo by CharlesM.Schulz

Tomorrow night will be my 22nd night out this month. That’s just 9 nights at home over the last four weeks. …zzzZZZ

I don’t mean to be so busy – it just kind of happened. Well ok, perhaps I’m just not that good at saying ‘no’. But before you jump to conclusions, I haven’t been down at the pub every night.

In any case, the bags under my eyes are starting to give away the double life I am leading. Blending my new life as an expat with my new life as a business owner is not quite going to plan.

Keeping the work/life scales balanced is quite a trick, especially when both require extra attention. Anyone who has moved overseas before knows that your social life takes a little bit of work. And anyone who has started a business before knows that it takes even more.

Now, I’m not immune to hard graft and my time management skills certainly aren’t rubbish. My self-discipline means that I manage to fit everything in. But dividing my time evenly between the two is not as balanced as it sounds. I think I’m missing an important ingredient here: downtime. Should I be scheduling blocks of time to relax? And can it be forced?

In an effort to improve my wellbeing I went for a Chinese massage the other day. Turns out it was more like a form of physiotherapy (read: torture). So when I fell asleep during the gouging and kneading it’s probably no surprise that the ‘masseuse’ had to check my pulse…

Perhaps I’m being too hard on myself. Starting a business is tough, and if lack of sleep is a side effect, then so be it. As they say, you can sleep when you’re dead!

sunday thrills & monday ills

by on 21 Mar 2012 in VA Diary

No, I haven’t had big weekend – quite the contrary.

Sunday Thrills and Monday Ills. BlackBerry, boundaries, email, flexibility, glamorous, home office, marketing, online, theadminassistant, time management, unproductive, Virtual Assistant, work

Photo by TriciaWang

I was recently a little ill. Having managed to pick up a head cold in one of the hottest countries in the world, my week looked like this:

Monday:             wander back and forth between the computer and the couch
being entirely unproductive (and make yourself feel worse by not resting up)
Tuesday:            spend most of the day in bed, feeling sorry for oneself (and constantly
check BlackBerry to make sure world has not suddenly disappeared)
Wednesday:     repeat Tuesday
Thursday:         repeat Monday

By Friday I was almost back on track, but the week was over. And because I felt so guilty for being sick all week, I spent the following weekend working.

You see, working from a home office is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand you have the flexibility to attend to everyday tasks (such as attending appointments or running errands). It almost sounds glamorous to be able to pop out for a coffee or go to the gym in the middle of the day.

On the other hand it means that you never leave work. Ever. There is always something to be done. It is so tempting to just jump online and check your email or do a quick bit of marketing, even when you are ill.

The worst part is that I have double standards on the whole issue. Heaven forbid if my partner sits at home checking his emails or taking business calls. I’m straight onto him about shutting off from work and relaxing when he’s not there. But of course I don’t apply the same rules to myself.

So here’s what I’ve learnt about working from home – time management is essential and boundaries must be set, because flexibility can sometimes lead to overstretching.