Key Messages
How to Take Back Control of Your Time: Master the Art of Focus
If you want to up your time management skills, the key is to have strategies and tactics in place that will allow you to better manage your valuable time.
In “15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management,” modern life’s pesky time thieves are discussed and effective strategies are shared on how to reclaim one’s precious time.
Chief among them is the concept of the number 1,440 as described in this book.
It’s imperative for success to protect one’s most important asset: their time.
The 321-Zero system teaches how to set realistic goals that aren’t too lofty nor too easy, keeping motivation levels consistent and encouraging steady results for projects.
The end goal should always be about better productivity and higher efficiency rather than lost hours rehashing tasks over again.
Additionally, readers learn from George W. Bush’s example of strategic reading that helped him stay informed consistently throughout his entire presidential term.
By having an understanding of these 15 secrets successful people know about managing their time successfully, readers can gain insight into life changing tools ready at hand to enhance their own productivity levels while maintaining a work life balance liked by few and achieved by even fewer amongst us!
Appreciate How Precious Time Is and Prioritize Your Most Important Task to Make the Most of It
Time is your greatest asset, and you need to make sure that every second you spend is used wisely.
The author of the book 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management knows this, which is why he posted a ‘1,440’ poster on his office door.
This reminded him of the limited time we have in each day – 1,440 minutes – and encouraged him to invest it well.
It’s not just about minutes though; you should think about the 86,400 seconds that each day offers you as well.
That’s because there are a whole bunch of daily tasks that don’t take very long but still make a big impact; like dedicating 30 seconds to doing some sit-ups or sending someone an encouraging message.
In order to truly manage your time effectively, you need to determine and prioritize your most important task (also known as your MIT).
Having a daily goal in mind can help give your day more meaning and may even result in greater levels of happiness and improved focus.
So make sure you ask yourself: what’s the one task I can do today that will have the biggest positive effect on my life or work?
The Third Secret to Stress Management: Ditch Your To-Do List and Get a Calendar
Are you weighed down by endless tasks on your to-do list? Chances are, some of these tasks have been lingering for weeks and creating unnecessary stress.
The solution? Ditch the to-do list in favor of a calendar to de-stress your day.
Research shows that an astonishing 41 percent of items on to-do lists never actually get completed.
This could be because the tasks aren’t accompanied with a note on how long it might take, so less important and more difficult tasks generally remain undone.
Ultimately this creates a lot of unneeded stress in our lives and can be avoided.
Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller provides proof that this strategy works: She was able to complete all her family, school and training responsibilities as well as media obligations by making use of time blocking – keeping an almost minute-by-minute schedule.
Keeping a detailed calendar allows you to prioritize tasks which will bring you closer to reaching your goal.
How to Overcome Procrastination and Prioritize Your Tasks Using the Power of Imagining The Future
Overcoming procrastination is key to effective time management and achieving success.
When you find yourself unable to focus on a task, it’s often because of a lack of motivation.
To combat this, you should imagine your future self and ask yourself two questions: “What pleasure will I get by doing this thing?” and “What pain will I feel if I don’t do it?” Imagining the consequences of your actions can help motivate you to stay away from unhealthy habits and prioritize tasks that will benefit your future self.
At the same time, understanding that there will always be more to do is also important.
Rather than trying to complete as many tasks as possible, it’s more valuable to select what’s most important and schedule accordingly.
As President George W. Bush demonstrated by reading 95 books during his presidency, when you prioritize what matters most, great things can be achieved.
The Seventh Secret of Successful People: Avoid Checking Your Email Too Often and Keep a Notebook Handy For Capturing Ideas
When it comes to boosting productivity, writing down your ideas and limiting trips to your inbox will clear your mind like nothing else.
Sir Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, is a prime example of how important it is to write down your thoughts.
He’s so committed to jotting them down that he’s even used his passport for impromptu note-taking!
Plus, Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer’s research found that students who hand wrote their notes during a TED talk retained the material better than those who typed on their laptops.
Not checking emails too often also helps you stay in control of how you choose to spend your time.
It can be detrimental since people end up feeling addicted to the unpredictability experienced when checking their inboxes – only to find them barren most of the time.
The 321-Zero system offers an easy way out – 3 email checks a day and trying to get an empty inbox within 21 minutes.
Furthermore, unsubscribing from newsletters with services/programs such as unroll.me can take off some of the pressure.
All in all, writing down your ideas and limiting trips to your inbox will help clear out mental clutter and substantially boost your productivity levels!
The Ninth Secret to Success: Say No to Most Things and Achieve Your Immediate Goals Faster
If you’re looking to regain control over your time, one of the best strategies is to avoid meetings and say no more often.
Meetings can be incredibly boring and, according to a 2015 survey, 35% of respondents considered them a waste of time due to the tendency for participants to focus on insignificant issues and extroverts dominating discussions.
If you must have a meeting, opt for a stand-up meeting instead; research from Washington University showed that these result in better collaboration and engagement, as well as more effective problem-solving.
The Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer suggests scheduling meetings in five or ten minute increments, enabling her to have up 70 meetings in a week.
It’s also important to become comfortable with saying no.
Olympic rower Sara Hendershot did this in order to stay focused leading up to the 2012 Olympics.
Studies have even found that people who respond with no when asked for their time are happier and more energetic!
Avoiding meetings and learning how to say no are both excellent strategies for regaining control over your time!
The Eleventh Secret of Time Management: Leverage Your Skills and Delegate Work to Increase Productivity
The 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management book contains the secret of applying the 80/20 rule in order to become more efficient and increase your satisfaction with work.
This concept was first discovered by an Italian philosopher and economist Vilfredo Federico Damaso Pareto who found that 20 percent of his pea plants produced 80 percent of his healthy peapods.
By analogy, this can be applied in many areas: organizations can apply the 80/20 rule to their employees, so that they identify the top 20 percent performers and focus on them; similarly, people can apply it in their personal lives by looking at tasks they do on a weekly basis and pinpoint those that have the greatest impact.
In additoin to leveraging the 80/20 rule, another way to increase efficiency and satisfaction is through self-reflection.
A 2013 experiment published in Harvard Business Review found that 43 percents of workers are unsatisfied with their work tasks.
Through reflecting upon three simple questions – “How important is this task to the company?”,“Is there anyone else who can complete it?”, “How could this task be accomplished if I had half as much time?” – employees were able to free up an extra eight hours per week while also improving their efficiency.
Make Your Working Habits Productive and Efficient by Grouping It Into Themes and Attacking Small Tasks Right Away
If you’re looking to maximize your efficiency, success people suggest two key strategies: theming each day and immediately completing short tasks.
Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and founder of Square, has a great strategy for doing this.
He recommends that people pick one theme per day, such as management on Monday, marketing on Wednesday and reflection and strategy planning on Sunday.
Doing this will help keep you focused and organized.
Similarly, the entrepreneurial coach Dan Sullivan suggests a three-day approach – focus day (for vital activities), buffer day (to catch up on emails & paperwork) and free day (for vacation/family time).
For small tasks that take fewer than five minutes to complete, successful people suggest taking immediate action on them.
Nihar Suthar, a straight-A student, is an example of someone who does this.
In addition, the author uses this advice himself – when his sister emailed him he decided to call her rather than leaving it in his inbox or adding it to his To Do list – ensuring he completed the task without wasting time.
Appreciate the Benefits of a Morning Routine for Maximum Productivity and Well-Being
If you want to get the most out of your day and make yourself successful, then having an effective morning ritual, maintaining an energy level, and employing a simple technique are key.
As Dan Miller puts it, start each day with a half-hour of meditation and then spend 45 minutes doing something inspiring – working out, listening to audio-programs or whatever works for you.
Avoid things like checking your news or phone during this time so that your “me time” can be used exclusively for positive and creative ideas.
To further increase your energy levels and overall well-being in the morning go for a healthy breakfast and lots of water – that’s what Shawn Stevenson does.
He calls this his inner bath – he simply drinks 30 ounces of water to “refresh” his system.
Finally, don’t forget the famous Pomodoro Technique!
This method encourages focus by setting a timer for 25 minutes where you should devote all your attention to one task before taking a 5 minute break and repeating this cycle.
It has helped Francesco Cirillo reduce distractions and become more productive and Monica Leonelle was even able to increase her writing speed from 600 words per hour up to 3,500 words!
Wrap Up
The 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management book sums up to one key message; highly successful people consider time to be their most valuable asset.
This book provides actionable advice on how readers can make the most of their time, taking into account effective life hacks regarding task prioritization, energy boosting, and maintaining focus.
The LIFE S.A.V.E.R.S system developed by success coach Hal Elrod includes five key points: Silence to foster gratitude and meditation (S), Affirmations of goals and priorities (A), Visualizations of ideal life (V), Exercise as part of routine (E), Reading for knowledge (R), and finally Scribing or journaling activities to end each day properly with an overview(S).
Together, these components can build a solid morning routine that focuses on personal and professional development goals, making sure that you successfully maximize the potential from the hours in your day!
