The three best efficiency tips I’ve ever found
So, this week I’ve packed up and racked off to Bali for “annual leave” (are such things relevant when you work for yourself?). I’ve vowed not to work. So I’m posting in advance a short best-of series. I’ve been on this experiment…trying different tricks and meeting various gurus for just over a year. Some work. Some don’t. Some are legit. Some need to start practicing what they preach a little more!! Which have worked? Well… part two of the best-of series…. plus an entirely gratuitous shot of a VERY handsome man. Because it’s a Thursday!
1. The Pomodoro Technique works. It really does. I use it every week to write my Sunday Life column. Sprint, pause, sprint, pause.
Developed in the 90s by an Italian efficiency enthusiast, it’s recently experienced a surge of popularity. It’s stupidly simple. You pick a task and take one of those kitschly 90s red tomato kitchen timers and set it to 25 minutes. Next, churn through your task, ignoring distractions, not stopping to make tea or stare at the ceiling. Rest for 5 minutes and repeat the cycle three more times, after which you rest for a good half hour and grab lunch or read emails. The aim is to work to these 30-minute cycles daily, building up the self-discipline muscle. Read more here.
* I love instapaper. I can’t imagine life before it. I divide all my reading into different folders. There’s also an iphone app, too!
It works like this. You’re wasting time online and stumble upon an interesting blog post or New York Times article. You can’t read it now; you’re meant to be finalising a spreadsheet or something….What to do? Glad you asked. Once you’ve installed Instapaper (three easy online steps, or thereabouts), you simply click a “Read Later” button on your Bookmarks menu and your article is filed in a special folder in cyberspace. For perusal at a more languid juncture. Get more here.
* Only answering emails twice a day. I’m not so good at this one. But I HIGHLY recommend trying this etox technique, even just for a week. It reshapes your thinking.
So, step one, on Monday I set up a perky auto-reply that essentially tells email to rack off, while putting the kybosh on my own addictive patterns. If you were to email me today you’d be greeted with this: Hello! Email is wasting my time and creative energy. For the sake of efficiency and wellbeing I now check me emails twice daily only, at 10am and 4pm. It’s urgent? Call me on… For more…here!
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I just started using Instapaper… so exciting!
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Ummm….Hello Spunk !!!!!
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I love ideas 1 and 3 – I use them most days. With work I always try using “interval training” of blasting along for 30mins then taking a few minutes break. Using a timer really helps too.
In my current job, luckily, I receive less than 10 emails per day. In my last job it was 100 emails per day 5 days a week for over 3 years straight (my client/vendor folder holds about 21,000 emails!).
So now I mostly check my email (and the daily papers online) after about 12 noon each day. I know that’s not possible for many workers but it’s worth a shot given the way it changes your day and thinking.
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awesome…going to try the pomodoro technique for when I write my blog…and thankfully I don’t have that email problem yet!
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Pompodoro technique doing wonders for my thesis due on October 15! Thanks Sarah and have a great holiday. Lisa
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I’m definitely going to check out instapaper! I’m always having so many windows open, especially when I’m doing school work or writing for my blog. It feels cluttered and takes my focus away!
Hope you are having a great time in Bali!
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The email etox sounds amazing. Must try this when I’m not actually in the office!
Love your work, Sarah! x
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[...] The Three Best Efficiency Tips I’ve Ever Found – by Sarah [...]
I am downloading instapaper as we speak! As a jewellery designer and relatively new blogger, I need time management desperately. I often find myself exploring fabulous blogs and surfacing 3 hours later…
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yeah, i agree with it
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Reporting back… I LOVE Instapaper.
I save the articles whilst catching up on my laptop so I can do all my reading offline on my iPad. It’s genius!
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hhaha. just laughed out loud at your “plus an entirely gratuitous shot of a VERY handsome man” reveal xx
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[...] MindShift http://bit.ly/cdtaLN Interesting new ICT blog 13. Time management – Efficiency tips http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2010/09/the-three-best-efficiency-tips-ive-ever-found/ and http://epiclaunch.com/3-simple-steps-to-manage-your-time-like-a-pro/ and [...]