I’m always on the look-out for time management tips to help me improve my personal productivity. I recently heard about a concept called “time-tagging” from Jack Cheng, and I’ve decided to give it a try this week.

Time-tagging seems like a simple concept. When you make your to-do list for the day or week, put a time-tag next to each item on the list, noting the approximate length of time you think it will take to accomplish the task.

According to Jack, time-tagging will help you . . .

• Filter - If you’ve got 20 minutes until the next meeting, don’t just kill time doing mindless stuff until the meeting starts (because you know you don’t have enough time to do something “big”). So take a quick look at your list and find a couple of tasks that you can easily accomplish during that 20 minute period.
• Clarify – Sometimes we put off doing things because we think they are bigger and more time-consuming than they really are.  By thinking about how much time the task will take, you move one step closer toward achieving it.  And we’re able to break-down large tasks into less daunting steps.  Jack follows the 5-60 rule:  if it takes less than 5 minutes, don’t write it down – do it now.  And if it takes longer than 60 minutes, it probably needs to be broken down into a few smaller, more manageable steps.
• Democratize – By identifying how much time each task or project takes, you see which projects are more important than other ones, based on the weight of time it takes to accomplish them (though this won’t always be the case).  Sometimes we do what we “feel” like doing, not what we know we should work on.  Seeing things in terms of time give our conscious minds some leverage — that extra little boost we need to overcome the mental hurdles that stand in the way of putting creative energy toward something amazing.

Like I said earlier, I’m going to give time-tagging a try this week, and I’ll let you know how it goes.

Does anyone else use time-tagging? If so, how is it working for you?  Has it increased your productivity?

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Can email addiction keep you from achieving your goals?

Don't let e-mail addiction ruin your productivity.

Earlier this week, in a mentoring group I belong to, we talked about the power that e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and other such communication tools can have over people.

I think everyone in the group knew someone who was, or admitted that they themselves were, addicted to checking their email, etc. every 5 minutes or so, either on their computer or smartphone.

I just did some quick addition, and was shocked to see how this adds up:

If you check your e-mail every 5 minutes when you’re at work, then you are checking it 12 times an hour. Multiply 12 times an hour by 8 hours per work day, 5 days a week, and 50 weeks a year (uh, that’s assuming you don’t check your e-mail when you’re on vacation). This adds up to 24,000 times per year!

Now, if you work in customer service, then checking your email frequently is an important part of your job.

But for most of us, if we’re checking our e-mail 24,000 times a year, we are probably sacrificing something somewhere, don’t you think?

For me, if I check email, Facebook or Twitter frequently at the office, I lose focus pretty quickly on the task at hand. I end up getting sucked into conversations, start looking at other links and sites that people recommend.  And all of a sudden, the day is done and I haven’t accomplished all that I had planned to.

At home, if I’m not careful, I could spend so much time connecting with others online that I neglect my family sitting in the same room.

What about you, could e-mail addiction keep you from being productive, achieving your goals and living the life you want?

Four Ways to Keep E-mail from Dominating Your Life

Here are four things you can do to maintain balance and keep e-mail from dominating your life:

1. Track Your E-mail Time Usage – If you’re not sure if e-mail addiction is a problem for you, you may be in denial. Just kidding! You can know for sure by tracking how you spend your time for a week using a time tracking tool.  Lifehacker did a review of some of the best time tracking applications, including Klok, Manic Time, SlimTime, Rescue Time, and Project Hamster.
2. Schedule time for e-mail – At the office, try checking email only once an hour and see how that goes for you.  Or maybe just three times a day – first thing in the morning, before or after lunch, and mid-late afternoon.  If you think you might forget to check it (personally, I know I would not forget) you can set an alarm to remind you when it is time.
3. Handle each e-mail only once – We can save time and be more productive if we handle each e-mail only once, instead of letting it sit in our in-box for action or a response at later time.
4. Unsubscribe from lists and e-newsletters that you rarely read anymore or that don’t add value to your life.

Has anyone else struggled with e-mail addiction…and do you have any other tips or suggestions?  Please share them in the Comments below.

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Why is work-life balance important?

This is part seven of a series on How to Balance Your Time, where we’re looking at the six key types of time we all need in our lives if we are to maintain proper work-life balance:

Creative and productive

Physically energetic and active

Playful and entertaining

Learning and developing

Reflective and spiritual

Restful and relaxing

Today we’ll take a closer look at the sixth and last type of time:  restful and relaxing.

This category overlaps a bit with the third one – playful and entertaining.  The difference is that the “restful and relaxing” category knocks the energy level down another notch or two from the “playful and entertaining” category.  To rest and relax means to not just give our mind a diversion, but to give it a break.

All of us make some time for rest when we go to sleep (though not everyone gets enough sleep that they need).  But we don’t often make time for other types of rest throughout our week.  I’m not just talking about napping, though there are tremendous benefits of taking a 20-minute power nap in the mid-afternoon.  Other restful and relaxing activities include:

Reading

Meditation

Daydreaming (one of my personal favorites)

Watching TV

Long showers or bubble baths or massages.

Other quiet hobbies or activities

I’ve found it hard to make time for rest at times in my life, because it seems so “unproductive”.  And yet, I’ve realized that that’s the point!

I’m learning that I need “down time” – time just to relax and do something mindless – something that requires no thinking or decision making on my part.

One thing that has helped is that our family has decided to set aside one day each week for rest and relaxation.  What do you do to make time for rest and relaxation in your life?

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How a Day of Rest Can Improve Work-Life Balance

This is part six of a series on How to Balance Your Time, where we’re looking at the six key types of time we all need in our lives if we are to maintain work-life balance:

* Creative and productive
* Physically energetic and active
* Playful and entertaining
* Learning and developing
* Reflective and spiritual
* Restful and relaxing

Today we’ll take a closer look at the fifth type of time:  reflective and spiritual.

I’ve said here before that I believe all of us are spiritual beings and have some sort of moral compass to guide us, whether or not we recognize it or consider ourselves to be “religious”.

I write about Spirituality, Faith and Ethics on Sundays because I have observed that many people tend to neglect the spiritual aspect of their lives.  I certainly have at different times.  Why?  Because it requires that we take a deep look within, and personally, I’m often afraid to see what’s lurking there!

I think one of the best things people can do is to make time for reflection – to take a good look inside themselves to assess how well they lived over the last week or month in accordance with their values and beliefs.

For me, this exercise gives me a greater sense of perspective, helps me align my habits and actions with my stated values and beliefs, and helps me on my journey to live up to my full potential in all areas of life, including the spiritual area.

Here are some other practices that can help you nurture your spiritual life:

Solitude – Make time to get away from it all and just enjoy some quiet reflection and prayer.  It could be just a few moments of quiet in your home or office, a long walk or hike, or something else.

Gratitude – There is something spiritual about showing gratitude for the blessings we’ve received.  I think one reason it is powerful is because it is an expression of our dependence on God and others.

Prayer – Over the years, I’ve read lots of articles about the power of prayer, based on people’s experiences.  Prayers can be as brief and simple as the words “help me”, or they can be longer times of connection to God at a deeper level.  Prayers can be said throughout the day or at specific times of day.

Meditation & Scripture Memorization – Read the Bible or other sacred or inspirational text, and meditate on, or even memorize, certain passages.

Accountability Partner, Spiritual Friend or Mentor – Sometimes we all need the guidance and support of others to help us grow.  Many people find that having an accountability partner has made a difference for them – not just in their spiritual growth – but in all areas of life.  An accountability partner is someone who holds you lovingly accountable for the goals you’ve said you wanted to accomplish and the changes you wanted to make.  A spiritual friend or mentor is someone who specifically guides you in the spiritual (and other related) aspects of your life.

Small Group – This is similar to the one above, but it involves a group instead of a one-to-one relationship.

Weekly worship gathering – Many people find their spiritual life grows when they connect to a local church or other house of worship for regular worship services or experiences.

What are some of the ways you nurture your spiritual life?  Please share your thoughts and ideas!

This is part five of a series on How to Balance Your Time, where we’re looking at the six key types of time we all need in our lives:

• Creative and productive
• Physically energetic and active
• Playful and entertaining
• Learning and developing
• Reflective and spiritual
• Restful and relaxing

Today we’ll take a closer look at the fourth type of time:  learning and developing.

I’m so grateful that at some point in my life, someone encouraged me to never stop learning and growing.

For some, they thrive in the academic world, and enjoy pursuing “formal” education.  I once knew a man who had three master’s degrees and a doctorate, and was still going back for more!

But for most of us, we grow, learn and develop through informal ways – by reading books, attending seminars, reading blogs, etc.  You can read how to become an expert on any topic for some tips on free and low-cost ways to grow your knowledge base.

One of my personal goals is to reach my full potential in the seven basic areas of life.  In order to reach my full potential, I know I need to keep learning and developing.  Right now, a lot of my learning is coming from magazines, blogs and podcasts.  In fact, nearly every time I exercise at the Y, fly, drive, or work on a household project (like painting), I listen to podcasts.

There’s an important distinction that needs to be made between “learning” and “developing” that we sometimes miss.  In some cultures, to “learn” means to take in information.  And to “develop” is to apply the learned information and be changed by it.  In some cultures, to “learn” means information, application and transformation – I love that!

After all, if more information was all we needed, then all librarians would be millionaires!  But they’re not – because action is the key next step.

What are you doing, and how are you balancing your time, to keep up your own personal growth and development?

This is part four of a series on How to Balance Your Time, where we’re looking at the six key types of time we all need in our lives:

• Creative and productive
• Physically energetic and active
• Playful and entertaining
• Learning and developing
• Reflective and spiritual
• Restful and relaxing

Today we’ll take a closer look at the third type of time:  playful and entertaining.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”  The point is that we all need some time to play, have fun, laugh and be entertained – otherwise we can become bored with life or get depressed.  These activities help to give our minds a bit of a rest – taking the focus off our work or worries.

Some of my favorite things to do for fun are:

• going to a concert, movie or sporting event
• watching TV at home
• reading a book just for fun and enjoyment, not necessarily to learn something
• sunbathing at the beach
• going for a walk, hike, bike ride or scenic drive
• going to a coffee shop or restaurant alone or with family or friends
• going shopping

This topic is similar to the last one because we sometimes think we need to limit this kind of “unproductive” time. But all of us need time to be “off”.  We all need some time that is just for us and not anyone else.

Interestingly, I’ve found that when I do it, my mind becomes clearer and I often get some great ideas or insights that probably wouldn’t have come if I hadn’t slowed down.  My challenge, then, is to not start working when I get those ideas.  I simply write them down (if I don’t, I’ll forget them) and come back to them later, during my “productive” time.

If you struggle with making time for yourself, block off some time on your calendar this week and pick something that you enjoy doing . . . and do it!  Or, maybe pick something you’ve always wanted to do.

I’m sure there are some people who spend too much time in this category.  But I’ve never been one of them.  Have you?  What do you enjoy doing just for fun?

This is part three of a series on How to Balance Your Time, where we’re looking at the six key types of time we all need in our lives:

• Creative and productive
• Physically energetic and active
• Playful and entertaining
• Learning and developing
• Reflective and spiritual
• Restful and relaxing

Today we’ll take a closer look at the second type of time:  physically energetic and active.

We all know that regular exercise is important if we’re to maintain good health.  And yet so few of us make it a priority.  That was true of me for much of my life.

My biggest problem:  I always thought that if I took time to exercise, I’d be taking away valuable time from my family, or productive time from my work.  I didn’t understand that exercise could help improve both my family life and work life – that it would re-energize, refresh and refocus me at work, and keep me in good health so I can be around a lot longer for my family.

In the last few years, I’ve discovered some strategies that have helped improve both my outlook on exercise, and my determination in making time for it:

I discovered that I didn’t have to set aside 30 or 40 minutes for exercise at one given time in a day.  I could spread it out throughout the day.  I’ve learned that doing two or three 10-15 minute work-outs can make a difference.  Whenever I start to feel sluggish at work, I take a brisk walk, do some push-ups or other simple Fat Loss Quickie exercises in my office, or run up and down some stairs a few times.  It doesn’t take me long to get my heart rate going, and I notice that my mind is more focused and creative as a result.

I learned that I can combine two or more goals for greater results.  My goals to exercise, spend more time with my family, and be super productive at work don’t have to be mutually exclusive goals.  Frequently, I combine the two by exercising or enjoying some physical activity with my wife and/or kids.  For example, my wife and I have begun working out 4-5 times a week using the Jillian Michaels – 30 Day Shred DVD (Jillian is one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser).  And I frequently play basketball, ride bikes, or go swimming with my kids.  We have fun, enjoy some time being together, and get some good exercise all at the same time.

Today, exercise is becoming more and more a natural part of my life.  But it wasn’t always that way.  I had to be more intentional before it could become more natural.

Has anyone else struggled with making time for exercise and physical activity?  Or am I the only one?

On Sundays I write on Spirituality, Faith and Ethics.  I do it because I believe we’re all spiritual beings and have some sort of a moral compass in our lives.  You can learn more by clicking here.

Yesterday, I began a new series on How to Balance Your Time, where we’re looking at the six key types of time we all need in our lives:

• Creative and productive
• Physically energetic and active
• Playful and entertaining
• Learning and developing
• Reflective and spiritual
• Restful and relaxing

Today we’ll take a closer look at the first type of time:  creative and productive.  It’s no secret that most of us focus a majority of our time in this category, because we spend so much of our time at work.

I think it is very natural for us to do that, because that’s how God made us.  He made us to be like him as a creator and producer. In the beginning, he gave Adam work to do and called it good.

But he also made us to rest. To maintain a balanced life, we don’t just need a day of rest, though that’s important.  We need times of rest and relaxation throughout each day and week.  And we need variety.

For most of us, working in the creative/productive realm requires a lot of energy.  However, we simply can’t maintain that high energy level forever.  We also need times of exercise, entertainment, learning, reflection and rest.  We’ll talk more about each of these in future posts over the next few days.

Personally, much of my time each week is spent in the creative/productive category.  I love what I do and I could do it all day and night, if I didn’t set limits for myself.

In recent years, I’ve increasingly realized that I can improve my creativity and productivity by taking time off to get some exercise, play, learn, reflect, and rest.  It seems counter-intuitive, I know.  I used to think that if I just worked harder or longer, I’d get more done.  But I’ve discovered this isn’t always the case.

In fact, I’ve learned that if I work too long or hard, my creativity and productivity begins to diminish.  When I work too late at night, I start to make mistakes.  I can’t think straight.

Now I’m learning to work smarter, not harder, by maintaining balance in my life. I’ve found that I have more creativity when I do exercise and take time to read.  I’m more productive when I get a good night’s sleep and take some relaxation breaks during the work day.

I’ve also come to appreciate the meaning of the word “recreation”.  It’s not just about playing or doing something just for fun or sport.  When we recreate we re-create.  Something happens inside us that re-creates the energy and creativity we need.

And above all, I’ve found that the more I acknowledge that my ability to create and produce is a gift from God . . . and the more I seek to do my work and live my life in a time-balanced way . . .  the more creative, productive, and successful I am.

This week, as I look over the list of six key types of time, I know I need to schedule some time for learning and developing.  I’ve got a stack of magazines and two books that have been waiting for me that I’ve neglected for far too long.  The reason why?  I don’t have the time – I have work to do.  Yeah, right!

But I know that if I take the time to read and enjoy those magazines this week, I’ll get a little re-charge in energy.  And I’ll probably get some really great ideas from what I read that I can put into practice.  So, I’m blocking out time in my calendar to read those this week.

What about you?  Are you all work and no play?  Do you find it hard to balance your time by scheduling times for rest, relaxation and recreation?  If so, I encourage you to look over the list of six key types of time and pick one or two that you feel would be most important to do right now, and then schedule those into your life this week.  Let me know how it goes!