Follow these steps to organize
and gain control over your workday
Harry S. Dennis III
For SBT
It always seems fitting with the launch of another year to talk about techniques for enhancing our personal productivity as managers and executives. A timeworn subject, to be sure, but one that never seems to really age.
My thanks to TEC speaker and productivity consultant David Allen for these ideas. He offers some very specific but practical stuff that can help all of us "disorganized ones" improve our personal productivity.
By way of introduction, on an average day, most of us are interrupted 150 to 300 times (excluding e-mails). You can’t feel much in control, relaxed, or focused under those circumstances. And we’ve all been through the to-do list or daily planner routine. Not to use a pun, but they are great "on paper." Unfortunately, all too often it ends there. We don’t take action!
To be productive, we have to work, and by "work" I mean doing everything you think needs to be different than what currently is, the "non-status quo," if you will. In other words, going through the motions just to take up time is not really work. It’s a waste of productive effort. So how can we "work" at work?
First, by managing commitment. Once you’ve committed to a task, it must be managed or it won’t be accomplished. How do you manage it? A) make sure you are clear about what it is (e.g., revise our cash flow forecast to reflect a 20% downturn in projected annual sales volume). B) make sure you have the resources to take action on it. And C) know in advance what your next step will be, given the results of the action taken.
Second, by managing the flow. As indicated earlier, you can be expected to be interrupted up to 300 times each workday. Workflow management requires that you have the ability to make a very quick snap judgment about what to do with an interruption. You can either "do it," "delegate it," "defer it," or "toss it." Workflow management dictates that if you "do it," make sure it is actionable and that you know the next step.
Third, by overhauling your collection system. To begin with, you must "uncollect." Take every piece of paper that is not filed, and put it in an empty drawer. Clear your literal desktop. Do backup files on your PC, then erase files from your hard drive that you know are just collecting dust. Then, begin the "rebuild" process in a deliberate fashion using the following collection tools: legal pads, Palm Pilots/PC, your own voice mail, tape recorder, etc.
Let’s reiterate: your "new productive you" means that you will 1) manage commitments, 2) manage the flow and, 3) devise a new collection system. This must become a part of your daily routine.
Allen recommends that you have three in-boxes to facilitate this new you: one at work, one for the car, and one at home. The capturing of information "low tech" via hotel notes, napkins, etc., can be then placed into the closest in-box. If you get into the habit of using them, you won’t "misplace" key actionable items.
As many of you know, I’m a pilot. When I enter the cockpit, all the information I need to act upon for a flight is carefully placed and organized around me — so that I can make timely and cogent decisions followed by the appropriate action.
The system that Allen is advocating simply asserts that you are your own cockpit, and your personal productivity will rise and/or fall depending on your willingness and discipline to keep it well maintained, current, and action-specific.
Allen offers one final crutch to help those of us who need a little more than a gentle productivity prodding. He suggests we maintain five lists:
1. A list of projects that must be engaged now.
2. A list of projects to be done or considered at a later point in time (I use a beyond 30-day criteria).
3. A list of actions that must be done at a specific date and time.
4. A list of actions that are not time/date specific.
5. A list of projects and actions that other people are doing for you, with deadlines you have assigned to them.
I personally use an HP Jornada 540 series pocket PC to help me with this productivity organizational scheme. I’ve just added a file transfer device (works with Windows 98 or 2000). I can’t read my own writing anymore so this works best for me.
At the end again! As we engage 2002, I hope the readers of this column have valued it and will continue to do so. Until next month, good "productivitying it" to you and your associates.
Harry S. Dennis III is the president of TEC (The Executive Committee) in Wisconsin and Michigan. TEC is a professional development group for CEOs, presidents and business owners. He can be reached at 262-821-3340 or at hikduke@aol.com.
Jan. 18, 2002 Small Business Times, Milwaukee
