It’s Just Week 5 of a LONG 52-Week Personal Development Syllabus

Every week counts … especially the previous couple of weeks … we want to get it really right, while it’s still fresh,because of how discipline builds.

When we return our foundations, we can finally begin to actually build on them … it’s like how it works after we have grown up, when we can let go of any resentments and respect our parents more … we don’t have to make the silly effort to rebelliously make fun of the old fogey’s who are still clinging to their outdated beliefs – we can finally join them in their wisdom and maybe even build from there.

For Week 5, we start, as we did last week, by looking back at the previous week … or two or three… and, if necessary we go back futher, IMPROVING and BUILDING on whatever came before to provided the foundation for that week.

Yes. It is repitious. The repetition is necessary and important, because it’s not just about the current week – we are building a long term discipline.

Advanced calendar management strategies

The first tier of advancements in calendar and project mgmt involves something known as the Eisenhower Matrix (also known as the Urgent-Important Matrix) which is a very simple, easy-to-communicate [to even large teams] productivity framework that helps prioritize tasks based on two key dimensions: importance and urgency.

  1. Quadrant 1 or A-designated ideas - Important & Urgent (Do First)
    • Require immediate attention; often the $ is not an object
    • Often involves crises or deadlines
    • Generally we try to minimize these through better planning
  2. Quadrant 2 or B-designated ideas - Important & Not Urgent (Schedule)
    • Most crucial for long-term success
    • These focus on long-term strategic thinking, background research and activities to develop or build the “scaffolding” for whatever is necessary
    • Block specific time in your calendar for these and working what is necessary to develop whatever is necessary
  3. Quadrant 3 or C-designated ideas - Not As Important, But Urgent (Often Something To Delegate)
    • Generally, these are tasks that can be handled by others, but they might also involve funding, approval from others or new developments
    • Important to identify appropriate team members or the sources of funding or what kinds of new developments need to happen first, ie when the prerequisites are met, it’s immediately time to act
    • Notify the people who matter, create clear delegation protocols with feedback and extra communication
  4. Quadrant 4 - Not Important & Not Urgent (Put In the “Parking Lot” If The Matter Needs To “Percolate” Awhile, But Eliminate If Possible)
    • Don’t tolerate this time-wasting nonsense for very long, but sometimes these are intriguing opportunities or provacative, wild creative ideas that might go somewhere if circumstances, assumptions or available factors change … but MOSTLY, these need to be rapidly dispatched.
    • The “Parking Lot” is not intended for long-term storage, it should be routinely cleared out; in general these things should be minimized or eliminated ASAP
    • Often these are a result of bandaids or easy button quick-fixes, but generally these are the results of badhabits that need breaking

Calendar and Email/Messaging Management:

  • Create a SMALL buffer time for Q1 emergencies, but if you are continually in Q1, you need to triage your situation, take a step back and get your s*** together to get out of Q1
  • Block out Q2 activities first, but notify the people necessary for the Q3 activities
  • Schedule regular reviews/dispositions of your “Parking Lot” … just don’t let the non-urgent, non-important stuff pile up
  • Make email carry the load; never schedule meetings for things that should be handled with emails

Team Coordination:

  • It’s bears repeating: Never schedule meetings for things that should be handled with emails
  • Demand that others respect the matrix in team meetings
  • Steadily, constantly develop and improve team discipline
  • Establish clear communication expectations and delegation paths

Project Planning and Multi-ProjectCoordination:

  • Expect competent project managers to evaluate project tasks using the matrix … never tolerate deviation frm these expectations, ie take responsibility for ENSURING that the matrix is respected, that multi-project coordination has everybody on the same page
  • Front-load important but not urgent work; refuse to tolerate any kind of managementdependency on creating crises and urgencies
  • Build in the contingency and buffer time, especially in critical chain management, for urgent items, ie s*** does happen.

Implementing time-boxing for enhanced productivity

Pomodoro Technique

Flowmodoro Technique

Utilizing Eisenhower Matrix for task prioritization

Developing a personal focus ritual

Delayed gratification exercises for procrastination management

Setting process goals vs. outcome goals

Exploring MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) techniques

LEARN by DOING