Time Management Expert, Event Speaker: Mark Lamendola

Productivity Case Histories | Productivity improvement articles | Time Tips Articles
 

Time Tips: Time Segmentation Tip #1

Here's a sure-fire way to save many hours a week: time segmentation. Simply allot X minutes to each task you have planned for the day. Be sure to specify a starting time and ending time, and stick to the plan. How does this save you time? Let me count the ways:

  1. Parkinson's Law says the amount of work will expand to fit the amount of time allotted to it. Therefore, open-ended tasks take more time than if the very same tasks had starting and stopping times.
     
  2. You avoid pacing yourself to a lower than "normal" energy output rate.
     
  3. You can actually raise your energy for the duration of the allotted time, rather than working at normal energy. A person in decent physical shape can sprint full-out for three minutes (please note, the average person cannot sprint full-out for even thirty seconds, but that is a different topic). But, asking someone to sprint "for as long as you can" will result in a lowering of overall effort.
     
  4. Your brain needs variety. By switching at predetermined stopping points, you get variety without sacrificing concentration.

This idea of focusing for a defined period is not some "new age crap." In fact, it is the basis for most of the martial arts, rock-climbing, competitive shooting, and advanced sports training techniques. It's been proven in venues far more demanding than the local latte shop.

 

Do you want to radically improve how well people in your organization make use of the limited number of hours in each work day?

Contact me to arrange a time when we can talk about a presentation: mark@mindconnection.com. Why arrange a time? So I can give you full attention during the call. There's a really powerful time management tip. Ask me why it works.