Productivity is less about what you do with your time. And more about how you run your mind” ~Robin Sharma
Productivity can be thought of as spending less time on work and not as having the most output. When there are only seventeen hours of light in a day, it is necessary to use them efficiently.
Simplify Surroundings
If you find yourself distracted by sounds, electronics, or people in your workplace, try simplifying your surroundings. Determine what you can control, and work from there. For example, if you are working from home and are distracted by your noisy neighbors, grab some noise-canceling headphones. If scrolling on your phone takes up your time, work on putting your phone in a less easily accessible place. Getting into the flow of your work without distractions will help your focus and productivity immensely.
Time Management Techniques
If you work long hours and still seem to be behind on work, improve your time management techniques to get the most out of your time. Try the Pomodoro Technique—set a timer for twenty-five minutes of deep focus, take a five-minute break after, and repeat. On the fourth cycle, take a longer break of twenty to thirty minutes. Or you can try the Eat the Frog method based on Mark Twain’s quote “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.” Tackle your hardest work first so you have less time to procrastinate and you’re feeling your most energetic. Once you finish that, your other tasks will not seem as daunting and require less energy than the earlier ones.
The last technique to try is the Getting Things Done (GTD) method. Named by David Allen, this management methodology works by writing down all your tasks, then breaking the larger ones into smaller chunks. This makes big projects less overwhelming and helps you feel accomplished as you complete the larger task at hand.
Busy Work
Part of managing your time is reducing busy work. Busy work consumes your time and often leads to more tasks at the end of the day. Instead of texting back and forth to schedule a meeting or taking long processes to find information, develop more efficient methods to your work processes. Then you will not need to replicate work and waste your precious time.
Try to capitalize during your peak productivity hours. Not everyone is built to work 9-5 every day efficiently. Figure out if it’s easier for you to focus first thing in the morning, after lunch, or late at night. Take breaks in between when needed so you don’t burn out or partially complete tasks. Schedule your meetings in blocks so you can have time to focus on work around them. Some ideas could be having one day without meetings or meetings after lunch. That way you can dedicate yourself to tasks on certain days.
Boundaries
Finally, if you follow these tips and still feel overwhelmed, there may be too much on your plate. Set boundaries with yourself and clarify your priorities. Practice saying no, understand your peak capacity workload, and set boundaries on what you can handle. If saying “no” seems too daunting, start off with saying “not right now”. Baby steps are a key to making long-lasting changes. Strive to improve your systems to then have more time in the day to do other activities that you enjoy.
Changing Perspective
Similarly, understanding and becoming literate in the finance world can be intimidating, especially as women have been historically left out of this area of every-day life. Getting started can be the hardest part of something new, so give yourself credit for showing up in the first place. Try changing your perspective to a growth mindset to encourage and empower you. Perfection can be unrealistic and greatness doesn’t always happen overnight or at the beginning of something new. Be patient with yourself as you learn the many different aspects of financial literacy. And if you need some guidance, find an advisor you trust and can have comfortable conversations about your finances with.
Once you have narrowed down what your priorities are, it is easy to see what they are not. Focus on improving your time management throughout the day to be the most efficient. With 17 hours awake in a day, make sure you are doing what you want and that those activities may bring you closer to your goals.
Marilyn Suey
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER TM
Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor®
Accredited Investment Fiduciary®
marilyn.suey@diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com
Marilyn Suey is a Registered Representative with, and securities and Retirement Plan Consulting Program advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Other advisory services offered through Mariner Independent Advisor Network, LLC a Registered Investment Advisor. The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors and Mariner Independent Advisor Network, LLC are separate entities from LPL Financial.CA Insurance License #0E01981
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Center for Financial Planning, Inc. owns and licenses the certification mark CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the United States to Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., which authorizes individuals who successfully complete the organization’s initial and ongoing certification requirements to use the certification mark.
Marilyn is the Founder and CEO of The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors. She is a nationally recognized Financial Educator, Author, Speaker, and Wealth Manager, who you may have seen in NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX network affiliates and Yahoo News, Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch, Wall Street Select and others. Marilyn and her team at The Diamond Group Wealth Advisors have been showing business owners, healthcare professionals, and executives how to accumulate, preserve, and pass on their wealth for almost 20 years. Marilyn developed The Prosperity Blue Print™, a five-step wealth planning process, that includes strategy for Wealth Accumulation, Wealth Preservation, and planning for your ideal retirement lifestyle. She founded the Savvy Women Community where she shares her wisdom and experience with like-minded women. She received an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a degree in Applied Math and Economics from UC Berkeley. To schedule your complimentary Lifestyle Upgrade Assessment, call: (925) 219-0080 or email; marilyn.suey@diamondgroupwealthadvisors.com
