The Four-Day Week Challenge - Work Smart, Not Long!

Thanks to Brooke Long at Cataluna for the tip on a great article from A List Apart called The Four-Day Week Challenge by Ryan Carson The problem, according to Ryan is: "If you’re like most people, you’ve got too much to do and not enough time to do it. The e-mail inbox is always overflowing and the list of to-dos never ends. You always feel that twinge of guilt because you’re never spending quite enough time on what you should be. What’s even more frustrating is that the more you work, the more it seems there is to do. Argh!" The article discusses the issues and solutions for both employed and self-employed folks. I'm betting that a LOT of real estate professionals will recognize themselves as they read the full article: - Click here. Here are some tips to help you out

1. Avoid using instant messaging: It’s a constant source of distraction.
2. Only check your e-mail twice a day: The surest way to waste time is the ol’ Send and Receive button.
3. Stick to what matters: Take care of the most important stuff first. Don’t waste time on low-priority stuff. (In fact, delete the low priority stuff from your to-do list. It’s not going to get done anyway!).
4. Ask for alone time: If you need uninterrupted time to get something done, politely notify your co-workers that you’ll be unavailable for a couple of hours.
5. Limit blog-reading time: Set a time limit on your blog reading. If you don’t get through all your blogs in that amount of time, hit the trusty “Mark All As Read” button and move on.
6. Make lists: Write a “to do” list for each day (on paper if you can bear to tear yourself away from Outlook). Put the time-sensitive stuff at the top and be realistic.
7. Choose three time-intensive things to do and five quick things to do. Make sure you finish all of them before you leave in the evening.
8. Restrict meetings: If you can, restrict the amount of meetings you call, or are involved in. Meetings drag on and can eat into your day. Instead aim for one or two meetings per week and plan them carefully to ensure you cover all important topics and keep on track.

Other resources: If you want some great ideas about maximizing your effectiveness and time management, I’d definitely recommend checking out the following:

• Getting Things Done by David Allen
• How to Shut Up and Get to Work! by Jason Fried
• Lifehacker
• Ta-Da Lists

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