Saturday, January 20, 2007

Ideas for Slowing Down - Just Say No! -- Dave Pollard share his merge of Covey's important/unimportant/urgent/not urgent quadrant with Allen's "Getting Things Done" system, and arrives at the conclusion that we should Just Say No to Urgent Unimportant Tasks, and offers a three-step process for avoiding those unimportant time-wasters:

1. Lower others' expectations: Essentially you need to train other people not to give you urgent unimportant tasks, and, when they do, not to expect you to do them...

2. Ask yourself this question: Five years from now, what will the consequences turn out to be if I simply don't do this urgent unimportant task -- not today, not ever? If the answer is 'not much', that should give you the courage (and it takes courage!) to 'just say no' to these time-burning, stressful, distracting tasks. Don't put them on your list. Don't do them. Don't give them another thought...

3. Delegate these tasks to people who think they are important: If you have admin staff, or junior staff itching to get into your good books, or friends or acquaintances who like this kind of 'busy' work and really find it meaningful, or just want to help you out, give it to them. Some people like doing paperwork. Don't feel guilty about it. Don't give them extra compensation or feel obligated. Just let them do it. Or find ways to automate these tasks or otherwise make them simpler and less time consuming.

Important: Just Do It!

Unimportant: Just Say No!

posted by Frank - Permanent Link - |

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• Slow Down to Get More Done
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