A long time ago I remember reading about David Allen’s idea that goes something like this:
Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. – David Allen
Ironically this idea has stuck with me for years and I have found it invaluable. My mind is often relatively empty so I can be totally present with whatever I’m doing. Maybe you’ll find this idea useful too.
Here’s a little ‘pro tip’ for you:
Batching
If you’re not already, start task batching stuff you need to get done as much as possible. Do you empty your garbage each time you put a piece of trash in it? Do you do your laundry every time you toss a dirty item into it? Obviously not. It’s clearly a waste of time in these cases because of the time it takes to switch back and forth from task to task.
Saving Time
Think about this in terms of basic productivity. Are you reading and responding to emails and calls as they come in? Does it take away from the work you are doing at the time? You might want to start batching that stuff and then attack each batch with the agility of a ninja. Think about batching your errands, emails, calls, meetings, bills, etc etc.. It will save you time and will help you focus properly on what you actually want to be doing instead of being constantly disrupted by inbound stuff. If you’re not task batching you might as well be taking out the trash every time you get a new email.
This dovetails nicely with inbox zero, and GTD.
[Photo by laszlo-photo]