Special Report on Time Management 2.0

Newsletter Header8 Edgy Ideas from Time Management 20 by Francis Wade copy 2010 2

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IntroductionIm often asked what gives me the motivation for writing abouttime management and its not because I like to repeat thesame old boring stuff that other people have been rehashingsince time immemorialIts because I like edgy radical ideas that make a big difference in the livesof busy working people who are trying their best to improve the way theymanage their timeI imagine that if you downloaded this report that you are someone who hasmore than a passing interest in your personal productivity and are lookingfor a few new ways to take your daily performance to another level You mayhave been exposed to some of the latest ideas or not and probably havesome ideas of your ownOr perhaps you are simply curious about what Time Management 20 is allaboutWhatever frame of mind you might be in I want you to know that thepurpose of this report is to meet you exactly where you are in your life atyour current level of productivity You might be just starting out with yourfirst attempt to improve your skills Or you might be an expert who has beenhoning your skills for many yearsRegardless of where you are in the spectrum I can promise you that everysingle one of the 8 Edgy Ideas applies to youThats an astounding claim given the fact that we have never met andprobably wont ever meet But heres what I know you are using some kindof system and (like gravity) it is subject to some limitations that are simplyfacts of life None of us escapes the gravitational pull of the Earth and noneof us is able to remember everything that we have to do on every day usingjust our memoryThere are certain truths that are justtrueA few years ago as I delved into time management books and websitestrying to get some help in designing a system that would fit my new life inJamaica it struck me that those who were teaching time management wereignoring some of these truths about the way their learners were learning Byignoring them they were making it harder for people to benefit and use theirideas I realized that behind all the pages and charts and paper inserts wasa fact that most gurus acknowledge quietly

8 Edgy Ideas from Time Management 20

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8 Edgy Ideas from Time Management 20 by Francis Wade copy 2010 3

Time management gurus dont really expect you to do all the stuffthat they tell you to doThere is no way they could They tell you to do too many things all at onceand you are bound to fail to put them all into action within a day a week amonth or even a lifetimeYou leave the learning event having to make a choice about which aspects tokeep and which ones to discard The problem I had was a natural one Whohelps the learner decide what to use what to discard and whenI dont think that it should be me Instead the responsibility lies with youthe professional but without a knowledge of the truth you might come tothink that something must be wrong with you when you experiences theinevitable failure to implement too many new ideas all at onceTime Management 20 was born with a commitment to put you the learningprofessional back in the drivers seat and in charge of your timemanagement system This idea is a radical one and I believe that when itstold often and early enough it sets people freeBut free to do whatIn my minds eye if you have read this far then you probably have aninterest in improving some aspect of your time management and personalproductivity in one of the following areas You want tokeep the professional respect you have earned for being efficient even asyour job requires you to do more with less- never be in fear of being late or having something important fall throughthe cracks- get to the end of your day and feel satisfied and accomplished- have a sense that your work and home life are in balance- look at all aspects of your life and know that none is being short-changed- maintain a cool calm and peaceful frame of mind- beat the other guy to a promotion because you have become better andfasterYou want the freedom to accomplish all your goals and wishes even as theychange from month to month even in the midst of a recession andregardless of what life may throw at youThats the commitment behind Time Management 20 - to meet you the userat your current level of skills You could be brand new to learning a timemanagement approach or a veteran who has been honing their practices foryears with an insiders knowledge of several commercial systemsTo do so effectively you need to determine the answer to this importantquestion


www2timeshysyscomDo You Have a Static orDynamic SystemMany years ago I happened to havemy mother in a time managementclass that I taught long before thedays of Time Management 20I remember being a littledisappointed at the end when shetold me that she was a retiredperson and that she probablywouldnt be using much of what Ihad taught I argued the point a bitat the time but it wasnt until laterwhen I remembered that she hadalso said that if she were stillworking it would have been moreusefulNow looking back I realize that shehad made a downgrade to her timemanagement system which issomething that I imagine that mostpeople do when they retire Theychange gears now that they havefewer critical time demands tomanage and they change theirhabit patterns to simpler onesAt the time I only taught what arecalled Static Systems in timemanagement They are made up offixed habit patterns and set practices that are developed at some point intime and are meant to be followed exactly as described I falsely believedthat time management was something that you learned once and once onlylike learning to walkIts a little like figuring out a great recipe for fried chicken and teachingothers to follow it no matter what If that sounds like a formula for successthen it should as KFC McDonalds and many others have followed thisformula and made great profitsBy contrast Dynamic Systems are ones that are continuously evolving Inaddition to whats taught in Static Systems people also learn how to ownmanage and upgrade their time management systems from year to yearThey develop the ability to do so in response to changes in technologydemands on their time job responsibilities and family obligations

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Its a little like being able to make your own recipes for fried chickenIn Time Management 20 which is one of the few Dynamic Systems I amaware of professionals develop these improvement skills and they becometheirs for life and they use them to make intelligent upgrades anddowngradesOne of the major problems in the way time management is taught is thatparticipants are given a Static System when what they really need is onethat is DynamicWhich one do you haveTo help you decide here are the 8 Edgy Ideas that are included in TimeManagement 20 summarized on the next page Each Idea is detailed in itsown chapter in this special reportId love to get your feedback Look for instructions on how to share it onFacebook or on my blog at the end of this reportFrancis


www2timeshysyscomSummary The 8 Edgy IdeasEDGY IDEA 1 - THE TERM TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DOESNT MEAN WHAT IT USED TOOthers say A time management system is simply a bunch of tips that you learn in a classTime Management 20 says The modern professionals time management system consistsof top class hardware software and internet services combined with a personalized habitpattern

EDGY IDEA 2 - BE SMART FIGURE OUT YOUR OWN SYSTEMOthers say Dont worry about why this system works just believe it follow it and use itTime Management 20 says Find out the design principles behind all useful systems sothat you can craft your own

EDGY IDEA 3 - BUILD ON WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ADOPT A PLAN TO MAKE IT BETTEROthers say You must forget what you already know and adopt everything you are nowbeing taughtTime Management 20 says You have already had some success with the home-grownsystem you use today Retain what works and make a plan to work on what doesntkeeping growth organic

EDGY IDEA 4 - NEVER GET STUCK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY -- KEEP EVOLVINGOthers say Time management is something you learn once like riding a bicycleTime Management 20 says If you dont continually upgrade your skills prepare to fallbehind

EDGY IDEA 5 - SWIPE TIME MANAGEMENT IDEAS FROM EVERYWHERE YOU CAN FIND THEMOthers say Dont deviate from this systemTime Management 20 says Experiment and try new ideas from all sources

EDGY IDEA 6 - SET YOUR OWN GOALS AND TRACK YOUR OWN PROGRESS AS YOU IMPROVEOthers say Follow or use this system and youll doubletripequadruple your productivityTime Management 20 says There is no easy way to measure an increase in yourproductivity but choose a tangible behavioral goal

EDGY IDEA 7- TAKE YOUR TIME AND MAKE CHANGES ACCORDING TO YOUR COMMON-SENSEPLANOthers say Here is a long list of changes you need to make NOWTime Management 20 says Plan out your changes over time and implement themorganically

EDGY IDEA 8 - EVOLVING YOUR SYSTEM IS A FUNCTION OF YOUR HABIT-CHANGING SUPPORTSOthers say Habit change is easyTime Management 20 says Habit change is hard but it can be made easier with the rightsupport


www2timeshysyscomSummary CommentsAt the time of writing this report the 2Time website is the only one youll findthat distinguishes Time Management 10 and 20 Because of that theseconcepts are a bit edgy simply because they arent widespreadWhat makes Time Management 20 an improvement is the fact that it goespast the standard prescription to copy someone elses formula for successTime management gurus claim to have found the best path and theirinstruction is a simple one Follow me Whats often not said openly is thatstatements corollary Or else youll failYet many people are happy to follow 10 thinking because its easier to doso relieving them of the ownership and responsibility inherent in 20 Itpromises quicker faster easier more painless resultsTime Management 20 on the other hand is built on the following assertionTodays professionals are capable of being taught the design principlesof time management so that they can assess their unique needsunderstand whats working for them today set some realistic goals andupgrade their systems in an organic and fulfilling wayThey dont need to be spoon-fedYet there are some who would argue that this document is just more rulesfrom a different guru I recognize that this is likely to happen but Im willingto take the risk of being misunderstood I believe that the value to be gainedfrom people using these Edgy Ideas far exceeds the criticism that mightcome But you should be the judgeHere are the details of each of the 8 Edgy Ideas Its not essential that youagree with all of them but I suggest that you grapple with each of themseriously (rather than superficially) and transform the way you think aboutmanaging your time

Further Resources In this special report Ill be pointing out furtherresources that can you can access via text video or audio Each of thesetopics can be studied in greater depth and there is some research(although not nearly enough) that backs up each Edgy IdeaRead -- virtually all the 500+ pieces of distinct content on my research blogspeaks to these 8 Edgy Ideas to some degree http2time-syscomHowever this is the first summary document that pulls them all togetherWatch -- The following video that I placed on YouTube might be helpfulFAQ1 - Why should I care about time managementhttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=qVkLQF99C2Y


www2timeshysyscomEDGY IDEA 1 - THE TERM TIME MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DOESNT MEAN WHAT IT USED TOOthers say A time management system is simply a bunch of tips that youlearn in a classTime Management 20 says The modern professionals time managementsystem consists of quality hardware software and internet servicescombined with a personalized habit pattern

What is a Time Management SystemTheres no denying that the thing that we call a time management systemhas radically changedBack in the good old days people didnt have systems - they simply haddiaries that they used to manage appointments and keep a few phonenumbers They were simple tools designed for a time when lives were notnearly as hectic as they are todayFast forward to today and its not too hard to see that time demands haveincreased rapidly and so have communication channels While some peoplestrenuously avoid Twitter Facebook cell-phones and even email most of usare users of these and other technologies that are busy receiving messagesand time demands 24 hours a dayTo deal with todays massive information flows you and I have hobbledtogether our own systems -- mostly without knowing it They encompassmuch more than the simple appointment diaries of old Today they includebull mobile gadgets for internet access (smartphones)bull portable devices for information storage retrieval and manipulation(PDAs)bull cell phones for voice and text messagingbull batteries and chargersbull software for email and time management (eg Outlook and Lotus Notes)bull web services for email and time management (eg GMail and Yahoo)bull paper pads some of which have special usesbull digital voice recordersPlus there are devices that combine two or more of the items listed abovesuch as the most recent smartphonesThese are the physical tools we include in todays modern time managementsystems and you probably use one or more of these items to help manage


www2timeshysyscomyour time However while they are a part of every persons system they areonly a small part of the pictureHabits Practices and RitualsIn addition to the physical objects listed above a time management systemmust include our personal habits practices and rituals those activities thatwe repeat without thinking We build them into our neuro-muscular systemsvia hundreds or thousands of repetitions starting at an age when we firstdeveloped a concern for using our time wiselyMost of us didnt pick up new habits with a conscious intention to enhanceour time management systems any more than a child who learns to brushhis teeth is concerned about hygiene We started to do them because otherswere doing them they worked for us and we just never stoppedFor example if someone tells you to call them later and then gives you theirphone number you immediately look for a pen and a piece of paper as isyour custom That habit makes up an important part of your systemSo time management systems consist of a blend of physical tools plus thehabits and practices that we teach ourselvesTherefore its not too easy to imagine that no two time managementsystems are the same Even if two people sit in the same training or readthe same book they still assemble their own unique systems based on whatthey have learned in the past from trial and errorMost however have used no help whatsoever and built a system withoutbeing conscious of what they are doing Its not until they bump into awebsite like this one or a program or book that they realize that theyactually have a system that is a key component of their successKnowing that you have a system that functions at some level is importantespecially when you are tempted or forced to make a change such as anyone of the followingbull your company switches from Microsoft Outlook to Lotus Notesbull your trusted Palm PDA breaks and its no longer being manufacturedbull your multi-tabbed DayTimer diary is lost on an airplanebull a new Blackberry comes along that has some enticing new featuresbull an iPhone is given to you by your boss as a wonderful Christmas presentand as a strong hint to become more organizedbull you buy a book that speaks to some new practices but makes no mentionof hardware or softwarebull your online calendar is corrupted and you decide to try a new serviceinsteadbull you wake up one day to the 10000 messages in your email Inbox anddecide to trash all of them with a single hit of the delete button


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EDGY IDEA 2 - BE SMART FIGURE OUT YOUR OWN SYSTEMOthers say Dont worry about why this system works just followuse itTime Management 20 says Find out the design principles behind all usefulsystems so that you can craft your ownPeople who come across a time management book or class are generally toldto follow the instructions and to adopt the new practices they are beingtaught But they are simply never told WHY exactly the system beingdescribed is better than the one they are currently usingDont blame the teacherauthorworkshop facilitator They simply dont havethe time to work with each individual in order to understand what theycurrently have and instead they present a generic system that they honestlybelieve the listener reader should adopt in whole for their own good ofcourse

Most people make (or suffer) changes like these to their time managementsystems and do so blindly At the end of it all they might still not know thatby changing their tools they have forced themselves into new habits andtherefore made a deep alteration to their time management systemsIn Time Management 20 professionals see the system in its entirety andunderstand that simple-looking tweaks could lead to lost messages latearrivals at meeting and increasing feelings of overwhelm They appreciatethe delicate interplay between the elements of their system and makechanges slowly and carefully treating their productivity as the 1 priorityYou might see them turn down the gift of an Android experiment with somenew habits daily and measure key aspects of their system such as theaverage number of items in their Inbox They know that they have a systemand they are careful to manage it as the key resource that it is to theirsuccessFurther ResourcesRead -- visit my blog at http2time-syscom and do a search forsystems Youll find how my views have evolved over the years as I facedthe truth that each person was doing something unique and alwaysrequires a custom solutionWatch -- SAQ2 What is a time management system What am I trying tochange httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=i9HMi6X4J9w


www2timeshysyscomIf you have ever been in a time management class or read a book you mightknow exactly what Im talking aboutThat approach works fine for a few people but an increasing number havecome to realize that one size doesnt fit all When they come across newtime management information tips they have no intention of adopting all ofthem Instead they cherry-pick ideas from here and there making thechanges they believe are the right ones for them Nothing wrong with thatand most authors and teachers admit that that is exactly what users doThe problem is that the gurus dont share the secret sauce or just dontknow what it is The gurus have built a system that works for them but theydont turn around and share the process they followedThats a secretSome treat it as intellectual property to be locked away and hidden fromthe public because its so valuable Others have no idea what they did andcouldnt repeat the trick if their life depended on itBut which would you rather have The rules or the secret sauceFrancis you might say are you nuts Id want to knowhow to fix shape and improve my own time management so thatnext year when someone creates some new invention that willchange my job forever Ill be able to escape the mayhem with asmall tweak Also I dont want to be one of these people who chaseafter the next sexy gadget but keep forgetting their wifesbirthdayUnfortunately you are never given the secret sauce but you do your bestanyway using bits and pieces from here and there You probably wont coverall the essentials of time management in your design and also wont figureout your upgrade path for the futureGurus havent offered professionals the real help that many need --information on how to effectively manage maintain and improve their ownsystems based on the fundamental principlesIt turns out that the fundamentals are pretty easy to understand and in TimeManagement 20 professionals come to learn what they are and how theywork for themselves so that they can do things like- repair their way of dealing with email if they find themselves continuallyfalling behind- choose a new device such as a smartphone knowing which habits theyllhave to change- upgrade to the new version of Outlook or Lotus Notes and understandwhether things will be easier or harder- make a change in their habits forced by relocation or by travel andunderstand the impact on their productivity


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EDGY IDEA 3 - BUILD ON WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ADOPT A PLAN TO MAKE IT BETTEROthers say You must forget what you already know and adopt everythingyou are now being taughtTime Management 20 says You have already had some success with thehome-grown system you use today Retain what works and make a plan towork on what doesnt keeping growth organic

The truth about time management systems is that we all start to develop ourown habits and practices as teenagers or even before Back then we hadclasses homework and exams and being a success at school required somedegree of time management skillA new employee comes to the job with certain habits and practices already inplace even if they have never picked up a book Over time they hone theirsystem without knowing it by changing what they do on a daily basis andadding and removing practices to their routines By the time they enter atime management class pick up a book or purchase a device they alreadyhave a system in place even if it has no nameThe problem with time management teaching today is that it assumes ablank canvas - that a user has nothing that is working Its assumed that thenew system that is being taught must simply replace the users currentsystem

These fundamentals can be learned by taking one of my courses or byreading the 2Time blog (see the references at the end of the report) You canalso download a manifesto I wrote on The New Time Management thatdescribes the 7 essential fundamentals Capturing Emptying Tossing ActingNow Storing Scheduling and ListingFurther ResourcesRead -- Taking Responsibility for a Design Revolution -httpwww2time-syscom20081008taking-responsibility-for-a-design-revolutionWatch -- SAQ 1 - is it my time management system or theirshttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Oovj4KvCsH8


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EDGY IDEA 4 - NEVER GET STUCK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TODAY -- KEEP EVOLVINGOthers say Time management is something you learn once like riding abicycleTime Management 20 says If you dont continually upgrade your skillsprepare to fall behindFortunately for us we live in an age of rapid innovation and theres hardly aday that goes by without an announcement of some gadget softwareprogram or web service that promises to help us increase our productivity

For the majority of users and I imagine for you thats justa) wishful thinking - its hard to implement brand new habits withoutacknowledging current onesb) a bit of an insult - many people work very hard on their productivity skillsduring their careers and to take them back to age 14 when they had almostno habits is a subtle put-downYou no longer have to be left with either sentiment in Time Management 20the popular assumption is reversed Instead professionals need to start andbuild on what they already have if they hope to be successful inimplementing any new system In particular the parts that work need to bepreserved

Its simply more realistic and easier for a user to illuminate and understandtheir current habit-pattern in a new way so that they can plan the changesthey need to make In that way they focus their efforts on the mostprofitable improvements and dont waste their time trying to implement asystem that might not work at all on top of their current system which hasbeen working for them up until nowFurther ResourcesRead -- visit my blog at http2time-syscom and do a search for ownsystems Here is a sample post Plane Design Time Management DesignWatch -- FAQ7 What if Im already using a time management systemhttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=vQ8lECioZnIQ and SAQ4 Is it easier tomimic someone elses habits or start with your ownhttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=Trz9-5-ZpuA

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The future is likely to continue in the same vein Given these changes weneed to be constantly scanning the horizon to discover which new tools couldbe used to help us improve our time management systemsFor example here in 2010 alone we have seen the release of Apples iPadGMails Priority Inbox and Xobnis program for Outlook Also a number ofbooks have been published that promise new tips Its easy to throw ourhands in the air and claim that its all happening too fast to keep upIn Time Management 20 we embrace these changes and find ways toevaluate new offerings in terms of their potential impact on our timemanagement systems We must do so because working professionals arelikely to face the following in the future- increased competition for our attention- more technologies with built-in disruptors (pings beeps buzzes vibrationschimes etc)- new channels of communication- even more messages sent at us each dayDealing with this reality will require you to have new technologies newtechniques and new tools The professional who develops her timemanagement systems to any given point and stops is likely to fall behindsimply because her current time management system is not geared to dealwith the latest reality For example I know CEOs who have their secretariesprint out their email so that they can read it each morning Clearly theirskills have not kept up with whats happening around themOn a more personal note I remember when I had AOL as my primary emailaccount and the program announced Youve Got Mail whenever I got a newmessage That was fun when I got 2-3 messages per day but at some pointthat technology became useless when the number of emails receivedexploded Anyone using AOLMail today probably doesnt use that feature forthe 150 messages that they receive on averageOne of the most unproductive places you could be is to have old skills in themidst of new technology The key is to find a feasible stress-free pathway forcontinuous improvementBefore discovering Time Management 20 all of the time managementsystems I looked at made the mistake of taking their users to a single pointand leaving them there The assumption seemed to be that once you gottime management you were set for lifeHere in Time Management 20 we emphasize the idea that there are peoplein the world who are highly skilled practitioners in time management Theyare designated as Green Belts according the ladder of skills ranging fromWhite to Green that we use as a tool They start with a simple assessment todetermine their current belt level (For an example of how this is done see


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Further ResourcesRead -- read the blog post - Never Trust Your Time Management SystemWatch -- FAQ5 How do I make permanent changes to my timemanagement system http wwwyoutubecomwatchv=OJEjk1 Dlie8

Take a Quiz -- For a real example of how you can determine your skill levelat the skill of Capturing take this quiz Youll find out which belt level youcurrently have in this skill and how you can effect an upgrade

Further Resources below)There is no external pressure or expectation to move up from one belt toanother whatsoever recognizing that each person is different Theycompare their skills against their lifes current needs and then make adecision about whether or not theyd like to upgrade their skills and perhapsearn a new belt Some decide that they are fine where they are at themoment but most are able to see some gaps for the first time and makesome plans to close themThats a far cry from many who think that time management is something tolearn once

EDGY IDEA 5 - SWIPE TIME MANAGEMENT IDEAS FROM WHEREVER YOU CAN FIND THEMOthers say Dont deviate from this systemTime Management 20 says Experiment and try new ideas from everysource you can findLooking for ideas to upgrade your time management system might soundmore daunting than it really is There are lots of gurus out there who haveput together excellent systems for personal productivity Some are wellknown while others are more obscureThe good news is that there are quite a few gurus who have put togethergood systems but the chances of any of them being compatible with yourcurrent habit pattern are small After all they based their system on what


www2timeshysyscomworked for them and then found that it worked with others but theyprobably didnt get around to consulting YOUThey know that their system works and they cant imagine that you can useit in a way thats different and therefore they urge users to stick to the habitsand practices that they prescribeI remember one guru who insisted that his unique lexicon was essential tomaking the system work including a pretty unique definition of the wordNowIf youre lucky you might be one of the few who are already using habits thatare similar to the gurus therefore making the change a relatively easy oneHowever you might be like many users who arent interested in walking lock-step with someone elses ideas and practices You sense that the gurusideas probably do work quite well for the guru but that your life is differentYou need something thats customized for your needs personality careeridiosyncrasies lifestyle age and cultureYou probably also want to have the ability to change the gurus ideas as yousee fit and to use the ideas from as many sources as you can regardless ofthe name of the author or trainer I have found that taking a bit from onesource and then another has been the best approach giving me a systemthats all mine but works well for meYou probably want the same thingI know the gurus are smart guys but I dont think that any of them is perfectWe are all better off mashing together a time management system of ourown and being open to the next new idea so that we can incorporate it intoour routineWhat Time Management 20 explores are the principles or fundamentals oftime management When we understand them we can easily take ideas fromhere and there as we become aware of them and continually improve ourproductivityA few years ago I learned how to build PCs and since then I have been ableto custom-build my own and repair them simply because I have that skillIm just grateful that there were lots of people who were willing to teach theprinciples of computer building and repairing so that I could understand itNot too long ago users dared not open their computers for fear of damagingthem as they lacked the basic knowledge necessary They simply could notdo much with them


www2timeshysyscomIn the world of Time Management 20 I want to leave you with the ability toenhance your own productivity whenever you want or need to and to showyou how to incorporate the very latest ideas and technologies as soon asthey become availableFor example recently GMail released a new feature called Priority Inbox Ianalyzed it using Time Management 20 principles (see the article in theFurther Resources appendix to this chapter) and found that it didnt deliveron its promises to save time and ease email overloadIts the kind of analysis thats easy to do once you know the principles andIm now applying it to a quest Im on to see if adopting a smartphone willenhance or diminish my overall productivity Youll be able to do the samething on your own once you learn how to use Time Management 20In this world its too easy to run after the sexiest new technology only toend up with un-productive habits like texting while driving -- endangeringother peoples lives -- which is very unproductiveFurther ResourcesRead -- read the article on my blog - Upgrade Dont Replace Your TimeManagement SystemWatch -- SAQ10 Should I keep looking for new techniqueshttp wwwyoutubecomwatchv=cEpkulNiuVM

EDGY IDEA 6 - SET YOUR OWN GOALS AND TRACK YOUR OWN PROGRESS AS YOU IMPROVEOthers say Follow or use this system and youll doubletripequadruple yourproductivityTime Management 20 says There is no easy way to measure an increase inyour productivity but choose a tangible behavioral goalThe promises that some make are outrageous Without giving any hint ofhow the result can be measured they promise to add 90 minutes to yourday or triple your productivity Its easy to see the nonsense of this claimwhen up you realize that its being made to everyone from the novice to themost skillful time management expertThe hype is annoying (except perhaps to the most gullible) because the fact


www2timeshysyscomis there is no easy way to measure the impact of a time managementsystem on someones productivity While it might be possible one day at themoment there is no method that is even remotely reliable in scientific termsThis presents a problem for us all - how do we know when a change we maketo our time management system actually makes a differenceThere are proxy measurements available however that show the results ofgood time management such as the average number of email messagesremaining in an email Inbox at any given time I watch other leadingindicators such as missed appointments and broken promises which tell mewhen some aspect of my system isnt working Unfortunately I have to trackall of these manually as there is no program that I am aware of that isavailable in programs such as OutlookI have recently tried RescueTime which attempts to measure how productiveyou are by tracking the amount of time spent using different kinds ofsoftware or websites This isnt a perfect approach by any means and itsfinal statistics are better than nothing The truth is that they are only usefulto help you know what you shouldnt be doing like spending 20 hours a weekon FacebookI tell participants in NewHabits and MyTimeDesign programs to track theirpeace of mind as the final indicator of how their system is working This is asubjective measure that is purely psychological What makes it aninteresting measure to use is that it can be applied immediately once achange is made and it brings the user right back to the benefit theyultimately want which is one that is emotional but not scientificAfter all we arent machines Tripling our productivity would probably makemost of us miserableUntil better tools are available I recommend that people focus on specificbehaviors and on changing them from day to day until they becomeautomatic For example remembering to take your manual capture pointwith you wherever you go is a powerful habit and one that can be masteredeven in the absence of formal measurements Just because its tough tomeasure doesnt mean that it shouldnt become a habit

Further ResourcesRead -- read the blos post - LifeHack Measuring Your Time Management SystemWatch -- FAQ8 How can I triple my productivity and profits Whileworking less http wwwyoutubecomwatchv=rQLydckWSac

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EDGY IDEA 7- TAKE YOUR TIME AND MAKE CHANGES ACCORDING TO YOUR COMMON-SENSE PLANOthers say Here is a long list of changes you need to make NOWTime Management 20 says Plan out your changes over time andimplement them organicallyYou might be like most people who never got past the first few chapters ofone or more time management books or websites You like the ideas or tipsyou got but very quickly become overwhelmed by the amount of new stuffyou discovered that had to be implemented all at once in order to make thesystem workThe list of new habits was so long you were sure you couldnt remember thewhole thing and you probably failed to make all the changes required Somedo try however and are able to make a few changes for a week or two untilthe crunch comes and under pressure they revert to their old habitsMany of us end up feeling guilty at what we think is our lack of discipline andlabel ourselves as procrastinators Sometimes we even feel like failures andthis is particularly hard to take given the initial excitement we felt when wefirst heard the ideas and liked them because they made senseThis is all no fault of ours howeverIndividual habits are difficult to change as we all know New ones are hardto learn and old ones stubbornly resist removal no matter how destructivethey might be Yesterday a friend shared with me the fact that as she laydown in bed at 1130pm to go to sleep she noticed the light on herBlackberry was on which led her to check her email and immediately fashiona reply Afterwards she knew that what she did was unproductive but in themoment there was no choice - the habit was that strongThe gurus however seem content to do the easy part -- sharing the ideaswhile leaving the hard part (implementation) up to us And they dont helpthe situation by not providing a pathway to actually effect the changesIts no wonder the book is never finishedIn Time Management 20 the idea that a transformation can happen all at

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once is rejected in favor of a new approach that happens to fit the latestresearch in habit changeIt turns out that habit changes are more effectively undertaken when theyare broken into small steps and when one works to perfect a single step at atime In this way a person builds confidence and skill gradually or in otherwords organically This does make things tricky for the gurus however asthe sequence of habit to be changed differs from one person to anotherThe solution is simple and puts the onus back on the user1 teach someone how to distinguish individual habit changes2 show them how to sequence the changes over time so that the flow fromone change to another follows a natural progressionWhen you have these 2 skills your rate of success increases which is exactlywhat the latest research predicts Over time you build a foundation ofeffective changes that builds confidence and skill at habit changeIn Time Management 20 your implementation is everything and successisnt measured by how cool the gurus ideas are but instead by how manyhabits that you the user actually put into play To make the transition stickusers need a third step which will be covered in the next Edgy idea

EDGY IDEA 8 - EVOLVING YOUR SYSTEM IS A FUNCTION OF YOUR HABIT-CHANGING SUPPORTSOthers say Habit change is easyTime Management 20 says Habit change is hard but it can be made easierwith the right supportThankfully the research done on changing habits is clear and helpfulTo be effective youd better have a great support system This is a part ofthe reason that Alcoholics Anonymous and Weight Watchers work so well --

Further ResourcesRead -- read the article on my blog - On the Failure of Time ManagementSystemsWatch -- SAQ9 What will a finished plan for upgrading my system looklike httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=q_xhVdvydt8

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they provide superior support systems

In Time Management 20 successful implementation has everything to dowith the quality of the support system that a user puts in place Once againhowever there is no one-size-fits-all solution that you can find that wouldwork for youThe research is clear on this point - a support system that works for youmight create havoc for me Instead of just doing what others do you mustdesign your own combination of social electronic and expert support so thatyou make it hard to escape the new habit without getting some feedbackthat reminds you (or forces you) to get back on trackDoing this well is no easy task as you are essentially finding creative ways towork around your habitual tendencies In time management someone mayhave practiced certain habits for decades before deciding to make a changeThese are difficult to dislodge because they have had lots of time to beburned into your neuromuscular memory and you no longer conciously thinkabout doing them - they just get doneIn Time Management 20 we assume that changing habits is difficult andthat crafting this kind of supportive environment is critical to success Peopleneed help in learning how to build these supports so that they can radicallyimprove the odds of implementing what they learnSome people use paid coaches to help keep them on track Others join agroup in which they can help each other stay on top Electronic remindershave become more popular as a way of automatically prompting oneself totake action at specific times Tracking progress with metrics is also a verypowerful methodRecently I stumbled across a web service at wwwsticckcom that allows youto place a bet on yourself using real live cash -- its a fascinating new way tosupport yourself in making changesUnderstanding which of the above options among many will work for yourequires some experimentation and insight that few possess Once youfigure out which supports work however you have the tremendous ability tochange any habit at will and youll be able to tell the difference betweenchanges you MUST make and those youd like to make someday

Further ResourcesRead -- read the article on my blog - A New Hypothesis on Learning TimeManagement SkillsWatch -- SAQ7 What kinds of supports do I needhttpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=puYpR0sjV3A

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2Time Special Report copy Copyright 2010 Francis Wade and FrameworkConsulting except where indicated otherwise All rights reservedworldwide Reprint only with permission from copyright holder(s) Alltrademarks are property of their respective owners All contents providedas is No express or implied income claims made herein Your businesssuccess is dependent on many factors including your own abilities

Thanks for reading my special report on the 8 Edgy Ideas of TimeManagement 20Here are some additional resources that you might find to be helpfulThe 2Time mailing list hear about the latest news blog posts audios andvideos by being a member of my main mailing list Join by visiting the 2Timewebsite (www2time-syscom) and filling in the form to be put on the mailinglistTraining A few times a year I offer my online programs MyTimeDesign10Free and MyTimeDesign 20Professional If you would like to be notifiedwhen they become available for registration simply visit thewwwMyTimeDesigncom website I also do live training and coaching in myNewHabits-NewGoals program Use my contact form to send me a personalmessage httpReplytoFrancisinfoDiscussion and Feedback You can visit the blog page for thisspecial report and leave a comment for discussion You may alsodiscuss the report on Facebook on my Time Management20 page by clicking hereQuestions I answer public questions at my Facebook pagewhich you can visit at Q time managementThanks again for reading my special report and stay tuned to thelatest developments in the field of time management by keepingin touch I think that there are some exciting things coming to theworld of personal productivity that will empower all of who arestriving for greater performance and satisfaction

Francis WadeKingston Jamaica

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Time management gurus dont really expect you to do all the stuffthat they tell you to doThere is no way they could They tell you to do too many things all at onceand you are bound to fail to put them all into action within a day a week amonth or even a lifetimeYou leave the learning event having to make a choice about which aspects tokeep and which ones to discard The problem I had was a natural one Whohelps the learner decide what to use what to discard and whenI dont think that it should be me Instead the responsibility lies with youthe professional but without a knowledge of the truth you might come tothink that something must be wrong with you when you experiences theinevitable failure to implement too many new ideas all at onceTime Management 20 was born with a commitment to put you the learningprofessional back in the drivers seat and in charge of your timemanagement system This idea is a radical one and I believe that when itstold often and early enough it sets people freeBut free to do whatIn my minds eye if you have read this far then you probably have aninterest in improving some aspect of your time management and personalproductivity in one of the following areas You want tokeep the professional respect you have earned for being efficient even asyour job requires you to do more with less- never be in fear of being late or having something important fall throughthe cracks- get to the end of your day and feel satisfied and accomplished- have a sense that your work and home life are in balance- look at all aspects of your life and know that none is being short-changed- maintain a cool calm and peaceful frame of mind- beat the other guy to a promotion because you have become better andfasterYou want the freedom to accomplish all your goals and wishes even as theychange from month to month even in the midst of a recession andregardless of what life may throw at youThats the commitment behind Time Management 20 - to meet you the userat your current level of skills You could be brand new to learning a timemanagement approach or a veteran who has been honing their practices foryears with an insiders knowledge of several commercial systemsTo do so effectively you need to determine the answer to this importantquestion



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Special Report on Time Management 2.0

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