Just Send The F***ing Email, Already...Geeze!

I have been reminded, almost daily, for the last three weeks, how efficient I am and that nothing is going to get done when I depart. As if what I do is some how magical and ONLY I have the ability to do so. YES! I do act like it sometimes because its funny to me to play into the drama. But, in all seriousness, I have three simple time management "rules" I live by. Let me explain why time management is important. There is one simple reason, just one, YOU IMPACT OTHERS! You impact people at work, home, the world, etc.

The idea for this post came about because I was impacted by what I consider inefficiency. The person that was assigned the task of planning and executing my going away at work put it off...or forgot about it...or whatever...numerous times. It got to the point where I ended up essentially planning my going away and sent them a detailed email of what was "planned" and whom to send the email to...an entire list of people...just have to put their names in the "To:" box. This is considered to be "controlling" by some...and I can see that. However:

...the email never went out and the person had to go on leave for almost week. I only knew the person was gone by happenstance and I was extremely hurt that my going away email never went out. Luckily I did find out and was able to contact a third party to get the ball rolling. I know this is just a going away email; however, think about the impact this could have had if the email was about an important meeting. The email would have been forgotten about and the "meeting" never attended by those that were to be invited. Even if an email went out when the person returned, it would have been 4 days before the meeting...that is a little short notice, in my opinion. This time, I am the only one being affected...you know those pesky feelings of not mattering. But, other times it could be many people, to include customers. How can this and other inefficiencies in time management be improved? Let me share my three time management rules:
1. Why Wait!? This is where the title of this blog post comes from. Its simple...just send the f***ing email, already...geeze! Or, file the stupid piece of paper. Or, whatever task you run across that takes less than 3 minutes to do. Especially if it impacts other people. That is the most important part to me.  I go through my email and delete ones that do not apply to me, respond to emails that take less than three minutes to draft, flag emails that need longer time to action on and file them in their appropriate folder. When I return from a meeting, if I have to dos, I do the ones that take less than 3 minutes to accomplish. I usually have 3 or 4 things; that is 9-12 minutes. I can spend 9-12 minutes, even if its time to go home, doing somethings that have to be done anyhow. Honestly, my goal is to always have things in other people's inboxes and never mine, if possible, when they only take 3 minutes or less to do. This can even apply to tasks at home. How long does it really take to take out the garbage, put a few dishes in the sink, pick up that sock and put it in the laundry...you get the point.

2. Assembly Line For tasks that require a list of things to be accomplished multiple times, I create an assembly line process. We will use post training to-dos as my example. After training is over, I have a to do list that I pull out and follow. It is in a logical order, grouping things smartly (which I will go over in the next rule). Pretty much its: document forms, update marketing & tracking docs, and update databases. If I have to stop due to an interruption, I can mark where I was and begin again later. This sometimes takes a little extra effort and time to create, but once its created, its a breeze. If you need to make little tweaks along the way, it doesn't take much time or effort. My daily tasks are also an assembly line written on a paper posted on the wall next to my computer monitor. "Start Coffee, Turn on Diffuser, Check Email, and Do Daily Task (I have different random tasks throughout the week)." Anything that is a common occurrence has an assembly line/to do list created. It ensures that items get done and then I can focus on the big projects that come and go. FlyLady.net has a similar technique for keeping your house clean and tidy. You should check it out.

3. One Thing At A Time Task switching and multitasking are the enemy of efficiency and effectiveness. I will not list all the scientific evidence, but its out there. People will argue and state they are the exception...I say bulls***! I avoid task switching and multitasking at all costs. If I am sending an email or typing a thought on a document, I will kindly request an interrupter to wait a moment for me to finish. I have never had one person get mad. This also allows me to give them my full attention when I am done. How nice! My FULL attention! I group like items together and work on them one "stack" at a time. If I have updates, I will put them in an update folder throughout the day/week. When its time to do updates, I group them into like system and like update type. Then I start updating. Its done in no time. The repetition of doing the same update actually helps you go faster. You can do this with all kinds of tasks like: filing, assembly line process items, etc. The same goes for your home life. Work on one area or task at a time. I even avoid talking on the phone or texting most of the time.

I will give one final suggestion. If at all possible, limit interruptions when you are working on important things that take a lot of brain power and time, or even just your daily tasks. Ask a co-worker to answer the phone for an hour or close your door for an hour. The workforce can live without you for an hour, so you can provide a good product or get your s*** done. I used to block out two hours a day for myself and my subordinates to not be interrupted, when I ran an office. We ALL got our "work" done in that time and the rest of the time we served customers.

There is no magic in being efficient. Its all about working smartly and understanding human nature. Try out my "rules" and see if they improve your efficiency. If you are a procrastinator, I recommend the book I am currently reading: The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins. If you have a hard time just getting started on anything, even waking up in the morning, I recommend this book. It could help you be more efficient and...BONUS...possibly improve your quality of life!

I love Shia, btw...go ahead...judge me if you want...I don't care!