Conquer Email – 1 of 2
Things are getting kind of busy around here with some upcoming conventions, my apologies for missing last Friday's post! To compensate, this week I'll update twice, with this two part series on Email managment. These are my own personal email management strategies.
Part 1: Getting out of the mess you're already in
Your Secret Weapon Against Procrastination: a Count-Up Timer
Some people might say that using a timer is taking the term "Time Management" a bit too literally, but I've found my simple count-up timer to be an invaluable asset. Here's what you need, and five different ways you can use it to get a productivity boost.
Get Boring Stuff Done Faster
Parksville, Vancouver Island
Prioritizing: Five Questions You Should Ask Yourself
Car Garden in Toronto, Ontario
1) If I DON'T do this right now, what is the worst thing that could happen?
- Really step out of your current situation and look at your tasks as if you were an outsider. If you don't get enough money to pay the rent on time, you'll get evicted. If you don't finish your essay on time, you'll lose some credit towards a grade. If you don't submit a piece to an online contest, some person on the internet might be a bit disappointed. Now, in hindsight, getting evicted because you skipped work to finish that piece for the online contest would seem pretty silly. When you're emotionally wrapped up in the contest, it can seem like a really tough choice to make, but really boil things down to THE WORST thing that will happen. If you finish your shift at work, then your essay, you might still have time to submit something to the contest (bonus)! But if you did things in the opposite order, the consequences are much more severe.
How to Write Awesome Action Lists
- Quebec City
We all have a massive list of things to do hanging over our heads. (Or things we should be doing. Or things we wish we had time to do.)
Many people shy away from the idea of an Action List (or a "To Do" list). Seeing all those tasks in front of you can be daunting. But the devil you know is a lot easier to fight than the devil you don't. Once your problems are out in front of you, you will be able to break them down and tackle them: piece by piece. By having a step-by-step plan spelled out in front of you, it's easy to get in a groove and mechanically work through the list. You'll be amazed by how much you can get done!