Blogs

I have found great time management success using this simple rule from author David Allen. "If you determine an action can be done in two minutes, you actually should do it right then because it’ll take longer to organize it and review it than it would be to actually finish it the first time you notice it."

This is particularly helpful when it comes to email requests. Most of the requests I get fall into this 2 minute category and many people have commented on my "speedy response" or "quick turnaround" after sending me an email. Honestly, my main reason for attending to these requests immediately is because I know that if I wait it could easily fall into the abyss of my inbox and not be seen again until it was too late. The two minute rule reinforces this approach by recognizing that in the time it would take me to park it, look at it again and re-think it, the task could have already been completed.

Michael Hyatt further simplifies the process by breaking down any request into 5 basic decisions:

1. DO it
2. DELEGATE it
3. DEFER it (schedule)
4. FILE it
5. DELETE it