Adventures in time management (or what the heck should I do next?)
June 30th, 2010With so much to do, what’s the right thing to do next?? (CLICK ON TITLE TO READ ARTICLE)
My to do list is about as long as my arm – people to call, people to call back, clients’ jobs to work on, appointments to schedule, blog posts to write, tweets to post, emails to return and books to read.
Hey, I’m reading just as fast as I can but the night table is still sagging under my growing pile of books.
Thanks to Things, the computerized to do list program, most everything I need to do is neatly cataloged and updated right on my screen. And because the list automatically syncs with my iPhone, the list is always in my pocket, silently screaming out how much there is to be done.
With so much to do, and everything so well organized, why is it that I’m never sure of what I should be doing next? Especially when my favorite business books tell me EXACTLY what to do:
- Jim Collins was adamant that to go from Good To Great I need to get the right people off the bus, the right people on the bus, and to make sure they’re all in the right seats. I better stop writing this post and go work on my HR plans.
- Eliyahu Goldratt made it real clear in The Goal that the number one thing a manager should do is avoid being a bottleneck. So that means I should put down my personnel files and go approve those pending ads to keep my agency humming along.
- In The E-Myth Revisited Michael Gerber says that the thing to do is “work on your business, not in your business.” So the heck with reviewing client work, I should be finding clients to work on.
- In Being Digital, Nicholas Negroponte preaches that “content is king.” Maybe I should stop prospecting and start creating more content – like this blog post that I had stopped crafting in the first place.
- And in Younger Next Year, Chris Crowley and Harry Lodge say that if I don’t work out intensely at least six days a week I’m not going to be in any shape to run my business anyway so maybe I ought to turn my computer off and go for a run.
Or maybe I should stop reading so much. Not only will that give me more time to get my work done but imagine how much shorter my to do list will be without all those recommended book titles cluttering it up.
Tags: Apple, Being Digital, Chris Crowley, Eliyahu Goldratt, Good To Great, Harry Lodge, iPhone, Jim Collins, Michael Gerber, Nicholas Negroponte, The E-Myth Revisited, The Goal, Things, Time Management, Younger Next Year
Well said and entertaining. You forgot to incorporate the lessons from “How” by Dov Seidman. ” We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit”. Aristotle
Well said and entertaining. You forgot to incorporate the lessons from “How” by Dov Seidman. ” We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit”
Bruce -
I took your advice to stop reading and I therefore did not read your advice and cannot comment – which would have been a further waste of tme.
What I can’t figure out is how I know what your advice was and why I submitted this comment.
Love,
Henk
Will check out Things, whatever helps.
After finishing ” one more e-mail ” I try to run away.
Just finished the great trilogy of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.
The fourth book in the Frankenstein Triogy by Dean Koonz.
The six book of the Bourne Trilogy which keep being written magically even though Robert Ludlum like General Franco is still dead.
Enjoyed the blog/e-letter/thing.
Bruce — Once again, we are in total agreement — I can’t stand the fact that I have to prioritize my time based upon everyone else’s sense of urgency…
Off to take care of the largest “fire” on the desktop!
Margot from Maryland
Thanks for saving me the time of having to read the 5 books you summarized.
Im too anxious to write……..
I need an organinzer to organize my organizers!
Bruce…you truly are creative and on target so much of the time. I am glad that your blogs are back on your “To Do” list.
Marilynn
Well that’s a well organized mouthful. I might add “Your Money or Your Life” by Joe Dominguez and Vicky Robin, which definitely moves in the direction of “simplify”. Oh no! – I’m just adding to the list – that’s not helpful – hope you have a sturdy night table.
Bruce-
LOL! I feel you. Running my ad agency, which is miniscule compared to yours, is enough to make me wanna HOLLA! I feel like I’m always on 2 wheels screeching into whereever it is I’m going. Trying to be productive! Smart! Creative! Strong! Popular! Respected! Insightful and intelligent sounding! Connected! It all spells WHEW…… I’m tired.
…and what would Andy Rooney say!
Bruce, I feel your pain. And here’s your answer:
http://bit.ly/9tgnfd
Bruce,
You are always ‘out there.’ I find it waay challenging to keep up. Steven Covey started the ball rolling with “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” And, as Lauren says, ‘What would Andy Rooney say?’
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bruce Turkel, Bruce Turkel, Michael Calienes, Doug Turkel and others. Doug Turkel said: What "To-Do" next? Read @BruceTurkel's latest blog post: Adventures in Time Management: http://bit.ly/9fdINw [...]
And yet .. we waste prodigious amounts of time sleeping. Perhaps a Data In / Ideas Out cranial jack would make that time more productive. Or a Sleeper Treadmill.
Boy, i wish i could find time to read more books, but i always make time to read your blog – helps keep me grounded.
Very funny and informative! I so know the feeling.
Great post!
Nice site and great text.
Thank you for a wonderful post. I enjoyed it.