![]() ![]() ![]() The next method that I have seen work consistently, for successful teams and individuals – is the Golden Hour, a term originally coined by sales guru Brian Tracey but since adapted and used by many more. Whilst an Allen type auditing and ‘corral’ is a good foundation it is not something to do every day. But if you’re up for it this, Allen’s approach is a very good place to start. What is the work you need to do? What is all this ‘stuff’ for? Is the stuff really helping you to get things done? The heart of Allen’s approach is treating everything as a project, or sub-project and a commitment to lists, folders, action. It means reviewing your laptop, your desk, email management, calendar, social media accounts, bills, banking, reading, note books. Realistically, it’s a 2-3-day job but be warned: Allen’s dictum has been followed by executives and professionals worldwide but it is not for the faint-hearted. It means thinking about your home routines, your commute, your system and work-flow. This requires a commitment to really auditing and clarifying your environment, your tools, methods and communications. One of the key elements of his approach is the start, the ‘capturing and corralling’ of all that ‘stuff’. ![]() It is about getting a grip, before you’re Getting Things Done – the title of David Allen’s masterpiece on improving productivity and removing stress. Everything your routines, environment, platforms, how you use your laptop, phone and notes. So, what methods really work? And how can you encourage a culture of self-management in your business or team but avoid too much psychology profiling, endless project meetings and clock watching angst? There are ways for managing yourself better. Strangely, in a world of management guru abundance and business model proliferation, the ability to manage oneself is often the last thing on the curriculum or the to-do list and yet this is so often the real key to being productive. Regardless of skills and smarts, is that ability to self-manage, self-organise to focus and just get things done that makes people productive and happy. Whilst ineffectiveness poor performance can come in many forms, the happiest and most successful people – from young students to experienced executives, share something. Whilst at first appearing so very different I have seen a common thread. The other, has been a variety of management teams, agencies and marketing professionals – many well into their careers, helping them to plan and re-organise. The first group is a mix of ambitious 18-21-year old undergraduates, studying for their Business Degrees, where I have been teaching principles of marketing, innovation and planning. I’ve been lucky enough to work with two quite distinct and very interesting communities over the past few years. The researcher Charles Duhigg, in his classic book ‘Habit’ describes habits as simple learnt responses and if we want to get better at anything, we need challenge ourselves to change them. If we are bad at managing ourselves, it is often because we have learnt that it is easier to suffer being disorganised (which is why we stress though we are not productive) – rather than take some discomfort now and become more organised. It all comes down to our habit and routines. At my worst, I have been as effective as a chocolate teapot not useful, ineffective – yet strangely, more stressed. Like most of you, I have sometimes felt in the groove focused and organised. This simple axiom is as true today as when I first heard it years ago. ![]() You can’t manage time – you can only manage yourself. This will take you about five minutes, ten seconds to read. ‘Anxiety is caused by a lack of control, organisation, preparation and action’ ![]()
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