 Michael Altshuler, a Motivational Speaker and Trainer, once said, “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” The goal of the pilot is to take passengers to their destination safely and on schedule. They know the course and prepare accordingly. Communication is important in order to let passengers know about the journey along the way. A new year is swiftly approaching and as leaders, you are in the pilot’s seat in how productive you will be in 2019. In order to help you arrive at your destination (productivity), there are five key actions to take in 2019 to improve productivity. 1. Utilize a Voice Assistant - As Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa and other voice assistants continue to become popular, it’s time to utilize them for more than simply asking ‘What is the weather today?’ or ‘How long will it take me to get to work?’ In 2019, utilize voice assistants for productivity around the office. For example, say ‘Hey Google, remind me to call Fred today at 2 P.M.’ You can also say, “Hey Siri, email Stacey and ask if she is available to meet on Thursday.’ From sending text messages to adding calendar appointments to shopping, begin utilizing your voice assistant in 2019 for productivity. 2. Purchase a Full Focus Planner - Michael Hyatt and Company have developed an incredible planner for leaders to utilize for daily, monthly and quarterly planning. Each morning, leaders are to write down their daily big three goals for the day, along with their schedule and other tasks. There’s space for writing down your ideal week, annual goals and daily rituals all designed to keep your goals within your reach. Check it out here - https://fullfocusplanner.com 3. Utilize an Online Calendar - The smartphone culture has provided worldwide access at the tips of our fingers and if you are a leader who has not created an online calendar yet, now is the time. While there are many to choose from, Google Calendar has a simple and free calendar you can use to get started. Provide access to your calendar for your spouse and your Administrative Assistant at the office. It’s important to communicate your schedule to those close to you and an online calendar can provide that communication. In the event you want to use both a hard copy and electronic copy, Michael Hyatt has written an excellent article on how to use the Full Focus Planner and a digital calendar here - https://michaelhyatt.com/digital-analog-hybrid/ 4. Stop Multitasking - Research has proven multitasking is ineffective (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/creativity-without-borders/201405/the-myth-multitasking) so use 2019 as the opportunity to learn how to focus on one task at a time. When skipping back and forth to multiple tasks, you’re losing time and efficiency. Begin learning how to focus on one task at a time. It will take time adjust to this new routine, but it will certainly prove to be more productive for you in your area of leadership. 5. Begin Block Scheduling - In order to help keep you focused on one task at a time, block scheduling is the method to begin using in 2019. Simply prioritize what area of your work needs most attention or is most important and block a specific amount of time on your calendar (30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, etc.) and simply focus your energy and effort on that most important task. An example could be ‘I will work on this presentation from 9:00-10:00 A.M. on Thursday morning.’ So from 9:00-10:00, you are in your office or at the local coffee shop working on the presentation - not switching back and forth from the presentation to ministry calls. Ministry calls can take place at 10:01 A.M on Thursday morning, but from 9:00-10:00 A.M. you’re focused on the presentation. Sure, emergencies will always arise - you’re in ministry, you’re a leader; but when this happens, simply schedule another block of time for that one task. All leaders can improve in their productivity. Like the beginning of the article said - You’re the pilot - so take advantage of the resources and tools available and begin 2019 focused on improving your productivity. How do you plan to improve your productivity in 2019? Use the comment section below and discuss with others how you plan to improve your productivity in 2019.
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