We know you struggle with focus, and we also know you have a hard time managing all the pending topics to be studied. We know you feel guilty about not being productive enough.
This blog strives to introduce techniques for time management and task scheduling.
● Eisenhower Matrix
President Dwight Eisenhower, former president of the U.S.A invented this matrix for prioritizing tasks and managing them well in time.
Fig: The Eisenhower Matrix (source: https://www.eisenhower.me/)
The matrix is made up of 4 blocks (quadrants), and you lay down the tasks for the day on it.
- First Quadrant (upper left): urgent and important – Most Prior
- Second Quadrant (upper right): important, but not urgent.
- Third Quadrant (lower left): not important, but urgent.
- Fourth Quadrant (lower right): neither important nor urgent – Do at last.
Refer to the figure for a better understanding.
● Time Blocking Method
Time blocking literally means blocking each hour of your day with a task. It is a well-organized and formal to-do list with time stamps and durations for each task at hand.
One of the major advantages of this method is that you focus on a single task at a time giving it full attention.
Fig: Time Blocking Schedule (source: https://todoist.com/)
● Rapid Planning Method (RPM):
Tony Robbins, the inventor of the RPM approach of thinking defines it as, “A results-focused, purpose-driven, massive action plan. Focusing by way of RPM means answering these questions:
- What do I really want? Have a result you’re totally focused on, because whatever you focus on, you will continuously get to.
- What’s my purpose? Know your purpose that will move you emotionally. Whichever emotions we use are going to determine what we do.
- What do I need to do? The arrow that gets you to your target is your actions, your MAP, your Massive Action Plan. When you write all your actions, you may decide some are more important than others.”
Fig: RPM Block (source: tonyrobbins.com)
● Getting Things DOne Method (GTD):
Gifted to the world by best-selling author, David Allen, the GTD method is composed of five simple practices and steps:
- Capture: Capture anything that crosses your mind. Any sort of pending tasks or ideas that you have, write them on a paper, or make Google Doc.
- Clarify: Study what you’ve written and segregate on the basis of priority, need and its ability to be actionable and feasible at the given moment.
- Organize: Organize the segregated tasks on calendar, set reminders, attach files or references.
- Review: Keep checking the lists in a timely manner to review your own progress and accountability.
- Engage: Start engaging face-to-face with the prior tasks at hand.
Fig: GTD Workflow (source: ionos.com)
We hope these techniques and theories help you be a little more productive. Stick to the one that suits you.