Identifying and Eliminating Time Wasters

Quick reference

• 00:04 Welcome back.
• 00:05 In this lesson we'll dig into common time wasters in both traditional and
• 00:10 remote work settings, and discuss effective ways to overcome them.
• 00:14 The first step in addressing time wasters is calling them out.
• 00:19 I'm talking about things like excessive social media browsing,
• 00:23 attending unnecessary meetings, even attempting to multitask when
• 00:28 you should be focusing on one task that all counts here.
• 00:32 Keep in mind that what constitutes a time waster might differ for each individual
• 00:37 but it's crucial to recognize what's hindering your productivity.
• 00:42 Procrastination is another significant time waster.
• 00:46 Sometimes, yes, we're overwhelmed and sometimes we're tired,
• 00:52 it happens to the best of us, but to combat this try breaking tasks into
• 00:57 smaller, more manageable steps, and then set deadlines for each step.
• 01:02 Smaller tasks can feel a lot easier to handle.
• 01:06 And additionally, discuss your goals with someone who can hold you accountable and
• 01:12 motivate you to stay on track.
• 01:14 It may help to put your tasks on a project management platform checklist, for
• 01:19 example, because you might feel compelled to get them done when you know other
• 01:23 people will see your progress.
• 01:25 And perhaps your progress can help motivate them as well.
• 01:30 Digital distractions can be a big problem.
• 01:33 I'm talking about email notifications, social media popups, and instant messages.
• 01:39 They can steal your focus and your productivity, and
• 01:43 there's some easy ways to minimize these distractions.
• 01:47 First of all, turn off your phone or silence it.
• 01:51 Activate Do Not Disturb mode.
• 01:54 Put your phone in a desk drawer.
• 01:56 Put it in your backpack.
• 01:58 For so many of us, our phone's very presence can distract us.
• 02:03 So take it out of the equation for as long as you can.
• 02:07 Set specific times during the day to check your email and messages.
• 02:12 Avoid checking them constantly.
• 02:14 I like to check email before I start work, and then not again until lunch time.
• 02:20 I need my focus, so it's a limit that I've set for myself.
• 02:25 If you want to set some hard limits, you could also use apps or
• 02:29 browser extensions that limit your access to distracting websites during work hours.
• 02:34 But creating a focused work environment is crucial for minimizing time wasters.
• 02:39 So, consider doing the following,
• 02:42 declutter your workspace, both physically and digitally.
• 02:47 Not only is it a good idea to clean off your desk and remove things that you don't
• 02:52 need in your eyeline, but organizing files and removing any unnecessary items or
• 02:57 apps from your devices can make a difference too.
• 03:00 If you can't be without a certain app, turn off the notifications.
• 03:04 That can be a big help.
• 03:07 And think about communicating your boundaries and expectations to colleagues.
• 03:12 Let them know when you're available for collaboration and
• 03:16 when you need uninterrupted focus.
• 03:18 In an office, close your door, put on headphones,
• 03:22 even put up a DO NOT DISTURB sign.
• 03:25 But prioritizing tasks for
• 03:27 deep work during which you focus solely on high impact,
• 03:31 cognitively demanding tasks without any distractions is essential to your success.
• 03:38 In the next lesson, we'll discuss the art of effective delegation to boost your
• 03:43 productivity and optimize your time management skills further.
• 03:47 We'll see you then.

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