Staying Focused at Work

I assume that Lara's Myer Briggs profile has her down as an S and a J. Mine too. When I get to work I log everything that I have to do for that day (sometimes I do it the night before) and then I give myself timelimits. This also works well when I have to quote and then bill clients. As I'm finished I check mark it off. And at the end of the day I look at what hasn't been checked off and try to figure out why. I also log in goof off time. My schedule is very rigid. I set up increments of tw to three hour blocks and I log everything I'm supposed to do in those two hours.

Example:

5 a.m. to 8 a.m.. workout time/sleep on off days/shower change travel time to work.

8 a.m. to 10 a.m.: planning/e-mail checking/phone calls/ meeting set up time any early morning meetings.

During this block I do all the busywork things. I can also set meeting times during this time.

10 a.m. to noon: solid work - editing, writing, client work, managing. No meetins during this time. I block it off my schedule.

noon to 2 p.m. - work, walk, job, run, or exercise or busywork catching up on e-mail, planning races, checking BT etc.

2 p.m. - 4p.m.: solid work, no meetings, managing projects, editing writing, etc.

4 p.m. - 6p.m.: finishing up loose ends, last minute meetings etc.

By blocking off my schedule in two hour increments and sticking to it I find I manage my time better. I even have a nighttime schedule. I get really, really, cranky when people start screwing with my schedule. One time a client of mine from a billion-dollar company wanted to meet at 2 p.m. I told him no that I don't meet during that time so I can get work done. He really was impressed by that and you know that VP now has a meeting cut off on his schedule.

Ovetta.