For sheer productivity, you can't beat a quiet hour. It's absolutely one of the "best" time-management techniques. Imagine: One hour today with no visitors, calls or interruptions.

Today's TQ Challenge: Eliminate ALL Distractions -- of EVERY Nature.

1. Choose to be SINGLE-MINDED! What's the one "MOST" important thing you need to do every day?

2. Choose to be TIMELY! If you could schedule a quiet hour for concentrated work every day, when would that be?

3. Choose to be FOCUSED! Who else in your organization could be more productive by using a quiet hour?

A distraction is anything that diverts your attention from your current objective. It can be as obvious as blaring music in your work area, or as insidious as that small but persistent pain in your lower back. It can be a desirable social distraction -- or a personal distraction -- like reading your favorite sports magazine after you get to work. Recognize that your current task is going to suffer a serious delay if you don't eliminate persistent distractions.

"Be ready when opportunity comes. Luck is the time when preparation and opportunity meet." ~ Roy D. Chapin Jr.

Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Optimize Color.

Look for ways to combine your efforts today. This will economize your energy and double your efficiency.

Today's TQ Challenge: Batch Similar Tasks Together.

1. Choose to be EFFICIENT! How many different stops does your next errand include? How can you double it up with some other tasks?

2. Choose to be PRACTICAL! What obvious duplication of effort will you eliminate in today's plan?

3. Choose to be ORGANIZED! What were you going to do later that you can incorporate into your next task instead?

The multitude of life's tasks are easier to complete when you stop, plan ahead and batch similar activities together. You eliminate repetition and minimize effort when you group similar tasks to be done at the same time. Write down the routine tasks you perform every day -- the ones you do once a week, and those you complete once a month. Now group similar activities into their own specific time periods and complete them all at once -- instead of one at a time.

"It is those who have this imperative demand for the best in their natures, and who will accept nothing short of it, that holds the banners of progress, that set the standards, the ideals, for others." ~ Orison Swett Marden

Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Organize Color.

Add regular progress reports to your schedule to keep up with ongoing projects. This is also a chance to offer positive reinforcement at the same time.

Today's TQ Challenge: Get Agreement -- Provide Support.

1. Choose to be EMPOWERING! For which delegated projects do you need an update?

2. Choose to be EXPLICIT! Would written progress reports be as effective as a meeting and save time for everyone involved?

3. Choose to be SUPPORTIVE! Would it be helpful to batch various progress reports and schedule a review of all of them at a designated time each week?

Delegation done poorly is worse than doing everything yourself. However, you can multiply your productivity when you become an expert at delegating duties and authority to others. By issuing a clear request, and receiving a committment in return, you can leverage your time and accomplish far more -- rather than working alone and accomplishing less. The secret is to reach a clearly established agreement of exactly what needs to get done, by when and by whom.

"Leadership is the wise use of power. Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it." ~ Warren Bennis

Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Synergize Color.

You might as well forget the "what" if you ever lose sight of the "why".

Today's TQ Challenge: Fully Commit to Your Goal -- or Change It.

1. Choose to be DETERMINED! Why do you want to improve your personal relationships?

2. Choose to be WHOLEHEARTED! Why do you want to improve your health?

3. Choose to be PASSIONATE! Why are you doing what you are doing right now?

The best predictor of success is your degree of commitment to your goals. Whenever you set a goal, write out why you're committed to accomplishing it. The "why" is far more important than the "how." Commitment -- sheer passion and will power -- can help overcome any deficiency in time, money or education. Make sure each of your goals is worthy of the time and effort necessary to achieve it. Then, make sure each of your goals is getting the absolute, unconditional commitment it deserves.

"If you're climbing the ladder of life, you go rung by rung, one step at a time. Don't look too far up, set your goals high but take one step at a time. Sometimes you don't think you're progressing until you step back and see how high you've really gone." ~ Donny Osmond

Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Set Goals Color.

Shake the hesitation. Focus on the desired result, take action -- even though you're afraid -- and you'll build confidence and momentum in everything you do.

Today's TQ Challenge: Maintain a Positive Expectation for Every Action You Take.

1. Choose to be POSITIVE! What fear did you overcome last?

2. Choose to be PROACTIVE! The last time you felt afraid, how did you act?

3. Choose to be CONFIDENT! What daunting task will you confront today?

This factor is the core building block of a positive attitude. You cannot have a positive attitude in general, and a negative expectation for the individual things you do. It's all or nothing. A positive attitude depends on having an optimistic expectation for every task, every role, every meeting, every errand -- every day. No one has a positive attitude all the time. However, once you notice yours beginning to slip away, you can stop the negative spiral and create a positive expectation for the very next thing you do.

"Whenever you're in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude." ~ Timothy Bentley

Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Attitude Color.

The more your interests, needs and roles are fulfilled in your life, the more satisfied you'll feel at the end of every day.

Today's TQ Challenge: Review The Status of Your Major Roles -- Frequently.

1. Choose to be WELL-ROUNDED! Are your roles balanced? What could you change to make them even more so?

2. Choose to be FULFILLED! Does your schedule contain variety and balance this week? Do you have enough of what really TURNS YOU ON already scheduled?

3. Choose to be SATISFIED! Which area of your life could use some extra attention this month? When will you put it into your schedule?

Roles are the various parts you play in every area of your life. Every major interest and role in your life deserves your attention. Sustained success comes from nurturing and caring for each and every role -- not just one or two. You track your income and expenses, why not track your heart's desire? Each of your most important interests and roles deserves a dream, a goal, a plan and an action. Keep a list for each one so you can track its current status -- and the value it adds to your life.

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." ~ Albert Schweitzer

Read Today's TQ, and find out how to improve this aspect of your Mission Color.

Nothing will torpedo your chance at success faster than a poor attitude. You can have clear and tangible goals, with the best laid plans in the world, but if you poison the well from which opportunity springs, you've just killed your future.

Think about it.

Passion, Possibilities and Positivity. They go hand-in-hand.

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This means that 76% of the population permit their dreams and goals to die a slow, agonizing death from a lack of attention.

What a total waste of time and life.

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The importance of knowing what you value more than something else is critical to your day-to-day performance. Because until you know what's MOST important, you are spending the only life you have on things that simply don't matter.

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If not, you will never live up to your full potential.

Read this article at ThinkTQ.com.