You can’t get more time in your day.

However, you can get more out of it.

Today, I want to share a few tips to help you carve more time out of your day.

Carving Time Out of Your Day

We all have the same amount of time in the day.

You can’t alter that.

You can choose to spend your time more wisely. (This is time management, for those who say you can’t manage your time.)

“You can’t make more time, but can make better use of it.” (Tweet this Quote)

So, how do you get more time out of that allotted to you each day?

Here are 10 Tips to Help Your Carve More Time Out of Your Day:

1. Meet for Less Time – Cut out meetings from your day. Or if you can’t avoid them altogether, cut them in half. Meetings expand to fill the time you give them.
2. Take Advantage of In-between Time – Making use of in-between time is key to getting more out of your day. Don’t underestimate what you can get done in just a few minutes.
3. Stop Complaining – Complaining does get anything done. (It doesn’t even necessarily make you feel better.) Instead, use that time to take action.
4. Arrive Early – Arriving early saves you time. It saves you time from rushing, traffic, and other mistakes. And once you arrive, you can utilize any extra time you have. (See #2)
5. Save Solutions – Don’t waste time solving the same problems that you have already addressed. Save the answers to issues that you may have to address again.
6. Do It the Night Before – Save time in your day by doing things the night before. This not only saves you time today, but lets you get a jump-start on your day without the stress and rushing.
7. Get Organized – By getting your stuff in order, you will avoid wasting time looking for misplaced items and digging through a cluttered workspace.
8. Get Up Early – Reclaim some of your day by getting up early. You can be the early bird.
9. Prepare for Your Day – A few minutes planning and preparing for your day early in the morning, can save you time all day. Be ready for your obligations, and know what you need to get done.
10. Say No – If you don’t ever say No, you will find yourself giving away your time to others instead of getting your priorities done first. Make sure that you say No when you should.

Get More Time Out of Your Day

Sometimes it is not how much effort you put into your day, but how much you get out of it.

Maximize the time you use each day by taking advantage of the in-between and by being smarter about how you spend it.

Don’t waste your time, you only get so much in your day.

Question: How do you carve more time out of your day?

How are meetings in your organization?

Do they need better planning? Better agendas? And better follow up?

If so, you are not alone. Most companies struggle with this issue.

Today, I want to share a great tool that makes it easier to run great meetings.

Better Meetings with Less Effort

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Jeff Steinke, Founder of Less Meeting.

Jeff and I discussed why people hate meetings and why they are a bane to productivity in most companies.

Jeff was quick to point out that meetings aren’t bad, they are usually just poorly organized.

“Meetings aren’t toxic… bad meetings are toxic.” (Tweet This Quote)

- Jeff Steinke

Less Meeting makes a web-based meeting application that helps companies hold better meetings with more structure and organization.

I have been using Less Meeting both online and via my mobile devices. Here is a rundown of its features and how it helps you plan better meetings.

Less Meeting Features:

• Meeting Structure and Best Practices - Less Meeting makes it easier to do all the things you should be doing to run great meetings. It is a simple way to bring more discipline and structure to your meetings. No more meetings with out agendas, meeting notes, or lack of follow-up.
• Mobile Apps - One of the features that really interested me was Less Meeting’s mobile apps. They have both an iPhone and iPad app.  I use my iPad Mini as my main computer, so being able to hold meetings from there was key. As well, the ability to access meetings via my phone was convenient when I had to catch a meeting on-the-go. I was able to open the agenda on my iPhone and all of my meeting notes were kept in sync across all my platforms. The mobile app is FREE for stand alone use. Get it via the App Store here.
• All Your Meetings in One Place - The problem with meeting notes (if they are taken) is that they end up everywhere. Saved on hard drives, buried in email, etc. Jeff Steinke pointed out that Less Meeting can be the “Evernote” for your company’s meeting minutes, keeping them all in one place.
• Link to Previous Meetings - I loved the fact that the meeting interface allows you to attach previous meetings to the current one. Too often, recurring meetings begin with no history of what has taken place earlier.
• Action Item Follow-up - Assigning action items during a meeting only works if you follow-up with them. Less Meeting tracks these tasks for you and allows individuals to report back when they are done.
• Meetings with Clients - I used Less Meeting in my weekly status meetings with my Virtual Assistant. She did not have a Less Meeting account but was still able to receive the meeting minutes and even check off todos via the follow-up emails. This is very convenient if you are interacting with clients or individuals outside of your team.

Plan a Better Meeting

Less Meeting’s web app allows you to create meeting invites, agendas, minutes, and follow-up items.

What I immediately liked about Less Meeting was that it brings structure to your meeting.

It integrates with Outlook (or Google Apps), so that you have seamless access to Less Meeting within your existing meeting tools. Unlike the blank meeting invite that you normally get in Outlook, Less Meeting presents an agenda template with bulleted topics and subtopics.

During the Meeting

When you start your meeting, Less Meeting presents you with an interface that lets you take notes, designate decisions, and assign action items.

The “Meeting History” allows you to link to your previous related meetings. This was one of my favorite features. Too many times, meetings start anew without any thought to what was assigned or decided at the last meeting.

The meeting interface also provides a meeting timer to keep you on track. (It even grades your adherence to the agenda!)

A “Parking Lot” area lets you set aside topics for later discussion that are unrelated to the current meeting. And finally, you can also attached related documents and notes.

Meeting Followup and Action Items

“After the meeting” is another area where many companies struggle.

Less Meeting allows you to immediately send out meeting minutes. As you can see from the next screenshot, you can brand them with your company’s colors and logo.

However, the most powerful follow-up feature is the “Action Item” tracking. Too often, items are assigned in meetings only to be forgotten later.

Less Meeting tracks these action tasks for you and allows each assigned individual to check off when they are completed. They are reminded in daily email digests of what is left to be accomplished.

Let Less Meeting Run Your Meetings

I tested Less Meeting with my small team. However, Less Meeting is intended to be used with large teams. (Individual accounts are available, but it is bundled for team accounts.)

The more team members you have on Less Meeting, the more your team can benefit from the collaboration and communication features.

If your company wants more effective meetings, let Less Meeting do the heavy lifting. It makes it easier to do all the things you should be doing to run great meetings.

I recommend Less Meeting to any organization that wants to have better meetings with less effort.

Question: How could Less Meeting help your company hold better meetings?

Many people overthink their productivity.

Time management shouldn’t be complex. Rather, it should simple, efficient, and lifestyle oriented.

Instead of taking that next step, do you find yourself pondering what to do next?

Productivity Shouldn’t Be Complicated

In an interview recently, I was asked about the most common time management mistakes.

One that came up immediately was “overthinking your productivity” efforts.

Too often, people create unneeded confusion by trying to make their productivity too complex. They spend so much time thinking about their productivity that they don’t get around do doing it.

“If you spend all day wondering what you might accomplish, you’ll never find out what you actually can.” (Tweet this Quote)

Productivity shouldn’t be complicated and the simplest action is usually the most efficient.

Don’t waste time overthinking it.

Here are 7 Mistakes You’re Making by Overthinking Your Productivity:

1. Having Too Many Tools – Too many productivity tools doesn’t lead to efficiency. Rather, it leads to confusion and clutter. Don’t pick up the latest shiny productivity tool (toy?) unless you are going to put another one down. I recommend only having 1 tool per type of task. (See The Power of 1.)
2. Waiting for the Perfect Time – There is never going to be a perfect time to take action on that goal. Don’t wait for things to slow down (they won’t) and don’t wait for the right time. The best time is now.
3. Overplanning – Another common mistake in overthinking your productivity, is overplanning. Forever developing the perfect solution doesn’t get the job done. As the saying goes, “A good plan now, always beats a perfect plan next week.”
4. Thinking There is Only One Way – Don’t get hung up on the “right way” to be productive. Use methods that work for you. We all work slightly differently. Don’t fall for the myth that there is only one way to be productive.
5. Creating Too Complex of a System – If your time management system requires a flow chart to tell you what you next action, then it is too complicated. If your tools are connected in manner that runs like a Rube-Goldberg machine, then you are overcomplicating things. You aren’t being more efficient, just creating more opportunities for system failure.
6. Not Making Decisions – This is classic overthinking. You think and think, yet you never choose. If you don’t make decisions, life will make them for you. A bad decision is often better than no decision at all.
7. Not Starting – Stop the pondering. Start the action. You can’t finish if you never start.

Don’t Overthink Your Productivity

Stop overthinking your productivity and take action.

The simplest way is usually the best. It doesn’t take complex systems or myriad tools.

Don’t overthink it. Just do it today.

Question: Are you overthinking your productivity? How could you simplify your efforts?

For many people, email rules their life.

It dictates their daily actions. It takes up as much of their time as it wants.

It follows them wherever they go. After work. In bed. And when they wake up.

Is it all really that important?

Maybe it’s time to demote your email.

Why Are You Checking Email 37 Times a Day?

Does your email control you? Does it show up no matter where you are?

Email is the new snail mail and it should be treated as such. You don’t check your post office box 37 times a day, do you?

“If you are checking email 37 times a day, you shouldn’t wonder why you don’t get anything done.” (Tweet this quote)

If checking email is interrupting your life and preventing you from getting your work done, then it’s time to demote the importance of email.

Email Is Not Your Job

Unless you are a customer service representative, checking and answering email is probably not your job.

So, why do spend so much time in your inbox instead of doing your work? And how do you break the cycle of letting email rule your day?

Some people have gone to the extreme of giving up on email or declaring bankruptcy.

While both of these extremes sound fun, they are not be prudent options. (Your employer probably frowns on both…)

While you may not be able to fire your email, you can demote it.

You don’t have to give it the priority to take over your life. You can check it less and spend more time on your job. On the work you should be doing.

Here are 7 Ways to Demote the Importance of Your Email:

1. Check Email Only a Few Times a Day – 3X a Day is a good starting point. Morning, midday, and end of day.
2. Set Expectations with Others – Let others (even clients) know that email is not the quickest way to reach you. In the case of an emergency, they shouldn’t be sending you an email. Call or use another a more urgent method.
3. Don’t Let It Intrude on Your Life – When was the last time that you checked email during a meal or family situation only to get upset and “have to address” something? Don’t check it during your personal time. Turn off the notifications and chimes, as well.
4. Turn Email Off on Your Mobile – You don’t need to have access to your email at every second of your day. Use email mobility for your convenience, not for the rest of the world to reach you in the bathroom.
5. Respond Only When Necessary – Email loves email. The more you send the more you get. Resist the urge to play email Ping-Pong.
6. Keep Email Short – Don’t write novel length emails. Keep them short. 5 lines is a good thumb-rule. If you write a 5-page diatribe, expect to get one in return.
7. Use Other Forms of Communication – Instead of jotting off that next email, pick a more appropriate form of communication. Pick up the phone, send a text, or go see someone in person when possible.

Demote Your Email

If email is taking up too much of your day, then it’s time to demote it.

Stop incessantly checking it no matter where you are. Stop playing the email game. (You won’t win.) Get out of your inbox and get back to work.

Demote your email and take back control of your day.

Question: Do you need to demote your email? Do you check it 37 times a day?

When you have too much going on, how do you get your most important tasks done?

If background noise and distractions are drowning out your work, you need to narrow your focus.

You need to zoom in on your work so that you can get your critical todos done.

Sometimes You Need to Zoom In

When you have too much going on, it can be hard to get anything done.

There are too many distractions. Too many interruptions. Simply too many simultaneous tasks.

Trying to work on everything at once doesn’t work. (You’ll end up with 57 things started and nothing done…)

When you find yourself in this situation what do you do?

A great tactic to use is to zoom in on your most important work.

“When the big picture is overwhelming, you need to zoom in to get more done.”

Focus on your critical tasks. Tune out the noise. Finish things to done.

Zoom in.

Zoom In on Your Most Important Work

To get your most important work done, eliminate the distractions from your field of view.

Get closer to the most important tasks on your list.

Here are 8 Ways to Zoom In to Get Your Important Work Done:

1. Zoom in on the Task at Hand – Eliminate the distractions. Clear your desk, or your computer desktop, so that only the work at hand is present. This removes non-essential clutter and will give you space to work.
2. Shut Out the Noise – If you are constantly being interrupted by others or background noise, put on your headphones or close the door if you must. Set expectations that you will re-engage when your work is done.
3. Pare Down Your Todo List – If your todo list is a mile long, pare it down to the top 1–3 things that you will complete. Make this your today list.
4. Unplug – Don’t let your technology be a leash that keeps you from getting your work done. Turn off the dings, notifications, and email until your work is done.
5. Focus on Your Work – Turn on your “focus mode” so that you can only see the work at hand. (Many apps have a mode like this, or you can simply make it full screen.)
6. Stop Multi-tasking – Multi-tasking is a recipe for starting many things… not finishing them. Resist the urge to start other tasks until after you complete your most important tasks.
7. Isolate – Go to where you work best. If you need to retreat to your “fortress of solitude” to prevent interruptions then do so. (See #2) Don’t underestimate the power of where you work.
8. Finish to Done – When you finally get to your most important work, make sure you don’t stop short of the finish line. Complete tasks to done so that you can cross them off and move on.

Get a Closer View of Your Work

Sometimes you need to get a little closer to your work.

The big picture can be too much of distraction. It can be noisy and full of interruptions.

When something absolutely must get done… make sure you zoom in and eliminate everything else from your view. Then you can focus and stay on task.

Question: What work do you need to zoom in on today?

Do you keep a journal?

I am a big believer that keeping one can help you get more done.

Today, let’s look at 10 things you should be writing in your journal to be more productive.

Write Your Way to Productivity

Writing things down in a journal has a magical way of translating your invisible thoughts into tangible ideas.

(If you don’t have a journal, I recommend Day One for Mac or Day One for iOS. Or if you prefer paper, definitely get yourself a Moleskine notebook.)

“Writing in your journal can be a productive exercise to clear your mind, clarify your goals, and reflect on your progress.”

I previously wrote about why a journal can make you more productive.

But, what do you write in your journal?

Here are Ten Things to Write in Your Productivity Journal:

1. Your Big Ideas – Ideas are fleeting. Make sure you capture those big ideas that are floating around in your head. Curate them in your journal and you might just develop your next big project.
2. Your Successes – How often do you celebrate your progress? Document your successes, no matter how small, in your journal. Be your own biggest fan.
3. Things You Need to Get Out of Your Head – Writing allows you to clear your mind. Write down those things that are buzzing around in your head, so that you can stop worrying about remembering them.
4. Things You Wouldn’t Say – Abraham Lincoln famously wrote letters that he never intended to send of feelings he wanted to internally express. Use your journal a cleansing experience to express those things that you cannot or should not say in daily life.
5. You Inner Narrative – Your mind has its own thoughts. Writing down that narrative can help you draw out meaning and wisdom that you might not even realize you have. Let your mind do the talking and make sure you listen to what it says.
6. Your Goals – Goals are important. Even more so, is writing them down. Make them clear. Give them deadlines. Goals are what turn dreams into reality.
7. Ways You Can Improve – Your journal is one of the best places to reflect on your actions and performance. What did you do that you could have handled better? What will you do differently next time?
8. Your Memories – Life moves pretty fast. Use your journal to capture those memories that you don’t want to pass you by. Your journal may be your own auto-biography for yourself or your loved ones.
9. Your Feelings – Many of us have difficulty expressing our true feelings. Writing them down is the first step in being able to verbalize them to those that need to hear them from you.
10. Your Dreams – Write down your hopes and dreams… just make you eventually turn them into goals. (See #6)

Your Journal of Productivity

Keeping a journal is a great way to explore your inner thoughts.

As well, it is a great way to take your dreams and bring them closer to reality.

Write in your journal regularly to document your progress.

Or if you don’t have one, start today to begin writing your way to better productivity.

Question: What do you write in your journal to make yourself more productive?

Do you need more time in your day?

Do you need help with your administrative tasks and wish you had an assistant?

Today, I want to tell you about my experiences with virtual assistants and how your business could benefit by adding a virtual team member.

Getting Some Virtual Help

As I started growing the TMN site, I soon realized that I could not do all the work myself. As well, I needed to delegate some of the repetitive tasks so that I could concentrate on creative work and interacting with readers.

Once upon a time, this problem would have meant hiring local help to aid me in keeping up with my growing workload.

However, the world has changed, you don’t need to hire a regular full-time or part-time employee. You can leverage a virtual assistant (VA) for a fraction of the cost.

As well, they don’t have to be local. In fact, they can live on the other side of the country (or the planet). In many cases, it works well to have a VA that isn’t in your time zone.

You may be a perfect candidate for a virtual assistant if:

• You have paperwork that you can’t keep up with
• You need calendar and appointment assistance
• Someone else could manage your communication
• You run a small business and have too much work on your plate

What Is A Virtual Assistant and What Can They Do For Me?

A virtual assistant is someone who works remotely on your tasks. With tools and technology, they can be just as productive (if not more so) than someone in your office.

My virtual assistant and I share files (Dropbox), coordinate projects (Asana), and even meet virtually (Skype or Google+).

The biggest challenge you will have when first engaging a virtual assistant is delegating work.

Speaking from my experience, it felt weird at first having a VA doing tasks on my behalf. However, we quickly became a team and now my VA handles much of my administrative work.

But, before most people reach the point of engaging a virtual assistant, they first find themselves overwhelmed with work, email, and unfinished tasks.

That was the situation I was in last Fall…

Enter eaHELP

I had a good problem. My TMN site was growing dramatically and opportunities were starting to pop up left and right.

However, my workload was also expanding dramatically. Email and inquiries were pouring in, and action was needed to move projects forward.

At just the right time, I happened to meet Bryan Miles who is the owner of eaHELP, a virtual assistant company. (Although, they call their virtual assistants… executive assistants. Hence, the “ea.” )

I had engaged virtual assistant companies previously, but for the most part found them to be “task masters.” If you throw a task over the wall, they throw an answer back. The level of engagement just wasn’t there. I needed a team member, not just a research assistant.

eaHELP specializes in assistants who are part of your organization, not a distant outside entity. This next level of service is what eaHELP delivered for me.

Once I got them involved, my site has never been the same.

The next question people usually have is, “What work tasks can a VA do for me?”

What My Virtual Assistant Does For Me

Many people wonder what they will have their VA do once they have them onboard.

So, here are just 10 activities that my VA does for me:

10 Tasks My VA Does for Me…

1. Books Appointments – While I am busy doing other work, my VA books meetings, speaking engagements, and interviews. She has full access to my calendar and adds appointments where appropriate.
2. Handles All Correspondence – Yes, my VA reads my TMN mail. She is the first line of defense in correspondence. She makes sure that the important messages get to me and others do not. She also has her own @TMN email address so that she is “part of the organization.”
3. Filters the Noise – Once my site reached a certain level, I started to get all kinds of inquiries. Especially from scammers, linkbackers, and non-serious people spamming me about their products. My VA filters this noise so that I can concentrate on the most important tasks.
4. Newsletter Preparation – My VA preps my TMN Newsletter each week. This task probably saves me 20–30 minutes each week. This is a good example of a repetitive task that my VA was able to take off my plate.
5. Reaches Out to Companies – When I partner with companies, my VA does all the initial inquiries with the companies we engage. Again, she directly represents my TMN brand.
6. Screens Guest Posts – Another administrative task, she does the first review on all Guest Posts submitted to TMN. She is the standard keeper in this area.
7. Invoices – I know many people who run small business who can’t keep up with their paperwork. This can be very costly when it involves payments due to you. My VA does all the work in invoicing and ensures things stay on track.
8. Compiles Info – Admin work is a good area to have your VA take work off your plate. My VA recently compiled a list of blog posts for an upcoming book. This allowed me to keep writing new material while she took care of the compilation.
9. Keeps Me on Deadlines – Yes, even a ninja needs reminders sometimes. My VA helps keep me on deadlines. I was on a business trip a while back when she pinged me about a deadline for a major publication that was due the next day.
10. Makes Decisions – This one is important and why I use eaHELP vs. some of the task-master VA companies. I fully trust her to make decisions on the tasks she is handling. She consults with me on critical issues, but otherwise she keeps me out of the fray by making prudent decisions on the issues I do not need to be involved in.

Benefits of a Virtual Assistant

There are many benefits to having a virtual assistant.

If you are looking to grow you business and work capacity, you should investigate the options that a VA brings.

It doesn’t require a large monetary or time investment. And it might just bring you more of both.

Benefits of having a virtual assistant:

• More Bandwidth – We only have so much time… you can have more time to work on what you need to do.
• Concentrate on Creating – Takes administrative work off your list, so that you can focus on creating value.
• Be More Timely – Ensure that you meet deadlines and be more timely in your correspondence.
• Stay in Budget - Allows expanded capacity without hiring a direct employee.

If you are in need of some extra assistance, I recommend you look at what a virtual assistant can do for your business. And I highly recommend eaHELP, their organization is top-notch. (Get in touch with them here.)

Do you like to solve problems?

Do you get involved in solving problems whether they are your own or those of others?

Tackling every problem that comes your way can actually make you less productive.

You may need to ask yourself if solving problems is getting work done, or simply creating more work for you.

Solving Problems Doesn’t Equal Productive

I recently worked with an individual who was known at their company for being a problem solver.

They could always be counted on to jump into any situation to help solve the latest problem. In this regard, they were highly sought out whenever a crisis hit.

Ironically, this same individual was also known for not completing their own duties and for regularly being late on deliverables.

The Problem Isn’t the Problem

Jumping to solve every problem isn’t productive.

In fact, it can actually be procrastination disguised as productivity.

“Sometimes the problem doesn’t need to be solved. Sometimes the problem is actually the interruption.”

Some individuals spend the majority of their time solving problems instead of getting done what they need to do. They jump at every problem instead of concentrating on their work.

Companies can be just as guilty, spending millions of dollars solving issues that weren’t problems or even important.

Sound familiar?

Here are 5 Reasons Why Solving Every Problem Can Be Anti-Productive:

1. The Problem Isn’t a Problem – Solving problems looks productive, and it feels good. The problem lies in the fact that many problems are not problems. They are merely molehills. Measure your response accordingly.
2. Problems Take You Off Task – Don’t use problems as an excuse to procrastinate. Problems are great distractions to take your off task and keep you from finishing your work.
3. Doing Other People’s Work – If you want to solve everyone else’s problems, they will be more than willing to let you do so. Unfortunately, you can’t do everyone else’s job and still get your own done.
4. Solving Problems That Don’t Need to Be Solved – Some problems aren’t worth the time or effort to solve. Either they are not really a problem (See #1) or they will resolve themselves in time.
5. Solving Problems That Have Already Been Solved – Don’t spend inordinate amounts of time solving problems that have already been solved. It is a wasteful effort. A great example of this is when companies try to build their own internal solution to something that the marketplace already has addressed.

In Search of a Problem

Before you get excited and tackle that current problem, stop and ask yourself if it is really a problem.

Does it warrant dropping your work and putting your productivity on hold? Or is it merely a distraction in disguise?

Remember, you can’t solve every problem… and not every problem needs to be solved.

Share Your Thoughts: Does problem solving take you off task from getting your work done?