Plan Do Reflect

The following advice from Harvard Business Review is valuable information.  Here’s what I feel about much of the good advice that I get.  

1) On the surface it seems like a good idea

2) A little deeper, it seems like it could get me in trouble

3) But its a good idea

4) What aspect of it could I employ to try it out?

5) Make a plan with real goals.  How much?  How long?  When will I apply it?  

6) Do it.  Put your plan into action.

7) Think about it.  What’s working for you?  In your situation?  Do you want to keep the same change in place?    Do you want to tweak the change a bit?   Do you want to add more change? 

This is the formula for purposeful personal development:  Plan, Do, Reflect.  

Now for that HBR advice:

OCTOBER 29, 2012

Save Time by Saying No

What matters more: the amount of time you work or the results you produce? Any smart manager would say the latter. Yet, many people spend long, wasted hours at work. If you’re struggling to keep control of your time and boost your performance, try doing these three things.

  • Decline meetings. If you don’t need to be there, don’t accept the invitation. Explain your workload and request to see the meeting’s minutes instead.
  • Delete emails. Not all of them of course, but only keep and respond to the most important ones.
  • Dial down your effort. If you can’t say “no” to a certain request, recognize that it may only require a B+ effort. Don’t spend time bumping it up to an A+ unless you really need to.
Jonathan Shaver