Synchronize to Maximize
July 20th, 2007 | Michael Q. Pink
Getting too many interruptions? Not getting enough done? Is your time consumed by pests of one sort or another? You know… those pesky interruptions that try to look legitimate but in the end, they only consume your time. Well, here’s the third of seven rainforest strategies to protect your time and maximize your productivity. It’s called Synchronous Leaf Production. It’s where several species of trees all put new leaves out at the same time. The idea being that there are so many new leaves suddenly appearing in the rainforest, that no one tree or group of trees will be ravaged by hungry pests. It’s like spreading the risk around.
What or with whom can you synchronize to minimize the risk of interruption? Consider timing your busy work when everyone else is also busy. If they are all preoccupied with their tasks, you will automatically have fewer interruptions. From whom do most of your interruptions come? Find out when they are busy and plan your busy work then. Recently, I set up my own “no pest zone” and my staff informed me of how much more they got done because I was busy doing something else!
If you’re going to synchronize your work, try to synchronize related projects so that advancing one automatically advances or aids in the progress of another. Also, documentation is one thing, but documentation retrieval is another. Establish a place for everything, and then put everything in its place. You lose, on average, an hour a day looking for things. If you want more time, spend less of it looking for what you need.
Until next time, be fruitful, then multiply!
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July 20th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
July 21st, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Good advice. I have been trying to do the same as the Lord leads me. Jesus, please continue to speak to us, guide us, and help us to be obedient to you in every way. Help us to be totally surrendered to you and your will for our lives. We love you Lord. You are awesome! Thank you for forgiving us and giving us a greater understanding of some things. Please continue to do so and cause more and more growth in and through us often. Thank you Jesus.
July 22nd, 2007 at 10:16 am
PRAISE THE LORD
Dear Sir,
Please pray for my brother .
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:32 am
Michael,
The synchronize idea really does work. I have used it many times in the past.
In my current situation I am faced with a small office where two other people also have their desks. Both are women and there are constant dramas going on that distract me. Both are loud talkers and are very distracting. I have discovered the best way for me to get anything done is to leave and go to my home office. I am in outside sales and have to make calls regularly to make appointments and follow up with potential prospects. My time in the office becomes unproductive because of the distractions.
As I wait upon the Lord to direct my path for a new endeavor I sometimes grow impatient at the current situation. My wife and have discussed at great depth what path God wants for me now that I am finished with my MBA. I really want to do God’s will for my life and be in a position where I can use my technical, sales, and operations management skills to the fullest advantage. As I have gotten older I have realized that my heart is very tender for the lost, downtrodden and for children. Please pray for me that God will bring the correct opportunity for me to accomplish HIS will, not mine.
Thanks,
Jon