Time Management Fundamentals

Get time management strategies to stay organized, keep a clear mind, and be more productive—in work and life.

Introduction

• The power of managing your time
• Using the exercise files

1. Laying the Groundwork for Productivity

• Finding your motivation for lasting change
• Understanding the focus-chaos scale
• Getting the most from this course

2. The Great Obstacle to Productivity

• Addressing the myth of multitasking
• Reducing the costs of switchtasking
• Understanding the three principles of productivity

3. Productivity Principle 1: Space

• Taking an inventory of your gathering points
• Narrowing your gathering points
• Setting up an inbox gathering point
• Working with a portable inbox
• Getting the most from a notepad
• Reducing multiple email accounts
• Choosing your messaging app
• Picking a wild card gathering point
• Separating work and personal gathering points
• Taking the next step to controlling your space

4. Productivity Principle 2: Mind

• Selecting your mind clearing options
• Clearing your mind of its to-dos with mental triggers
• Setting a mind-clearing schedule
• Keeping your mind clear

5. Productivity Principle 3: Time

• Choosing the right calendar for you
• Using your calendar effectively
• Saying no to others
• Saying no to yourself

6. Preparing to Take Action

• Equipping yourself for action

7. Gathering to the Inbox

• Getting your gathering points ready
• Gathering to your inbox: Desk
• Gathering to your inbox: Elsewhere

8. Understanding Processing

• Mastering the what, when, where processing system
• Processing question 1: What is the next step?
• Processing question 2: When will it be done?
• Processing question 3: Where is its home?
• Paper and paperless filing made simple
• Digital storage made simple
• Processing your first inbox
• Processing your paper or digital notepad
• Setting your processing schedule

9. Processing Email

• Applying what, when, where processing to email
• Using an email archive folder
• Creating email rules or filters
• Processing an example email
• Processing email vs. checking email

10. Your Time Budgeter

• Understanding work time vs. you time
• Establishing the most valuable activities
• Identifying your most valuable activities
• Budgeting time for your most valuable activities
• Using your time budgeter

Conclusion

• Customizing your time management system
• Maintaining your productivity gains

Bonus

• Dave's story on getting organized