the layout of this place. Are you listening? I need to see air ducts. I need to see electrical access tunnels. Sub-basements. Every possible way into this complex. We don’t have much time. Hudson, just relax.”
In the midst of meltdowns by other crew members who were overwhelmed by the mayhem surrounding them, Ellen Ripley was able to remain calm and keep things in perspective.
The situation was critical, but she knew: You have to take your time to save time.
She understood how to Create Clarity.
YOUR SECRET WEAPON IS…
I meet folks from all professions and walks of life when I speak as The Inefficiency Assassin. I also have wonderful phone coaching clients all over the world. The number one question I get asked is, “What is the best _____ to use?” You can fill in the blank with such words as calendar, file folder, file cabinet, task app, cord manager — you name it. I’m always asked about a product. Or if a company wants to hire me to present at their conference or training, they want me to include a “Top 10 Tools” list as one of my deliverables. Everyone wants to know the secret quick fix.
Depending on how much time I have at that moment, I try to briefly explain that tools are just tools and won’t work unless something else, something bigger — an extreme strategy — is learned.
Since you and I have the time right now, let’s talk about what that mind-bending concept is.
What is the key to organization and productivity?
I can tell you that there are no shopping lists involved. There’s not an inventory of tools or supplies to purchase. No containers. No apps.
Do you want the answer to the question they always ask? Do you want to know what your Time Management Revolution needs in order to work?
Here’s a hint: you already possess the most critical tool a person needs in order to be successful with time management.
It’s your brain!
That’s right, my comrades-in-arms. Your brain is your secret weapon! There’s nothing special to buy! Managing your time comes down to how you train your brain to think.
Now, don’t get me wrong; calendars and apps are tools you can utilize. But the key tool is your brain — because it’s your brain that decides what goes on those calendars and what tasks get added to those apps or lists, whichever you choose to use to track what you need to do.
Your brain is what will make you, and it is also what can break you.
Every decision you make, from the time you roll out of bed in the morning until the time your head hits the pillow in the evening, will affect your personal life and work life.
Your brain makes your decisions.
Therefore, that gob of gray matter that resides in your skull is your key to failure…or success.
Your brain is in total control of everything you do. It decides how much time you waste and how much time you utilize. It decides whether you’ll procrastinate or jump in and get things done. Your brain determines your reaction and response to every person who communicates with you and every situation in which you’re placed. And if you’ve got too much spinning around up there, you can end up with brain constipation.
It’s important to understand that you can’t be on autopilot. You must be conscious, aware, intentional, present, cognizant — whichever term you prefer to use — regarding your decisions about how you use your time. Your brain will help you to implement your Time Management Revolution.
CREATING AND CARING FOR YOUR SECRET WEAPON
In this first part of the book, we’ll be discussing the C in CIA — Create Clarity. You’ll learn how you can care for and utilize your secret weapon — your brain.
In order to Create Clarity, we must do the following:
• Capture our priorities
• Identify our targets
• Administer self-care
• Reflect with power
• Be open to change
When you achieve this part of the mission, completing the rest of the productivity operation — parts 2 and 3 — is that much easier.
Ready? It’s time to do some capturing!
What would you do if flames were spreading quickly in your home, and you had just a few minutes to evacuate? My client Carol was once, unfortunately, in that situation. She lived in the Midwest on a quiet street, in a two-story house with a wraparound front porch and white picket fence. The fire in her house started in the middle of the night from an electrical short in the basement, so she and her family had to scramble down the stairs from their bedrooms and get out of the house as soon as possible. When I asked her what she grabbed as she ran out of the house, she replied, “I realized in that moment that my physical possessions were pretty unimportant. I made sure my family was out, our pets were accounted for, and we had our medications to stay in good health.”
Those frightening moments brought Carol’s priorities into focus. She was reminded that the most important thing in her life was the well-being of her loved ones. That fire devastated the house, and they were forced to rebuild. But this experience changed her perspective on how she spent her days. Having that clarity about her life’s priorities helped her to make better decisions in the future about how she wanted to use her time. She realized that work would always be there, but her family might not.
GOAL
Make any and all decisions in work and life based on your priorities. Post your priorities in a place where you can view them daily.
TACTICS
Capture Your Personal Priorities
1. Brainstorm: Write down (on paper or digitally) everyone and every goal that’s important to your life.
2. From this list, write down your top three or four personal priorities.
3. View your personal priorities list every day.
4. Make decisions in your personal life and in your work life based on these priorities.
Capture Your Work Priorities
1. Brainstorm: Write down (on paper or digitally) every belief, objective, and concept that’s important to your work.
2. From this list, write down your top three or four work priorities.
3. View your work priorities list every day.
4. Make decisions in your personal life and in your business life based on these priorities.
STRATEGY
