AS a year-ender column, I would like to dedicate the space for something that is important to us as we prepare to enter a new year: productivity. It is closely related to the plans and resolutions that we will be writing for 2019 and could spell the difference between success and failure. There are many productivity gurus, books and online resources that I’ve come across and here I have picked tips and advice that I like from some of these sources to share with you. These may not be new to you, but even old lessons are worth revisiting as long as they are effective!
We’ve all heard about Inbox Zero, but to many, it seems difficult to get to that point. Some experts say that one way to do it is to not answer every e-mail, and to not open each one, too. (Or at least to delay opening them up until such time that the issue resolves itself and you don’t actually need to reply.) Don’t hesitate to instantly delete unimportant messages. Admittedly, there is a certain amount of ruthlessness necessary to be able to do this.
Make good use of extra time: waiting in traffic, lining up, sitting at the clinic lobby, etc. If you don’t have a podcast app on your phone, it’s about time to install one. And while you’re at it, you can also take that important step of deleting Facebook from your phone (!). You can also read books (either print or e-books), reply to important messages or make important calls to make good use of these pockets of extra time.
Find your peak time. We all have different work habits and body clocks, so it’s great if we can figure out which hours are most conducive for work. Some people can think well early in the morning, while others can concentrate better late at night when the house is quiet. When you have known this, schedule the day’s most important work at this time.
There is wisdom in keeping what Montaigne calls a Commonplace Book. It’s a small notebook that you keep to record anything that catches your eye. You can even turn it into a small journal to record your thoughts, reminders, notes and other things you don’t want to forget. This greatly helps us in our work and other daily activities. There are many other productivity hacks and I will reserve some of them for next time. As we end December, it is the best time to reflect on our habits and to take up new ones that will help us become more efficient and organized in 2019.
To be continued
AT this point, I would like to congratulate the big winners in the recently concluded Presidential Gold Cup Race held at the Manila Jockey Club, Inc., Carmona, Cavite, on December 9. The winners are Sepfourteen with jockey JA Guce (first place), Pangalusian Island and JPA Guce (second place), Electric Truth and MA Alvarez (third place) and Radio Active with KB Abobo (fourth place). Congratulations to all of you!