Index

ABCDE Method, 34–37, 106

accuracy, striving for, 66–67

achievements/

accomplishments

versus activity, 3

constraints to, 65–67, 107

determinants of your, 1, 51, 57–58

goals as fuel for, 7–11, 70

identifying your important, 67, 81

list making for, 13–15

personal effectiveness, 28, 41, 63, 103

underachievement, 24, 39, 86

action bias, 98, 100

action orientation, 93

actions, 12, 23–24, 36, 46–47, 53–54, 107

activities, 3, 19–20, 27, 31, 32–33

addictions, 4–5, 77–78, 86–87, 107

attention/focus, 86, 87–89, 108

attitude, 73–75

balance/moderation, 50–51

bias for action, 98

Big Seven result areas, 39–40

big three tasks, 51

choke points, 64

clarity, 7, 40

consequences, 22–29, 32, 35, 96, 105

constraints

80/20 Rule applied to, 65

external/internal, 65

identifying key, 62–64, 67, 107

continuous learning, 59–61

core competencies, 62

creative procrastination, 30–33, 106

crossing the desert story, 56–57

deadlines, 9, 26–27, 71, 107

imaginary, 69–70

decision making, 5, 8, 23–24

delegation skills, 41

desert story, 56–57

detaching from technology, 76–77

discipline, 5, 21

distractions, 86, 88, 95, 100, 104, 108

eating the frog concept, 2–3, 105

efficiency, 40, 85. See also single handling tasks; time management

efficiency curve, 102

80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle), 18–21, 65, 78, 105

e-mail, 78–79, 82, 87–88, 94

emergencies, 82–83

endorphins, 91

energy, 13

feedback, 43

flow state, 97–98

forcing system, 71

future orientation/thinking, 23–24, 37

gifts of time, 96

goals/objectives

bias for action for reaching, 98

exercises for achieving, 11, 47–49

identifying most important, 51, 67

launching toward your, 53–54

of optimists, 74

power of written, 10–11

steps for setting and achieving, 7–10

stretch goals, 84–85

writing your, 8–11, 105

habits, 3–4, 5, 43, 68, 88–89, 105

improvement, 59–61

income, steps for increasing, 7–10

inner dialogue (self-talk), 72, 73, 99–100

interruptions, 87, 95, 108

key result areas, 38–39, 41–43, 106

Big Seven, 39–40

Law of Forced Efficiency, 25–26

Law of Three, 44–51, 106

learning, 59–62, 74, 84

limiting factors, 64. See also constraints

list making

ABCDE Method for, 36–37 80/20

Rule applied to, 18

for goal achievement, 9, 58

prioritizing tasks, 21

quick list method, 47–49

using technology for, 83

when/how to make lists, 13–15, 65

See also thinking on paper

long-term thinking, 23, 24–25

long time perspective, 22

losers versus winners, 25

lower-value activities, 31, 100

mastering skills, 59–62

moderation/balance, 50–51

momentum, 99, 102

motivation

finishing a task as, 91

performance and, 42, 60

self-, 20–21, 72, 107

sources of, 10, 15, 20

waiting for, 68

multitasking, 87

musts versus shoulds, 35–36

objectives. See goals/objectives

optimism/optimists, 72, 73–75

performance/productivity

action orientation for, 93

asking for appraisal of your, 43

doubling your, 88–89

grading your results, 41

high, 98–99, 103, 108

Law of Three for increasing, 46–47

poor performance in key result areas, 39, 41–42

questions for maximizing, 27–29

phone calls, 94

plans. See preparation/planning

positive addictions, 4–5

positive attitude, 73–75

posteriorities, 31, 32–33

preparation/planning, 12, 106

daily advance planning, 105

list making, 13–15, 17

project planning, 15–16, 71

time planners, 95

priorities/prioritizing

ABCDE Method, 34–37

higher-priority tasks, 103

posteriorities, 31, 32–33

setting, 1, 25, 27–28, 49

to-do lists, 83

procrastination, 19

creative, 30–33, 106

listing steps for task completion, 58

overcoming, 56, 105–108

poor performance and, 41–42

preparation for avoiding, 52–53

reasons for, 7, 59, 90

unconscious versus purposeful, 31

See also task management

productivity. See performance/productivity

projects, planning, 15–16

quick list method, 47–49

reputation with yourself, 69

role modeling, 69

salami slice method, 90, 93, 108

salaries/wages, 38

sales/salespeople, 18, 23–24, 39–40, 66, 94

saying no, 31

self-assessment, 65–66

self-discipline, 103–104

self-esteem, 69, 103

self-talk (inner dialogue), 72, 73, 99–100

sense of urgency, 97–99, 100, 108

setting the table (writing out goals), 105

short-term decision making, 23

shoulds versus musts, 35–36

single handling tasks, 101–104, 108

Six-P Formula, 13

skills

development of, 1, 6, 42–43

fear of learning new, 83–85

identifying needed, 62

poor performance of key, 39

steps to mastery, 61–62

upgrading your, 59, 107

social media, 84–85. See also technology

state of flow, 97–98

stressors, 26–27, 78

stretch goals, 84

success

habits of, 3–4, 5

state of flow and, 97–98

thinking on paper for, 8–11

superior thinkers, 22

Swiss cheese method, 91–92, 93

task identification, 44–47, 51

task management

ABCDE Method for, 34–36, 106

completion of tasks, 3–4

compulsion to closure for, 91

deadlines for, 69–70, 71

decision making for, 23 80/20

Rule applied to, 19–20

failure to execute, 3

focusing on completion, 25

high-importance tasks, 104

Law of Three, 44–51, 106

low-value tasks, 20

managing communication technology, 81–82

number versus importance of, 19

prioritizing, 2–3, 17

salami slice method, 90, 108

shoulds versus musts, 35–36

Swiss cheese method, 91–92

taking one step at a time, 57–58, 107

See also list making; procrastination; single handling tasks

technology

addiction to, 77–78

communication management, 81–82

controlling your relationship with, 76–77

distractions caused by, 86–87

handling emergencies, 82–83

in meetings, 88

as servant versus master, 81, 107, 108

social media, 84–85

taking control of emotions using, 83–85

taking your time back from, 78

for time control/management, 83

unplugging from, 79, 80, 82, 85, 89

telephone calls, 94

tempo of work, 99, 100, 102

10/90 Rule, 16

thinking on paper, 8–11, 13–14, 34–35, 105

thinking/thinkers, 12, 23–25, 33, 75

time horizon, 22–23

time management

creating large chunks of time, 108

decision making about, 23–24

having a sense of urgency, 97

Law of Forced Efficiency, 25–26

making every minute count, 96

as means to an end, 49

most valuable use of time, 28, 29

planning, 13

quality versus quantity of time, 50

saying no, 31

technology and, 78, 83

using planners, 95

wasting time, 50, 102

See also urgency

trivial many, 18, 19

urgency, 97–99, 100, 108

visualization, 6, 74

vital few, 18, 19

wages/salaries, 38

wasting time, 50, 102

winners versus losers, 25

workspace, 52–53, 55

writing your goals, 8–11, 105

zero-based thinking, 33

the zone, 99

zones of silence, 80