Over-scheduling doesn’t work

Instead of relying on a tool with all the bells and whistles, find out where you’re struggling and what’s essential for you. 

For example, if scheduling is taking you away from product development, then you could use a scheduling tool that uses machine learning to automate most of your scheduling needs. If you’re wasting too much time on email, then consider using a tool to help tame your inbox.

Time management is only useful when you’re aware of your limitations and don't let the system dictate your entire life. 

In other words, when you don’t tread lightly (especially at first), time management can add more stress to your life.

If you have a few projects at a time, focus on one. Work with intense focus. Do not allow distractions.

When you feel your motivation slows down, switch to another project.

Determine the urgency of your tasks to figure out which requires priority. 

How you communicate with your team can dictate your eventual success. To avoid miscommunication and to keep your team updated, always strive for clarity, accuracy, and thoroughness on your communication.

Have your team work for something together.

Setting goals just for the department or one individual breeds isolation and a limited mentality. Instead, give staffers a unified focus and purpose, to inspire them together.

The Decision Matrix on how to approach tasks has 4 quadrants:

• Quadrant 1: The Urgent Problems which are important.
• Quadrant 2: Not Urgent but important tasks
• Quadrant 3: Urgent but not really important
• Quadrant  4: Distractions and time-wasting tasks. 

Prioritize the important (Quadrant 2) to attain maximum benefit from your work.

Start with the small tasks, the ones you can finish in 10 minutes and run through them first.

You’ll feel motivated by the win of knocking out a couple of tasks quickly and ready to handle more serious work.

If the Pomodoro Technique doesn't work for you and you prefer to do tasks from start to finish in one sitting, you should adjust your plan to fit with your focus.

So work until you complete those tasks, and then take a break.

Productivity is directly related to your energy level.

Find your most productive hours — the time of your peak energy — and schedule Deep Work for those periods. Do low-value and low-energy tasks (also known as shallow work), such as responding to emails or unimportant meetings, in between those hours.

Before going to bed, spend 5 minutes writing your to-do list for the next day. These tasks should help you move towards your professional and personal goals.

You’ll be better prepared mentally for the challenges ahead before waking up and there won’t be any room for procrastination in the morning. As a result, you’ll work faster and smoother than ever before.

• Tell everyone what you plan to do and talk about your goals. Tell friends, employees, and employers your intentions and you won’t want to let them down. 
• Start documenting and sharing your journey. A blog or vlog where you share the projects you’re working on and your progress will encourage you to get things done. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator and simply can’t resist the temptations of things like Facebook and Youtube, it might be time to cut out temptations.

There are tools such as Rescue Time, SelfControl and Focus that will temporarily block access to distracting websites like Facebook. Less aggressive tools such as Facebook Newsfeed Eradicator and Distraction Free Youtube will allow you to have access to Facebook and Youtube but block the distracting parts of these websites (such as the newsfeed).

Find a place and schedule in which you will not be disturbed. Concentration and focus must be trained. Having a special time and space to do focused work, will train your brain to do it better.

To maximize productivity, prepare for deep work with deep breathing and visualizing your desired end state. Also, chunk work into 45-minute blocks and do some movement and yoga between those deep work sets.

The more successful you become, the more shiny opportunities offer themselves to you, but not all of them are good for you in the moment.

Always ask yourself, or the people around you, if the pros outweigh the cons by a large margin. If they don’t, refuse the opportunity as it will become a stressful commitment.

• They spend money on others. One reason is that it creates social connections.
• They celebrate other people's success through "active and constructive" responding.
• They treat everyone with respect and kindness. Kindness, like happiness, is contagious.
• They're proactive about relationships. They work on maintaining their relationships.
• They express gratitude. It improves mood and energy and decreases anxiety.
• They engage in deep, meaningful conversations.

• They're optimistic. Bad things happen to all of us. Happy people don't complain, whine or let pessimism become a self-fulling prophecy.
• They view problems as challenges. They focus on solutions to the problem and reflect on what they're grateful for.

Typically, we do mindless work first and build-up to the toughest tasks. That drains your energy and lowers your focus.

In order to focus effectively, reverse the order. Check off the tasks that require creativity or concentration first thing in the morning, and then move on to easier work.

We are truly focused for an average of only six hours per week. You want to be really diligent with what you put into those hours.

90 percent of people do their best thinking outside the office. Notice where and when you focus best, then allocate your toughest tasks for those moments.