The one big thing

To learn to control your attention, set aside at least one time period per day to focus without interruption. Let it be no more than 90 minutes at a time. Do something important but not urgent.

Ask yourself: Are you scheduling time daily to focus without interruption?

This intense focus is at the center of completing outstanding work in a compact amount of time. However, focus requires training to develop.

To start, schedule a 20-minute block of undistracted work, and then add 10 minutes every two weeks.

Ask yourself: What is your training syste...

Before you allocate time to any task, question the intended outcome. Ensure that everything you say and do move the ball forward toward your goal.

Ask yourself: s what I’m about to do (or say) moving the ball forward?

We can all feel very busy, but despite all this bustle, we often don’t feel particularly productive from day to day and often let the "big stuff" go unattended.

If we want to take back control of our priorities, we should relentlessly question how we're spending our time.

It can be challenging to be productive in the long-term when you do things you don't feel motivated to do. Unless you have to push through with a specific task, it is much easier to work around things that keep you motivated.

Ask yourself: Why do you do this every single day...