I love mind maps and this article can help you think about how to use them to boost your productivity.
8 Tips to Use Mind Maps to Boost Productivity as a Student
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Category Archives: Time Management
Handling the Flood
Handling the flood of information that comes at you on any given day can be challenging, or even overwhelming. You receive an email or file attachment you want to keep, but then forget where you have saved it. You place an important document or object in a “safe” place only to forget where that is. It is not just you; it is all of us. It isn’t because we are getting old and forgetful, although that may be true, but more likely because there is simply more to remember and keep track of in our lives than ever before in history. This isn’t likely to change, so we need to accept this as the new norm.
For more on this check out the video below.
Exceed Expectations
It is a little known fact that everyone forms subconscious expectations regarding EVERYTHING and EVERYONE! This might not be so bad, except that our expectations are rarely accurate, and almost always predispose us to place people, and everything else, into boxes. We form an expectation of a coworker or employee that they are consistently late, or make the same kind of errors over and over again, or lack competence in certain areas, etc. Before you know it, our expectations become the label for that person, event, or thing in our mind.
For more on this check ou the video below:
Urgency
What a great word… and what an overlooked emotion and tool. Rather, I should say an emotion/tool often misapplied in our lives, which creates stress but accomplishes little. We are busy, very busy, without an understanding of what urgency is really about. Urgency is all about achieving success, no matter the area of life.
For more on this check out the short video below:
Juggling
I’m not talking about actually juggling physical items, e.g. bowling pins, instead, I’m referencing the ability to keep more than two projects (or activities within a single project) moving forward. The more projects/activities you are able to keep moving forward, the more you will be able to accomplish, and the higher you have the potential to rise.
For more on this check out the short video below:
Time Management
Poor time management is the downfall of many a leader. The ability to understand the difference between the important and everything else can be challenging. Couple that with the pressure of the urgent and you will often find an individual who is literally swamped with work, but accomplishing little. David Horsager suggests you plan your day the night before by identifying the top 5 tasks that are the most important to accomplish, . . .
Check out this short video for more on Time Management:
Taking Care of Business
Marc LeBlanc, an author and consultant says “Done is better than Perfect.” Larry the Cable Guy, a comedian, is known for his “Git’r done” catch phrase. Stephen Covey says: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” My phrase is “taking care of business.” Regardless of how you say it, getting the job done is the point; do the job “right,” but keep in mind that “right” and perfect aren’t the same thing.
Check out this short video for more on this subject:
Set your Priorities: Putting First Things First
Putting first things first is likely one of the most important and most difficult challenges we face as adults. There are so many pressures and all of them come with the insistence that they are the MOST important. When everything is the MOST important, paralysis ensues and nothing gets done.
Earlier this week I was speaking with a student in the elevator about her day. She commented that it was a busy day, but that she was there to finish a degree she had delayed years earlier. She went on to explain that when she had her daughter, she stopped school to focus on her daughter with the intent of starting back when her daughter started Kindergarten. Her daughter started Kindergarten this fall and she started back on her degree, determined to get it finished. She obviously knows how to prioritize her life and understands how to put first things first. While her choices may not be the same for you, it is still up to you to make conscious choices about your priorities.
While you are in the season of getting your degree, don’t be easily pulled away. Jesus, in talking about the cost of discipleship in Luke 14:25ff, urges those listening to count the cost with the realization that following him will be costly, but will also be worth everything.
The same concept applies, although with obviously lesser consequences, regarding the pursuit of your academic goals. You have counted the cost and started your degree. Don’t treat this casually by missing nights unnecessarily, or coming late unless unavoidable, by not completing your homework, or plagiarizing your work. This is YOUR future; Put first things first.
Everything is not of equal importance, and the importance of different priorities changes over time. Keeping the first things first is the surest path to success. Take the time at least yearly, but preferably once a quarter to evaluate the different priorities in your life. You can always find an excuse to delay your goals and procrastinate, but the one who suffers when you do that, in the long-run, is you and potentially your family. Put first things first.
Be Present in the Moment
Being present in the moment is one of the secrets of level 5 leaders. This is a skill that is often ignored or discounted by those aspiring to leadership who are busy trying to be all things to all people. Great leaders know how to come fully into the moment and focus their attention, intelligence, and relational energies in working with people and issues.
For more on this check out the short video below:
Multitasking = Mediocrity
Multitasking is doing two or more things at the same time. For example, watching television, reading a book or playing a video game, while listening to a lecture. A LOT of people swear that when they do this they are able to concentrate better, learn more, and are more productive. However, studies have shown that when you attempt to multitask, both activities suffer. That is, neither activity gets 100% of your attention.
For more on this check out the short video below: