Time management tricks, tools & tips [closed]

Question

Working with software day-to-day usually means you have to juggle project work, meetings, calls and other interrupts.

What single technique, trick, or tool do you find most useful in managing your time?

How do you stay focused?

What is your single biggest distraction from your work?

Answer 1

I have an old laptop that I remove the wireless card from and sit on a completely quiet room away from distractions. Whatever I can't get done without the internet is just leave until later. My biggest problem is that I gooel to find a solution and end up doing 30 minutes research on something a blogger has mentioned in passing. I still find it takes me a good hour before i get into the flow of not distracting myself.

Answer 2

The best way to get through a big chunk of work while staying focused is to list your priorities on paper before you start. Trying to keep a big list in your head is a sure path to procrastination. Plus, it's a great feeling to tick off items as you finish them. Put on some music, close down your email, and get busy.

But then you have people trying to get your attention. Make sure your colleagues and clients know that you prefer to receive their queries in email rather than in person or by phone. Bugs go directly into the tracking system, without anyone having to tap you on the shoulder for each one. Sounds obvious, but stopping your work to discuss something for 5 minutes can sometimes cost you 30 minutes productivity by the time you are focused again.

Answer 3

A single answer to all of the listed questions is David Ellen's Getting Things Done (GTD) ( "The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" )

A 45-minute presentation of the process can be found on youtube, and you can get the book on Amazon

Answer 4

I guess you're after something practical. What I do is keep my action items away from my work environment, it helps keep me focussed. I keep a pad next to my desk, I write down each action item for the day at the top and half way down start keeping notes. When I've finished a task I tick it off, anything not ticked can be carried over to the next day (if it's still relevant). Been using it for about 3 years, I find it keeps me productive and helps me remember things. I've tried all kinds of software solutions, nothing works better for me.

Answer 5

On the 'how to stay focused', I think once you decide to close your email and put your phone on send, the next things to control are the sounds around you that might derail your thoughts. People talking, phones ringing, etc.

I have started putting the headphones on and surfing to http://www.simplynoise.com/. This is a noise generator that gives you the option of white, pink, or brown/red noise. It drowns out most of the audio distractions that often poke at my concentration.

Answer 6

Possibly better for programmers than GTD is Time Management for System Administrators. Same basic principles (reduce interruptions, keep a list) but with a nerdier bent.