#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Doing More by Doing Less
@ErikReagan @FocusLabLLC
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
How many of you have too much time
and not enough to do in it?
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Focus
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
If we lose or waste time — it’s gone.
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Planning your day in advance will help you
maneuver around obstacles and stay on target.
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
What's worth doing and what's not?
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The goal isn't to get everything done;
it's to get the right things done.
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
— Dwight D. Eisenhower
“What is important is seldom urgent and
what is urgent is seldom important.”
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent Not Urgent
Important
Not Important
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Urgent Not Urgent
Important
Not Important
1
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent and Important
Health emergency
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent and Important
Car engine dies
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent and Important
Certain emails (but few)
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent and Important
Project deadlines right around the corner
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent and Important
Overall: avoid or prevent these
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent Not Urgent
Important
Not Important
2
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Weekly planning
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Exercise
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Family or personal time
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Learning or studying
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Car or home maintenance
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Date night with your significant other
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Budgeting
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Overall: spend as much time on these as possible
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Urgent Not Urgent
Important
Not Important
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent, but Not Important
Phone calls and texts
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent, but Not Important
Most Emails
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Urgent, but Not Important
Most App notifications
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent, but Not Important
Overall: these feel important but aren’t
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent Not Urgent
Important
Not Important
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent, but Important
Netflix binge watching
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent and Not Important
YouTube and other online videos
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Not Urgent and Not Important
Much of Hacker News
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Not Urgent and Not Important
Most social media involvement
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Not Urgent and Not Important
Overall: considerably limit your time in this quadrant
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Urgent Not Urgent
Important
Not Important
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
To-do list
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
To-do list
+
To-ignore list
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Distractions
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
— Newton’s first law
An object in motion stays in motion with
the same speed in the same direction
unless acted upon by an external force.
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#PeersConf 2014 @ErikReagan
Imagine a day without app notifications.
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Now go make that day happen.
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Set healthy boundaries with
coworkers and family.