1. print out all emails over 1 paragraph, that are not urgent or collect a pile of any correspondence you get througout the day. Read the entire stack at night while on your excercycle. You’ll be more alert getting your heart rate up and be able to sift through all those important documents at the same time. That way, you can focus on getting work done while at work, hmmm, what a concept! That alone saves me 1/2 hr. a day
2. read “Making Work Work” by Julia Morgenstern. My fave lesson in that book is to start your day with your most difficult task, while you’re most creative and fresh. Do NOT start by reacting to hte zillion emails in your mailbox. Email is addicting so turn off those alerts that signal you each time a new email appears… it’s a time waster.
3. read the “One Minute Manager” and learn to handle a piece of paper only ONCE. If you keep moving it from pile to pile, rather than dealing with it, you’re sucking time.
4. don’t watch or listen to the news before coming to work. It’s often too depressing or fear-inducing (oy, the economy, etc.). And fear tends to affect people by making them freeze up from taking action.
5. download podcasts to learn your craft and take your ipod
