The Three-minute Clutter Buster - A Proven Power Habit For Enhanced Productivity
Posted on January 12, 2008 - Filed Under Business
One of the favorite time-savings tips that I share in my seminars is one of the oldest time management habits that I follow. It is just as valuable today as it was when I first learned it from time management guru David Allen (author of the book Getting Things Done) nearly 20 years ago, and the thing that is so great about this tip is that it is so simple – simple to understand, simple to implement, and simple to use.
This simple but powerful habit is called the “three minute rule”. Every day, first thing in the morning, I collect all of the new pieces of information that have come into my office since the previous day (voice mails, e-mails, snail mail, new papers and documents, faxes, articles to read, etc.), and I give each and every one individually my full focus, and then make a quick decision on each and every piece of information. My decision rule is this: Can I process this piece of information in three minutes or less (meaning, can I read it, forward it, file it, delete it, toss it, archive it, or complete it in three minutes or less)? If the answer is “yes”, I do it RIGHT NOW. If the answer is “no”, I then put it into a prioritized pile of information, with the most important and urgent item at the very top of that pile.
By taking care of the myriad of little three minute tasks that come in each and every day, I do myself a great service by getting rid of a great deal of the clutter on my desk each day. I do not let this stuff “stack up”! My co-workers and clients are happy, because I respond to their little requests in an appropriately timely manner. Things don’t get stalled on my desk and workflow does just that – it flows!
I’ve been following this rule for years, so now my process is quick and automatic. Usually, I get through my three-minute pile in an hour or less each morning (sometimes significantly less). I will also take in and process new inputs (including new e-mails) 2-3 more times during the day, still following this three minute rule every time I do this. And thus, once my “three minute” inputs are fully handled, I am then allowed to spend the rest of my work day focusing on the higher-level, value-added activities that truly improve my performance and productivity. It has made a big difference in my life.
The Conversion Process
When I first started following this rule, I did go through a little transition period. I had several large piles of mostly little tasks (with a few big and important tasks mixed in) all over my desk, and my e-mail inbox was quite full. What I decided to do was block my calendar one day, and put all of these separate piles into one big pile, and also print out all of the e-mails in my inbox. I then took each item one at a time, and spent an entire day knocking out as many little three minute tasks as I could. I put every item that would take longer than three minutes into a separate single pile. The people in my office thought I was a bit crazy that day, as I was running all over the place getting a million of these little 3-minute things done. Plus, I probably sent out about 50 e-mails that day, all to people that had been waiting too long for a quick little reply on something. I was surprised by how much of the stuff in my office I could just throw away or delete. And when all was said and done, I think I knocked out about 85% of the stuff that had gathered in my office.
The next day, I spent significantly less time doing three minute tasks – I had them under control now. And I took that pile of tasks and activities that would take more than three minutes, and organized it into my new “Priority Processing” box. I organized the items in this box with the most important and urgent items on top, and the least important items on the bottom. Now, not only did I no longer have a million little distractions in my office, I also was clear on what was the most important things for me to be working on.
I hope you can see the value of this habit, and how it could greatly reduce your clutter and your stress, and also greatly increase your productivity. You’ll be surprised at how much it clears your mind, and you might even be able to see what color your desk and credenza are again! (Not to mention your floor, your file cabinets, your shelving units, etc.)
Randy Dean (http://www.randalldean.com) is the “Totally Obsessed” Time Management/PDA Guy and E-mail Sanity Expert. A very popular speaker and trainer, Randy has led programs all around the United States on better time management and e-mail sanity. The author of the book, Major Satisfactors = Major Success, and developer of the popular speaking/training program, “Taming the E-mail Beast: Managing the Mess of E-mail and Information Overload”, Randy is working on a new book and related DVD program on how to better manage your productivity and sanity related to e-mail and info overload. Randy also has popular speaking programs for conferences and association meetings, including his “Finding an Extra Hour Every Day” program, “The PDA Power Program”, and “(RE)Awakening the Passion and Energy in Your Work and Life”, as well as highly rated training programs, including his highlight full-day “Time Management for Busy Managers, Leaders, and Professionals” course. You can learn much more about Randy and his upcoming courses and programs at http://www.randalldean.com
Tags: articles, email, faxes, letters, management, tasks
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