Introduction
For more than 20 years, Pierre Khawand has been a leading voice in driving productivity for leading organizations. In today’s hectic work environment, it can seem impossible to stay on top of emails/chat/phone calls. As Pierre explains, the best way to stay on top of everything is to schedule your day in 15-minute intervals.
Productivity in 15-Minute Bursts
No matter where you work, it can be quite difficult to maintain productivity. This is especially true in the hectic world of startups in Silicon Valley. Simply put, we face an overload of daily tasks and information. For example, we receive hundreds of emails every day. Plus, we go to dozens of meetings every week. In other words, we have a bottomless to-do list.
To address these challenges, I started to explore why certain people performed well in this environment. On the other hand, I also looked at why highly-capable people do not perform as well. Through the years, I have developed productivity methodologies that help professionals accel in demanding environments. As a result, I am very passionate about helping people realize their full potential and getting the most out of their careers.
One way to drive productivity is to schedule your efforts in 15-minute bursts. In other words, any task should be performed with the highest level of intensity. For example, this can be 15 minutes of focus and/or collaboration. Or, it can be 15 minutes of intense playtime. In addition, the key to using this approach to becoming more productive is to understand exactly what you’re doing. Too often, we lose track of our intended goals by not being in tune with our efforts.
Furthermore, this mindset forces us to rethink how we focus on certain tasks. By looking at our day in 15-minute bursts, we are able to multitask and get more done. Clearly, this process takes time to adopt. In many ways, we need to retrain our brains on how to focus. However, we are able to reset using techniques like micro-planning to bring these concepts to life.
Finally, one of the best ways to increase productivity is to stop for a moment. This may seem odd, but it’s important to collect your thoughts. For example, it’s very helpful to write down everything that you wish to accomplish and create a plan to achieve your daily goals.
Ultimately, these approaches are very simple. However, keeping it simple is best in today’s workplace!
About the speaker
Pierre Khawand founded People-OnTheGo in 2001 to enable business professionals to communicate and collaborate more effectively using leading-edge technologies. His bestselling “Accomplishing More With Less Workshop” and "The Accomplishing More In Less Time, Less Effort, and Less Stress Leadership Program" enable business professionals to better cope with information overload and competing priorities. He has published Time for Leadership, The Accomplishing More With Less Workbook, Accomplishing More With Google Apps, The Results Curve, The New New Inbox, and The Perfect 15-Minute Day: Managing Your Time, Thoughts, and Emotions.