I’m not a big proponent of meetings.  In a few cases I think they can help brainstorm good ideas, make decisions quickly, and make big changes decisively.  But, for the most part I think the time could be spent better (either doing more productive work or enjoying relationships with those we love).

One big reason I think people like to have meetings is so that they can process their ideas outloud.  But, why take up someone else’s time while you process something?  Instead I like to use email or comments on my project management system, Basecamp to get feedback.  And I don’t think I’m being a jerk about it.  My reasoning is that using these tools forces you to write out your thoughts.  And I believe you don’t have a firm grasp on your thoughts until you are able to write them out.

Writing out your thoughts and opinions on something compels you to really assess what’s going on in your head.  Until someone else can understand it, there’s a good chance you don’t understand it either.  You see my point?  I’ve had the idea for this blog post for months now, but it just stays a floating mess of thoughts until I capture it and put it down in words.  Then I’ve constrained my thoughts into something concrete that can be understood and assessed by others.

Writing it out goes for more than just getting your opinions and thoughts out.  It also works for showing you can synthesize information into knowledge.  It’s why we all had to write book reports in school instead of just telling the teacher we read the book.  It’s one reason why writing a blog can help show that you are an expert in your field.  Putting your knowledge down for everyone else to read proves you’re not just a smooth talker.  You’re going on record to show you know what you’re talking about, and it can be proven.

So, make sure you know what you’re thinking and prove it to others – write it out.

Or, read one of these:

1. Write on the River Poster
2. Write on the River Website
3. Write on the River

I first heard about the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 Rule while reading The 4-Hour Work Week, but it is an idea that has been getting a lot of attention in the past few years.  Basically it states that 80% of your returns come from 20% of your efforts.  The 80/20 Principle has been used on everything from setting goals to information security to relationships.

Once you start thinking about it you may realize (I certainly did) how true this principle can be across many parts of your life.  What would it look like if you used this principle to cut out the 80% of your life that wasn’t productive, fulfilling, or fruitful? What if you used the 80/20 principle to take a fresh look at:

• The number of RSS subscriptions you actually read and find worthwhile
• The number of email newsletters you receive
• The websites that you visit every day
• The fluff or small talk in your conversations and emails
• The tv shows that you watch
• The unfocused energy that make chores drag on and on
• The work of your employees
• When you do your best work
• Your business’ advertising
• The amount of time you spend daydreaming instead of creating goals
• How you conduct meetings
• How you are exercising

Creating Groups in Social Networking to Get More Time

One way that I’m using the 80/20 principle to get more time is by applying it to my social networks.  Most of the time when checking in on our favorite networks there are a few people – the 20% – that we really want to find out about, whereas we don’t necessarily want to hear everything the other 80% say all day.

I’ve started creating groups that include that 20%.  (You can easily create group in the upper left of the screen in Facebook, with Twitter you’ll have to use a 3rd party app like TweetDeck.)  Then, when I log on I can quickly check in on one group to see just what they have posted.  If I have more time I may open up and read more about what everyone is thinking.  But if I don’t I’ve hit the highlights and can move on.

Give it a shot and let me know – how can using the 80/20 Rule free up more of your time?

Or, read one of these:

1. Guard Your Time

Timothy mentions what a lot of us realize but don’t know how to help – we are being overloaded with information.  From newspapers to news to blogs to websites, we are constantly overstimulated with facts.  The most disrupting of them all?  Email.

Those emails coming in every few minutes every day are constantly disrupting you from getting real work done, getting into the flow.

I decided to adopt one of the solutions Timothy suggests at Apt Design – only checking email twice a day.  Previously I would check email right when I got up, and then check any messages that came in within 30 seconds of their arriving.  Talk about a bunch of extra junk floating around in my head while I was trying to be creative!

So now I only check email at 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, and I try to immediately respond to whatever has come in.  This allows for 3+ hours of pure, uninterrupted creative worktime to begin each day.

The results have been fantastic so far.  That much time on one project has allowed me to create high-quality pieces.  I have also been completing a lot more work, finishing up at least 1 large Milestone a day.  Lastly, my brain is clearer at all times in the day.

So, maybe you should give this a shot.  Try out a low-information diet for a week, only checking emails twice a day.  See how much more productive you can become and let me know about it here in the comments!

Or, read one of these:

1. Use the 80/20 Rule to Get More Time