I know that title sounds like it’s probably over the top. And, if you are familiar with my writing and advice you’ll know I’m not prone to undue hype.
On this occasion I have heard from more than once source that this is the best time management tip ever! And it’s certainly the only one that has worked consistently for me over the years. And when I talk it through with mentoring clients they find it works well too.
It’s quite simple.
Before leaving your office, desk or computer each evening, make a list of the top 3 things you want to do the next morning. Then, when you come in to start work, do the first item on your list. When it’s complete or you’ve gone as far as you can, move to the second item on the list. Check whether anything else is more important than this, if not, then do it.
When you’ve completed that second item or taken it as far as you can, move onto the third item. Again, check whether anything else is more important than this, if not, then do it.
Get all three of those activities done BEFORE you start getting distracted by emails etc.
Then do the same thing that night. And start again the next day. In time you will learn to focus on identifying the right 3 things every evening and then doing them first the next day. You’ll be amazed how easy this can become – in time!
Once you’ve experienced the value of this tip, you may also want to share it with those of your clients who you know struggle with time management.
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This is the first of 6 time secrets in a short document I created for accountants who want to take back control(!) of their time. Although I originally wrote this with sole practitioners in mind, almost all of the ideas will help you whether you work alone or as part of a team/firm. You can get all six time secrets, with my compliments, here >>>> (There’s a quick intro video with me and a deck of playing cards which you can skip if you want to!)
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I loved this blog post Mark. Thank you so much for offering a great technique on time management. I am currently in school at Purdue University where I work studying to achieve a bachelor’s in accounting, This one simple trick will save so much time in my work and school day.
Best,
Amber Krick