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Productivity

Key Takeaways from Etienne Garbugli’s 26 Time Management Hacks

April 5, 2013

I recently came across this fantastic presentation by Etienne Garbugli which talks about 26 time management hacks he wishes he’d known about when he was 20.

After having gone through this, I can’t help but feel the exact same way. These tips can be the difference between an average day and a super productive one!

[embed]https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/17820376?rel=0[/embed]

26 Time Management Hacks I Wish I’d Known at 20from Etienne Garbugli @egarbugli

Some of my key takeaways from this include:

  1. Work on your Expectations - There is always a lot to do and most of us fall into the trap of overestimating ourselves. Planning for 4–5 hours of ‘real work’ can go a long way in helping one be productive.
  2. Multitasking is Evil - As much as we would like to think otherwise, Multitasking is a focus killer. Prioritizing on one task at a time is the best way to get things done.
  3. Setup a Routine - Lack of a solid routine can quickly take the day downhill. What works for me, is to spend the first 15–20 minutes simply planning my day.
  4. Get Things Done - The focus should always be on rolling things out. Perfection is important but not at the cost of not completing a task.
  5. Limitations Breed Creativity - We always work better when there are certain limitations. I’ve noticed that I’m on my creative best when there is a time or resource crunch.
  6. Plan Meetings the Right Way - If not done right, meetings can be a huge time-waster. Scheduling them at the right time and time-boxing them effectively are the only ways they’ll be beneficial. You can read more about how to plan meetings well, here.
  7. Delegate! - I think there are a lot of people guilty of this. As people, we want to be involved in everything around us and find it hard to let something go if we know how to do it well. However, delegation is the key to not only helping yourself grow but others around you as well.
  8. Deadlines aren’t as bad as they sound - Every task needs a deadline. While building and marketing Brightpod, we’ve realized that the need for a Task Management tool stems from just this. People and teams need accountability and deadlines provide them exactly that.

I suggest that all of you bookmark this great presentation for all those times it seems you’re not going to get anything done. I know I definitely will!

Lastly, a big shout out to Etienne for creating this brilliant slidedeck! Keep at it :)

Sahil Parikh

Building Brightpod, playing golf 🏌🏽 and traveling the world 🌏

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