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Master Your Time, Master Your Life
Justin Mecham
March 11, 2024
Sponsored by
Hey Full Potential Zoners!
If you can master your time, you can master your life.
Mastering time isn't just about
squeezing more tasks into your day.
It's about making every minute count.
First, a BIG thanks to this week’s sponsor:
Xembly – Boost work productivity by 20%
Accelerate your company by delegating admin tasks like scheduling, note-taking, and task tracking to AI.
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What will you accomplish with the power of AI?
When mastering your time, the right techniques can:
↳ Amplify your focus
↳ Elevate your productivity
↳ Transform your workflow
You will not just work smarter, but live better.
Today we are going to learn how to become
“Time Billionaires” using:
‘15 Methods to Master Your Time' guide.
Let’s dive in!
Pomodoro Technique
Set a timer for 25 minutes of work.
Take a short 5-minute break.
After 4 cycles, take a longer 15-30 minute break.
Ideal for tasks requiring sustained concentration and to prevent burnout.
Eisenhower Matrix
Sort tasks by urgency and importance.
Do urgent and important tasks immediately.
Schedule, delegate, or delete others accordingly.
Effective for prioritizing tasks when everything feels urgent.
ABCDE Method
Label tasks A-E by importance.
Focus on 'A' tasks first.
Delegate or eliminate 'D' and 'E' tasks.
Best when you have a long list of tasks and need to prioritize quickly.
80/20 Method (Pareto Principle)
Identify tasks with the most impact.
Focus 20% of effort on these.
Expect 80% of results from them.
Useful when resources are limited and you need to maximize impact.
3-3-3 Method
Dedicate 3 hours to deep work.
Complete 3 shorter tasks.
Address 3 maintenance tasks.
Great for balancing deep focus with necessary daily activities.
2 Minute Rule
If a task takes < 2 minutes, do it now.
Larger tasks get scheduled or delegated.
Keeps small tasks from piling up.
Effective for managing small tasks that can lead to clutter and overwhelm.
Eat the Frog
Start your day with the most challenging task.
Gain momentum and a sense of achievement early.
Makes subsequent tasks feel easier in comparison.
Best for when procrastination is an issue, particularly with daunting tasks.
Getting Things Done (GTD)
Capture all tasks.
Clarify and organize into lists.
Reflect and engage with action.
Ideal for comprehensive task management and staying organized across various projects.
Kanban Board
Visualize tasks in 'To Do', 'Doing', 'Done'.
Move tasks along as progress is made.
Optimizes flow and prioritization.
Great for team projects and visualizing progress.
Task Batching
Group similar tasks together.
Work on these in dedicated time blocks.
Increases focus and efficiency.
Effective for repetitive tasks or similar administrative activities to reduce task-switching.
Warren Buffet 5/25 Rule
List 25 important tasks.
Pick the top 5 to focus on.
Avoid the rest until top 5 are complete.
Useful for narrowing focus to critical goals when everything seems important.
Time Blocking
Dedicate blocks for specific tasks.
Include breaks and varied task types.
Ensures dedicated focus times.
Best for managing a diverse set of tasks and responsibilities in a structured way.
1-3-5 Method
Choose 1 big, 3 medium, and 5 small tasks.
Prioritize this manageable daily task load.
Ensures a balanced workload.
Ideal for daily planning, ensuring a mix of task sizes and priorities.
MSCW Method
Categorize tasks by necessity for project success.
Must-haves are critical, nice-to-haves are less so.
Defer won't-haves to future phases.
Best for project planning and ensuring essential tasks are prioritized.
Pickle Jar Method
Fit in major tasks first.
Slot in smaller tasks around them.
Regularly adjust and reassess priorities.
Effective for ensuring both major and minor tasks are addressed.
Time Blocking Method
In my first startup, I noticed my marketing team was drowning in a sea of tasks, deadlines, and distractions.
Their content creation process resembled a chaotic relay race:
Handing off the baton from one urgent task to another.
I sat down with the team, listening to their frustrations.
Here’s what we uncovered:
Constant interruptions: Emails, chat messages, and impromptu meetings—left them spinning in circles.
Unclear Priorities: Without a roadmap, they stumbled through their workday, reacting rather than proactively planning.
Fragmented Workdays: Back-to-back meetings sliced their productivity into tiny fragments.
I introduced the time blocking method.
The team embraced it like a lifeline.
Here’s how we transformed their workdays:
Each morning, team members sat down for a focused planning session.
They reviewed tasks, identified priorities, and allocated time blocks.
No more aimless wandering—just intentional planning.
We carved out sacred time blocks for specific activities:
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Writing blog/social media posts
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Designing infographics
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM: Editing videos
Similar tasks found their soulmates.
Context switching? Not anymore.
We reviewed progress, adjusted time blocks, and celebrated wins.
The team felt empowered, in control.
Deadlines? Crushed.
Focused blocks led to higher-quality content, produced faster.
Here's how you can make it real over the next 4 days:
Day 1: Reflection and Planning
Choose your productivity method.
Spend 10 minutes reflecting on what you want to achieve and how this method can help.
Write down one main goal for the week.
ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "Help me identify one primary goal I want to achieve this week using [insert productivity method]. I need guidance on setting a realistic and impactful objective.”
Day 2: Implementation
Apply your chosen method to tackle one specific task you've been delaying.
Focus on how the method helps in approaching this task differently.
ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I've chosen [insert productivity method] and have been avoiding [insert task]. Suggest a structured approach to apply this method effectively to complete the task."
Day 3: Adjustment
Review your progress.
Identify what's working and what's not.
Make one small tweak to your approach based on your observations.
ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I've been using [insert productivity method] for [insert task], but I'm facing some challenges. Assist me in identifying one aspect of my approach that I could tweak for better results."
Day 4: Reviewing and Future Planning
Reflect on the past three days.
Note any improvements in your productivity.
Plan one way to integrate this method into your daily routine moving forward.
ChatGPT Prompt to Help: "I've been using [insert productivity method] for a few days now. Help me reflect on the improvements and plan one strategy to integrate this method into my daily routine moving forward."
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." (Stephen Covey)
The importance is focusing on what truly matters to you.
Remember that productivity isn't just about doing more.
It's about creating value that resonates with your deepest intentions.
The most profound shifts often come from the simplest of changes.
Mastering your day isn’t about rigid schedules.
It’s about reclaiming your time.
Until next week and with lots of love,
Justin
I have built and sold 4 successful companies and I have over 20 years of executive experience.
I have grown my LinkedIn audience to 164,000+ followers in 8 months.
I create all my infographics for myself and for many others.
Let me share my secrets and help you:
Grow on LinkedIn
Design infographics for you
Increase sales
Create positive cultures
Streamline operations
Wow your customers
Develop leadership skills
And much, much more
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