A farmer sold all he had and bought a beautiful farm. It was a beautiful property and he decided he was to have the most beautiful farm in the district.
So he prepared.
He bought the most advanced tractor. He bought the most advanced harvester. Then there was the bright, new shiny tools, the fertilizer the bright new barn. He was determined to see that everything was ready and so he prepared, reviewed and again prepared.
Along came harvest time and so he invited his friends to come and they would all work together. He proudly showed his friends the bright new house, the tractor with all its gadgets and air conditioned luxury. The vast array of equipment and tools were all on display for his guests.
Then it came time to go out and harvest the fields.
So out they all drove and to everyone's shock there was nothing there.
Nothing.
The land was bare.
Suddenly the farmer remembered that in all his activity, in all his busyness and strategising, he had not planted the crop.
The season for planting had come and gone and without his noticing, the window of opportunity, the season was over.
He could not bring back the opportunity.
The story is not mine, but one related by speaker Prem Rawat.
It illustrates how many of us live our lives.
We have big dreams and there is a lot at stake so we plan well. So we should, success does require intellectual rigour. Is there a little of the farmer inside of you? Does everything have to be 'just so' before we begin to act on our dreams?
The farmer in the story was a very hard worker. He worked on his plan and researched what was required. Yet in the final analysis he did little work of substance. He did not focus his efforts on the one thing that would bring him a reward – planting the crop.
Harvesters don't make a crop, barns don't make a crop. Only the planting and cultivating the growing seeds would lead to success.
We all have the seeds of greatness. What counts is taking the opportunity in our life and running with it.
There are no guarantees.
When the Wright brothers flew the Kittyhawk a distance no longer than a football field they had no guarantees. They could not be sure of success. In truth, it was not the fact that the Kittyhawk flew that made the Wright brothers famous, As a large number of New Zealanders have reminded me – flight had been achieved in the 'Land of the Long white Cloud'.
The Wright brothers however were successful because they seized their opportunity and were the first to the Patent Office.
They did not allow the seeds of success remain unproductive and now flight is a common every day event.
So often people enthusiastically develop a second business alongside their 9 to 5 occupation.
Off they go, all enthused ready to attack their goals with new found enthusiasm.
Finally they make the break, dumping their job for 100% commitment. Assured that increased effort will guarantee untold success they give it their all.
Disaster! Immediately their efficiency bottoms out.
Why?
In many cases it is partly because their enthusiasm was motivated by their disdain of the 9 to 5 rat race.
Suddenly, without a boss to hate, their drive is gone and a new motivation best be found if success will ensue.
The following suggestions, based on my recent experience and PPC Classroom 2.0 creator Amit Mehta will help increase your efficiency 3-10X.
"Mindfulness is mandatory for anyone wishing to end the misery born of trying – in vain – to fill an empty heart with meaningless experiences." Guy Finley
So let's mindfully simplify our day, clarify our purpose and plan our actions.
- Write down your vision.
Have pictures of your goals around as visual reminders
- Written Goals
Write Weekly goals at the beginning of the week and then each day write out 8 to 12 of the most important things you will do that day and DO them.
Modify, adjust and clarify your targets daily as you work toward your weekly target.
Written goals can also be planned for the month or the whole year as needed.
- Do the top 2 tasks first
- Keep your energy levels up.
Eat 5 or 6 nutritious meals during the day. Simply having a bowl of fruit close at hand can aid in keeping your concentration high. Avoid, or atleast reduce energy stimulants that give you a quick high but leave you feeling deflated such as sugar or excess coffee.
- Get a good night Sleep
- Get up early. In an extra hour a lot can be achieved before the rest of the family is wanting your attention!
- Outsource low value tasks. Have a secretary do the paperwork or use an online out sourcing service.
- "Focus on your strengths, outsource the rest". Live by this motto!
- Have a separate office, somewhere that can have the door closed behind you separate from the rest of your daily life.
For inspiration you may even take a laptop, even a simple notebook, and work outside occasionally. I'm writing this at the edge of Bramble Bay, Queensland. If I had only been writing my first drafts at the water edge other times I would surely have been more productive.
- Get a 30 inch monitor.
According to Amit Mehta studies show a 40% increase in productivity with the big screen. I must be honest and say that at this point I have yet to take the plunge. However, the research presents a compelling argument.
True it is a psychological 'trick' but if you value your time look into it.
- Learn to speed read.
With the increasing overload of information available, efficient information harvesting is essential in today's world.
Paul Scheele's Photoreading program is excellent and surpasses the usual speed reading technology. Using a combination of both the unconscious and conscious mind whole pages can be grasped at a glance with remarkable retention.
Another tool for training your eyes to read efficiently is the software 'EyeQ". This tool trains the eyes to move more effectively so that groups of lines are read instead of a few words at a time.
If you can't afford these check online for the many speed reading books available.
- Take a break every 60 minutes
Consider the following schedule:
- Begin your day on task #1 and nothing else
Go for it, don't start the day reading the paper or checking the news.
The only exception I consider is to begin my day clarifying my life's purpose and clarifying my goals. For me that includes some spiritual reflection and prayer. Once settled and focused I begin to review the days goals as per Step #1 above.
- Take a 10-15 minute break. A break does not include doing a different type of work.
- Go back to your top task for another hour.
- Take another slightly longer break.
Suggested breaks could include exercise, meditation, a quick walk in nature or playing with the dog. 20 minutes of exertion pumps away the cobwebs, releases stress and allows us to return to work with increased focus. I only recently joined a gym and am surprised how in a matter of days my focus has jumped dramatically.
Take a 20 to 30 minute power nap if you're tired. Wake up refreshed and then work with increased vigour.
The most important:
Get away from the computer! Yes take your exercise away from the plug-in cyber drug.
How often have you received an inspired idea the moment you were not forcing your focus on an issue? So play with the dog, pat the cat, tease the children.
Getting away from the computer for short non work related breaks WILL increase your efficiency. Note, I did say short and I am not advocating constantly being distracted from your life's purpose or daily targets.
Remember step 1. List 8-12 targets and DO them. Taking breaks is a tool to help you more inspirationally achieve these outcomes.
There are only so many hours you can work in a day but you can improve your efficiency from 3 to 10 fold by considering these suggestions.
Remember the farmer at the beginning of this blog. He worked. He worked hard, getting everything ready yet he was never focused on his outcome or overall goal.
Following these suggestions will increase your efficiency in working toward your daily, weekly, monthly and annual targets. Ultimately it is hoped it will help you achieve the realization of your life's purpose.
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