Totally agree with limiting time available for tasks. I also like to work in 90-120 minute blocks with 15 min breaks in between – the book The Power of Full Engagement talks about this further but it’s to do with the body’s natural cycles.

Adapted from the 4hww I also use the structure below to get more done. It took me a while to train myself to do this, but ever time I now pick up a new task or project, I automatically run through these steps in my head.

E for Eliminate, do I actually need to do this?
A for Automate, how can I automate this?
D for Delegate, who can I palm this off to that has the appropriate skillset?
O for Outsource, if I can’t delegate, can I outsource this?

Lastly, limiting caffeine intake has been a massive win for me in terms of ability to focus. Attention is a more valuable currency than time – anything that can sharpen your focus and attention goes a long way.

http://www.thrillingheroics.com/thrillingtheme

Excellent article by the way mate! I bookmarked it weeks ago, but have revisited it a few times

Mate good to hear about your love of ninjas and thanks for the comment.

Your tricks are cool and something that many people overlook – as the value of time in lifestyle design is one of the more important elements. Timeboxing is a cool code name I hadn’t heard before. I’ve tried the timer for 45 minutes thing and then take a 15 minute break, it works wonders for my ADD mind. Speaking of that, times up to head back to the grind!

In response to the appendix to this post, and I would only do this with that kind of express permission, here’s a link to a post I just published on how to start the organization process.

http://brainchocolate.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/productivity-tips-and-free-time-management-how-to-create-a-system-that-works/

Thanks and I look forward to reading more,
Nathan

With regards your insights, I have an enormous respect for those that pursuit perfection in any given skill. I currently am living in Thailand where excellence abounds. Unfortunately, for me, this process leave few stones unturned and I am more a person of experience then perfection. There are indeed individuals that excel at one area and make it big because of their talent, but then there are many, many more that don’t. I personally think that being “good enough” or 80% of the way there in a vast range of skills is far more productive and beneficial for the individual as well as allowing for a much richer existence… but that is just me.

Thanks for you comment.

“This is basically the benchmarked principle of “good enough.” If you can except that whatever you are working on will not be perfect but it will be “good enough” and in doing so will only take you 1/5 of the time then the world is yours. The world belongs to people who understand that “good enough” is the key to success.”

I struggle with that…because after a few conversations…”good enough” is not what separates the people who make it and the people who don’t. Olympians, class leaders, presidents, lawyers, marines, etc…they were certainly more than good enough…yet at the same time I see the time value from merely passing the bar and moving on. I think there needs to be a reinvented pereto’s principle that adds a clause about what is done with that extra %80 you’re saving. I would argue if you reinvest the time in other high level tasks, it’s worth it, if you use it to watch tv all you’ve done is efficiently earned a B- (80). You’re just a smart slacker…nothing wrong with that…but I’m just saying.