magazine
17 Things you Should Stop Doing This is a list of 17 things you shouldn’t be doing any more because they waste time. Old habits die hard and it can be difficult to shift yourself from an old familiar way of doing something to a new better way. Mark W. Shead
T
ake a look at the list and see
trying to sell you things you didn’t really
is anything new. With a newsreader you’ll
if there is anything you can
need, would you put up with it? (If you
know whenever something new is posted.
change to help make you
have a friend in network marketing, you
more productive. If you have
may have already experienced this.)
any suggestions please add them in the comments.
cell phone should sync with your
1
Manually Depositing a Paycheck – That is what direct deposit is for. If you
computer. We are past the days where a phone only held 25 numbers. If someone
Removing Spyware – Use a computer or web browser that
doesn’t get infected.
15
Wasting Time in the Car – Subscribe to podcasts and get a
connector for your MP3 player in your car.
spend 15 minutes every two weeks dealing
calls, take the few seconds to record
Spend your time learning instead of just
with depositing your paycheck that is 65
their name in your phone, so it will be
sitting there driving.
hours over the next 10 years. Put this time
transferred next time you sync your
to better use.
computer.
2
Writing Checks for Bills – That is what the bill pay service from your
bank is for. Use this time for something
9
Commuting to College – Take your classes online. Spend your commute
time studying instead of driving.
10
Commuting Through Heavy
worthwhile.
3
Partially Filling Up with Gas – Yes it might go down 3 cents next week, but
how much is your time really worth.
4
Looking for your Keys or Cellphone – Always put them in the same place
(hook by the door, etc).
Traffic — Talk to your boss about
working from home–even for just a few days a week. Shift your schedule to miss
5
Adaptor – If you go from work to
home with your laptop, get an extra adaptor for each work area so you don’t have to unpack and crawl under the desk
16
Getting Lost in the Car – If you spend a lot of time driving to
unfamiliar areas, go ahead and invest in a GPS with routing capabilities. That way you can spend your time focusing on your work instead of honing your navigation skills.
17
Clubbing Baby Seals – Just in case this applies to you, this would be a
good thing to stop as well.
rush hour.
11
Dialing into Voice Mail – Get your voicemail setup to send you
Unpacking your Laptop Power
messages as email attachments that way you only have to check one mailbox.
12
About Mark W. Shead
Backing Up to CDs or Disks – Get an external hard drive. It will be
Mark Shead works
fast enough that maybe you’ll go ahead
as a consultant
and backup more often. Plus if you do it
helping companies
Check Multiple Email Boxes – Get a
right, you can create a working version of
efficiently turn time
each time.
6
program that will show you all your
your entire computer on the hard drive. If
into money using
email in one place or filter by individual
you laptop is stolen you can start working
technology and good
accounts. Apple Mail and several other
from your last backup with all your
business practices.
products do this.
programs and settings just as they were.
Productivity501 is the website where
7
Watching Commercials – Use Tivo to skip them. Use Netflix and just skip
television all together. Buy the shows you
22
8
Losing Telephone Numbers – Your
14
13
Visiting Lots of Blogs – Use a
he publishes regular tips for personal
news reader like Google Reader or
productivity and development.
NewsFire. Most people don’t realize how
want to watch off iTunes. If you had a
much time they waste looking at the same
Visit Mark’s blog – „Productivity501”
friend who spent 20% to 30% of your time
sites over and over again to see if there
Visit this article’s online version
#01/2008 www.prodictivemagazine.com
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