Me Thinks

Our son-in-law recommended this book and I am glad I read it.  Jake and John share over 80 tips on how to eliminate distractions and highlight the most important things that need to be accomplished each day. Here are some things I learned from them book:

There’s a special, almost magical power to writing down your plans. The things you write down are more likely to happen (pg. 43).

Something magic happens when you start the day with one high-priority goal (pg. 15). Each day, choose a single activity to prioritize and protect in your calendar (pg. 20). When you choose a highlight, you put yourself in a positive, proactive frame of mind (pg. 21). I was happiest when I had something I could hold on to in the present—a chunk of time that was bigger than a to0do but smaller than a five-year goal.  An activity I could plan for, look forward to, and appreciate when it was done.  In other words, I needed to make sure every day had a highlight (pg. 33). What’s the most pressing thing I have to do today? At the end of the day, which highlight will bring me the most satisfaction? When I reflect on today, what will bring me the most joy (pgs. 36, 37). Choose a highlight that takes 60 to 90 minutes (pg. 38). Put your most important project on the front burner.  You are allowed to have one and only one project, activity, or objective on the front burner.  Not two, not three—just one (pg. 52). Believe in your highlight. It is worth prioritizing over random disruption.  Believe in laser mode.  You will accomplish more with a singular focus than by ricocheting through your inbox (pgs. 130, 131). 

Small shifts can put you in control.  If you reduce a few distractions, increase your physical and mental energy just a bit, and focus your attention on one bright spot, a blah day can become extraordinary.  It doesn’t require an empty calendar—just sixty to ninety minutes of attention on something special.  The goal is to make time for what matters, find more balance, and enjoy today a little more (pg. 244).