Get More Done Today - Read Less
I also now close Skype and Google Talk during the day. And I keep Gmail closed more often than it's open.
All this LACK of reading has resulted in a far more productive Norio.
Yes, it's a Tim Ferriss idea. The guy reckons you should cut everything out (just about) and only pick something up to read when a) it's for pleasure and b) you're going to learn something quickly for the task at hand. If you can't use it immediately, leave it alone!
That's changed my daily process quite a bit. I simply get a lot more done and, every time something new lands on my desk/screen, I ask myself if I can use this RIGHT NOW. If not, I chuck it.
The nature of the internet is that ANY time I need something in the future, I can just Google it. So I'm wasting a lot less time reading stuff I "might need to know" sometime in the future and now I just get things done.
It takes me maybe 5 minutes to research something I need to know. I do that 5 minutes of researching/reading, and then get back to my life.
Reading is great. Don't stop. But do it wisely. Read what you need or read for pleasure. Don't fill ALL your time with reading or you'll get nothing else done.
I didn't think I'd agree with Ferriss on this one but I do - the increase in my productivity speaks for itself. And the increase in my cashflow (once I get paid for this work I'm doing) will also speak for itself. Give it a shot :)
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Chris - Thursday, 20 Aug 2009
Dude, that's like not being on the Internet... how do you handle it?
Norio - Thursday, 20 Aug 2009
Good question, actually. I end up being MORE on the internet, in a weird sort of way. Coz now I do stuff that counts. I make web sites that make me money, I finish my client's web sites sooner (and get paid sooner), I blog a bit more (see www.maxiware.co.za also), I tweet more interesting stuff.
Basically I've increased my OUTputs and limited my INputs. As Ferriss says, most inputs are useless and he's right! By getting more of me out there (outputs) I'm achieving way more and in far less time.
It's seriously awesome :)
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