i

Time Leadership
by Jim Estill
jime@synnex.com
v. 2.0

Jim Estill on Time Leadership:

Time management is not enough because time is not about
quantity: Time is about quality. Leadership is doing the right
thing.

ii

TIME LEADERSHIP. Copyright 2006 by Jim Estill. All rights reserved. No

part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without
written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles
and reviews. For more information, address Laura Estill: lestill@gmail.com.

ISBN 0-9683732-2-4

This edition is Time Leadership v. 2.0, released September 2006.

For newer editions, please contact Pam Hughes, pam@synnex.com.
Time Leadership is also available as an audio CD.
Design and layout by Laura Estill.

iii

Time Leadership
Table of Contents
About the Author ..................................................................................................................... vi
Acknowledgements..................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Preface.................................................................................................................................... viii
Why Time Leadership?..............................................................................................................1
Writing your Workbook.............................................................................................................3
What to put in your workbook ...............................................................................................3
Creating Effective Goals............................................................................................................6
Setting your Goals..................................................................................................................8
Choosing your Top Four or Five Goals ...............................................................................14
Habits ...................................................................................................................................15
Some Final Notes on Goals..................................................................................................15
Your Time Log ........................................................................................................................16
Blank Time Log ...................................................................................................................18
Sample Time Log.................................................................................................................19
Time Wasters and Savers.........................................................................................................20
Time Wasters .......................................................................................................................20
Time Savers .........................................................................................................................21
Voicemail.................................................................................................................................22
Email ........................................................................................................................................23
Organization.............................................................................................................................24
The To Do List.....................................................................................................................24
Why have a To Do List? ......................................................................................................25
To Do List Hints ..................................................................................................................25
To Do List Traps..................................................................................................................26
The Magical To-Do List ......................................................................................................26
My Complete Organizational System......................................................................................27
Procrastination .........................................................................................................................29
Delegation ................................................................................................................................36
Questions for Effective Delegation......................................................................................39
Respect.................................................................................................................................40
Feedback ..............................................................................................................................41
The Powers...............................................................................................................................42
The Power of While .............................................................................................................42
The Power of Total Focus....................................................................................................44
The Power of Thinking on Paper .........................................................................................44
The Power of Punctuality.....................................................................................................44
The Power of Energy ...........................................................................................................45
The Power of Gratitude........................................................................................................45
The Power of Momentum ....................................................................................................46

iv

The Power of Mantras..........................................................................................................46

The Power of Microactions..................................................................................................47
The Power of Inspiration .....................................................................................................47
The Power of Resolutions....................................................................................................48
The Power of Breaks or Changes.........................................................................................48
The Power of Meditation .....................................................................................................49
The Power of Continuity......................................................................................................50
The Power of Three Goals ...................................................................................................50
The Power of Speed Reading...............................................................................................51
Time Leadership Tips ..............................................................................................................52
Tips to Optimize your Performance.....................................................................................52
Tips to Improve your Organization......................................................................................58
Tips to Save you Time .........................................................................................................64
Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................67
Afterword.................................................................................................................................69

About the Author

Jim Estill is a time management guru. He
started his company, EMJ Data Systems, from
the trunk of his car after graduating from the
University of Waterloo with a degree in
Systems Design Engineering. From these
modest beginnings, Estill grew EMJ to a staff of
over 300 people, with $350 million in annual
sales.
Jim has earned many accolades for his
business acumen. He was awarded a Top 40
Under 40 Award, and was nominated for
Entrepreneur of the Year. Jim was lauded by
Computer Dealer News as one of the Top
Newsmakers of 2004 and 2005. Jim has also
received an Engineering Alumni Award. EMJ
has been acclaimed as one of the Top 50 Companies in Canada. EMJ was publicly
traded company on the TSE starting in 1994.
In 2004, Jim Estill sold EMJ to SYNNEX, and he became the CEO of
SYNNEX Canada. SYNNEX is a global information technology supply chain,
traded on the NYSE (SNX). Estill now supervises SYNNEX Canada, whose sales
exceed one billion dollars.
Estills executive involvement includes being a member of the RIM
(Research in Motion) executive board since they went public.
Jim attributes much of his economic success to his success managing time.
He has led numerous Time Leadership workshops, and has produced a Time
Leadership CD. His CEO blog, at www.jimestill.com, often deals with issues of
Time Leadership and effective goal-setting.
You can contact Jim Estill at jime@synnex.com.

vi

Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge everyone who has
helped me in my continued learning about time
management. There have been many people who have
influenced me (many of whom I mention throughout this
e-book), and I am grateful for the many opportunities that
I have had to continue discovering ways to improve my
life through better time management.
I would also like to thank the very supportive
employees at SYNNEX and EMJ for helping me create a
productive and enjoyable workplace. I would
particularly like to thank my assistant, Pam Hughes, who
is an invaluable part of my organizational system. Pam
has been with me from the beginning as I tried various
time management techniques, some of which worked,
and others of which didnt, on my path to discover the
essence of Time Leadership.
Thanks to those who helped me through the
revision process, including Jim Brown, Ed Syke, Pam
Hughes, Ann Furtado, Joe Federer, Sue Richards, Ted
Rea, Larry Keating, Dave Ward, Marco Zuiani, Monique
Attinger, Tom Carswell, and all those who shared advice.
And finally, thanks to my daughter, Laura Estill,
for helping me write this e-book. Who knew that two
degrees in literature would be useful for anything other
than sales.

vii

Preface
I am a voracious reader. I read so much with so many conflicting angles
that I have learned to filter information and make it mine. My hope is that this is
what you will do with this book. It is not gospel; it is just one persons concept of
how to get more done. Not everything will apply to you. Filter it, modify it and
make it yours.
I am going to share the first tip with you now because it can help you get
more from the book. This tip is read with a purpose. What do you want to get
out of this book? The clearer your goals are on what you want to get, the more
easily you will find those gems that are relevant to you.
Take a moment now and write what you hope to get from reading this book.
After, you can see what you have learned and gained from the Time Leadership
experience.

The beauty of an e-book

E-books have several advantages over printed books: they can be delivered
instantly; they travel well; they are easy to publish quickly. I particularly like the
hot links. Many of the words or phrases are clickable, including the entire table
of contents.
The other benefit of an e-book is that you can easily search for information
that you want to find. Simply click ctrl-F to open up your browsers find
function. Then you can search for words or phrases that you want to know more
about. For instance, you might want to find the best way to delegate. Simply click
ctrl-F, type in delegate, click Find All, and you will know all of the pages
that use the word delegate. Or you might want to come back to the e-book and
reread the section on Do the Worst Thing First Thing. Regardless of what youre
looking for, this electronic format will help you find the information that you need.
What I like the most about e-books is that this can be a continual work in
progress. Like my time and organizational system, I can continually make it
better. Please email me at jime@synnex.com with any errors or suggested
changes.
viii

Time Leadership 1

Why Time Leadership?

Everyone has a rough idea about
Time is the scarcest resource and
the nature of time management. Often,
unless it is managed nothing else
can be managed.
however, time management is not
-Peter F. Drucker
enough. Peter F. Drucker explains that
Leadership is doing the right thing;
management is doing things right. His business principles should be applied to
time. In many ways, leadership is more important than management. Leadership
focuses on effectiveness; management focuses on efficiency. This e-book will
give you the necessary tools to master not only efficiency skills, but also
effectiveness skills.
One of the reasons that time management is not enough is because time is
not about quantity. If time were measured solely by quantity, it would be scarce:
there would never be enough time to accomplish tasks, regardless of how
efficiently you schedule. Time is about quality.
Take a moment to think about your highly productive hours or days over the
last year. You probably accomplished more in those short periods of time than
over weeks or even months of less productive work. The key to time leadership is
to maximize your number of quality hours. Leadership allows you to establish
your priorities. Once you know your priorities, always work on the top priority.
This book will cover a variety of topics to help you achieve your goals
through Time Leadership. We will explore keeping a workbook as a tool to stay
on task, to help you track your goals and your accomplishments. We will look at
how to set goals that are SMART. We will analyze your current time usage and
see what can be improved.
Furthermore, I will share with you my complete organizational system,
made up of many aspects that you can choose to adopt and adapt as you see fit. A
major part of this organization system is the To Do list: while everyone knows that
keeping a To Do list is important to stay organized and focused, not everyone
knows how to effectively keep a To Do list that is complete yet not overwhelming.
This e-book offers concrete suggestions on how to avoid procrastination. It
explains how to effectively delegate. It will help familiarize you with how to

Time Leadership 2

effectively use your time to reach your goals. From the basic building blocks of
time management to the advanced concepts involved with Time Leadership, this ebook will put you on the path to success.
Once you have created an effective
organizational system (and while you are in the
process of fine-tuning your organization) you will
be ready to begin implementing some of The
Powers. These Powers can be used to increase
your energy and productivity, which will in turn
lead to positive results in your time use. The Powers cannot all be used
simultaneously, but if you know and understand these tools you can determine
when it is appropriate to use them.
Things which matter the
most in life should not be
at the mercy of things
which matter the least.
-Goethe

Above and beyond The Powers, the organizational system, the goal-setting,
and the workbook, this e-book offers you some hints and tips on the small things
that make Time Leadership possible. These tips will relate back to other elements
of the e-book that you have read. They will help you optimize your performance,
improve your organization, and save you time.
Altogether, the lessons gleaned from this e-book are invaluable. Since time
is money, this book will help you save and earn more time and money.

Time Leadership 3

Writing your Workbook

I would like to introduce you to a concept that I call Writing your
Workbook. This is not a book solely about your work; rather, it is a workbook for
your life.
Materials
You will need a blank book to make into your workbook.
It doesnt matter what kind of blank book you use: I tend to use the black
note-books that you can buy at any stationery store. This e-book gives many
suggestions of things that you should put in various areas of your workbook. You
can organize your workbook in the way best suited to you.
Note: your workbook is not a journal. I have written another section of this
e-book about journaling and how this differs from your workbook.
What to put in your workbook
Summaries
I include summaries of all of the books that I read in my workbook. This
allows me to easily access information that would otherwise take me hours to find.
I also include summaries of all of the audio programs that I listen to, and all of the
seminars that I attend.
I take the gems that apply to me from these books, audio programs, and
seminars and write them in my workbook. My workbooks have become my
ultimate book because they contain all of the information that I have gathered from
many sources.
I also include my mini book reports in my blog (www.jimestill.com) from
time to time. On the following page is an example of an entry where I evaluate
two separate books, one fiction and one non-fiction. Although The Power of One
doesnt directly relate to my work, I have found nuggets of inspiration from the
novel as well as from the non-fiction work.

Time Leadership 4

My blog entry from 26 May, 2006:

The Power of One, Why We Buy and Links
This was a long weekend in Canada so I really was able to get
caught up. Worked a full day Saturday and most of the day today (except
for 2 hours off for some weight training and a 10K run). Since it is not a
US holiday, I had calls with the US today.
And of course since technically today is a holiday, I dont feel guilty
posting to my CEO blog during business hours.
I did finish a couple of books this weekend. One was purely recreation.
The Power of One by Bryce Courtney is a novel about a young white boy
growing up in apartheid South Africa. At 500 slow but captivating pages, it
took almost 5 hours to read.
Like all books that I read, someone suggested it was a good read. It was
well written. Pure recreation. Highly recommended for fun but the
business lessons are few and you need to stretch a bit to get them.
One quote from the book (used in a boxing context) was "Lead first with
your head then with your heart." Does that apply to business? Without the
logic and head, there can be no heart because the business would not
survive. Another good quote was "I was cultivating a habit of winning.
Winning is a state of mind that embraces everything you do, so I found I
won in other things as well." This quote definitely applies to my life
philosophy.
An awesome business book I read was Why We Buy - The Science of
Shopping by Paco Underhill. This one is a business book primarily of
interest to retailers (although I see similarities in retail and online habits).
Paco (and his researchers) followed and recorded the behavior of tens of
thousands of shoppers. From this he is able to run a consulting business
that makes recommendations to retailers on minor changes they can
make to increase their sales.
Examples include - Provide a spot for people to sit, especially the person
who brought the shopper. Leave parking spots for people at fast food
places since 10% of the customers buy then go eat in their car. Children
and old ladies are the primary buyers of doggie treats - put them where
they can be seen and reached.
He gives many examples of simple changes that can be made to increase
sales. As with all brilliance, many of his observations are obvious.

Time Leadership 5

This book is a must read for any retailer.

Consider the above examples when you are writing mini book reports in
your workbook: be concise, be accurate, and most importantly, choose the
elements of the book that best reflect your interest and goals in knowledge
acquisition.
Tracking
Anything that you track will improve. Your workbook will help you track
things that you do and the things that you want to stop. Simply focusing your
attention on an area of your life will help you to improve it. For instance, if one of
your goals is to quit smoking over the next four weeks, you would have a page
where you note the number of cigarettes that you have smoked each day.
Lists
Your workbook could include your To Read list, which you can add to at
any point and refer back to when you are looking for a book. Although I dont
recommend keeping your To Do list in your workbook, there will be many other
lists that you will be able to manage in your workbook. You might also want to
list your mantras in your workbook. There are also suggested lists to help you
maintain an attitude of gratitude in the chapter on Powers.
Goals
Goals are one of the most important things that you can put in your
workbook. You will learn the tools to get what you want: anything you focus on
will improve. The following page includes a few exercises that will help you set
your goals.

Time Leadership 6

Creating Effective Goals

Doyouhaveeffectiveandcleargoals?
Inwhatdirectiondoyouwanttogo?

Its time to replace your clock with a compass so you can head out in the
right direction.
Why is it important to set goals?
Goals are important because you will get what you strive for. By actively
thinking about what you intend to accomplish, you will work on achieving those
accomplishments. Any area of your life which you focus on will improve, simply
because you take the time to assess your habits.
Setting Effective Goals
When you set goals, you need to take
many questions into account: what, when,
Goals are Dreams
why, and how. What are you going to
With Actions!
accomplish? Be sure to be concrete about
your answer. When are you going to
complete the task, or achieve your goal? Why is this important to you? How are
you going to realize your goal; what is your strategy?
There is an easy acronym to help you create effective goals:
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Appropriate
R - Realistic
T - Timed
You need to create specific goals. The goal I want to become a better
swimmer is almost impossible to judge because it is not specific enough. A better
goal would be I want to earn my bronze medallion by next June or I want to
swim 10 laps of the pool twice a week.

Time Leadership 7

I want to earn my bronze medallion by next June is a more effective goal

because it is measurable. There is a clear marker of achievement that you can
earn.
Goals need to be appropriate. It is not only unproductive to say I want to
lose 40 pounds by next week, it is also counter-productive. Unattainable goals are
counter-productive because when you make a goal that you do not achieve, you
experience an emotional let-down. It is not wise or healthy to get your heart set on
something that is out of reach. However, keep in mind that goals should also be a
stretch.
This is not to say that your goals cannot be large: they can! But your goals
also need to be realistic. If you set a goal that is unrealistic and attempt to work
towards it, you will exhaust yourself and your resources. Rather than setting one
large goal in a short time-frame, create smaller goals that will lead you to
accomplishing your long-term goal. Breaking your goals into smaller chunks helps
you create goals that are more specific, often more measurable, more appropriate,
more realistic, while creating a time-line for your larger goal. Having mini-goals is
one of the keys of successful goal setting.
The idea of creating smaller goals leads us to the idea that goals need to be
timed. Putting a timeframe on your goal ensures that it will not drop down to the
bottom of your priority list. It also makes measuring your goal easier. Saying I
will sell $500 before 5 oclock this afternoon means that at 5:00 you will stop to
check your progress.
When you create smaller goals in order to achieve your larger goals, be sure
that they are on a timeline as well. If your large goal is to find a better job at
Company X by next Christmas, your smaller goals could be on a weekly basis. For
your first week, you would create a contact at Company X and attempt to establish
if there are any openings. Week two, you could update your resume and coverletter. Week three, you would make a follow-up phone call. Your smaller goals
would function as milestones that are appropriate and realistic, while still being
specific, measurable, and timed.
One of my favourite quotes is We tend to overestimate what we can do in a
day and underestimate what we can do in a year. I see this time and time again.
Great things can be accomplished over long periods if we keep heading in the right
direction.

Time Leadership 8

Because goals are so important, when you begin to create your workbook,
we will focus on how best to express your goals in your workbook.

Setting your Goals

The best goal setting exercise that I know takes only 40 minutes if you have
already created your workbook. It should take no longer than 60 minutes
generally. Take this time to establish your goals now.
In order to achieve goals that are SMART (specific, measurable, appropriate,
realistic, and timed), it is important to make sure that your goals are focused on
many aspects of your life.
I take into account 11 major areas when I establish my goals:
1. Career
2. Earnings
3. Personal relationships
4. Family
5. Health
6. Spiritual
7. Personal appearance
8. Education/learning
9. Free time/hobby
10. Vacation
11. Improve your home
Consider having goals in each of these 11 areas. Add new areas if there is
something important to you that you feel is not covered.
I wrote an article on my blog (www.jimestill.com) about goal setting. It was
picked up by over 25 other web sites and blogs. When I was writing this section of
the book, I thought the blog entry was self-explanatory, so I included it here in its
entirety.

Time Leadership 9

The Best Sixty Minute Goal Setting Exercise I know:

A 60-Minute Goal Setting Exercise that can save you 100 hours in
the next month
I think that most people would agree that the people who have goals are
more successful than those who do not have any.
I often talk about leadership and management. Leadership is about doing
the right things while management is about doing things right. Often when
we study time management, we study efficiency (doing things right) and
make the assumption that we have the effectiveness (leadership) solved.
The first step in any time management system should be to work on goals
and as such, I use the following 60 Minute Goal Setting Exercise.
Step 1: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down "values" and then
spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down everything that you value. There is a
great website: www.stevepavlina.com/ that has a list of several hundred
values to start your mind thinking in the right direction. After the time is
up, stop doing this and move to Step 2.
Step 2: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down "lifetime goals".
This is where you can dream; for example, what places would you like to
visit; what experiences would you like to have; what would you like to
accomplish within your lifetime. This might include traveling to Australia;
getting a university degree; living in an X square foot house, etc. There
are no rules to this brainstorming - simply make a list.
I have done this goal setting exercise many times and I tend to use the
same list of lifetime goals and add to the list each time I do the exercise.
Step 3: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down what you would do
if you had six months to live. This part of the exercise really came home
to me this week when one of my close friends died at 36 years old. Some
of us may have only six months to live; however, we may not know it yet.
List everything that you would do if you had only six months to live. Part of
the purpose of this exercise that I found works well for me is that it brings
the truly important into focus. Often I find things that I would do if I had
only six months to live that are not listed on my lifetime goals.
Step 4: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down your goals for this
year. After doing the first three steps, you will find this step much easier
than the others. These are the goals to focus on NOW.

Time Leadership 10

This total exercise will only take an hour. An hour spent clarifying your
goals can save you hundreds of hours.

Here is the same exercise; I have elaborated it to help you get started.
Your Four Pages
Take four blank pages, and label each one at the top: Values, Lifetime
Goals, Six Months to Live, and One Year Goals. You will spend ten minutes
(and only ten minutes) to fill out each sheet to describe yourself and your goals.
1. Values
On this page, list your values.
The following list of values from Steve Pavlina might stimulate your thought:
1. Abundance
2. Acceptance
3. Accessibility
4. Accomplishment
5. Accuracy
6. Achievement
7. Acknowledgement
8. Activeness
9. Adaptability
10. Adoration
11. Adroitness
12. Adventure
13. Affection
14. Affluence
15. Aggressiveness
16. Agility
17. Alertness
18. Altruism
19. Ambition
20. Amusement
21. Anticipation
22. Appreciation
23. Approachability
24. Articulacy
25. Assertiveness
26. Assurance
27. Attentiveness
28. Attractiveness
29. Audacity
30. Availability
31. Awareness

32. Awe
33. Balance
34. Beauty
35. Being the best
36. Belonging
37. Benevolence
38. Bliss
39. Boldness
40. Bravery
41. Brilliance
42. Buoyancy
43. Calmness
44. Camaraderie
45. Candor
46. Capability
47. Care
48. Carefulness
49. Celebrity
50. Certainty
51. Challenge
52. Charity
53. Charm
54. Chastity
55. Cheerfulness
56. Clarity
57. Cleanliness
58. Clear-mindedness
59. Cleverness
60. Closeness
61. Comfort
62. Commitment

63. Compassion
64. Completion
65. Composure
66. Concentration
67. Confidence
68. Conformity
69. Congruency
70. Connection
71. Consciousness
72. Consistency
73. Contentment
74. Continuity
75. Contribution
76. Control
77. Conviction
78. Conviviality
79. Coolness
80. Cooperation
81. Cordiality
82. Correctness
83. Courage
84. Courtesy
85. Craftiness
86. Creativity
87. Credibility
88. Cunning
89. Curiosity
90. Daring
91. Decisiveness
92. Decorum
93. Deference

Time Leadership 11
94. Delight
95. Dependability
96. Depth
97. Desire
98. Determination
99. Devotion
100. Devoutness
101. Dexterity
102. Dignity
103. Diligence
104. Direction
105. Directness
106. Discipline
107. Discovery
108. Discretion
109. Diversity
110. Dominance
111. Dreaming
112. Drive
113. Duty
114. Dynamism
115. Eagerness
116. Economy
117. Ecstasy
118. Education
119. Effectiveness
120. Efficiency
121. Elation
122. Elegance
123. Empathy
124. Encouragement
125. Endurance
126. Energy
127. Enjoyment
128. Entertainment
129. Enthusiasm
130. Excellence
131. Excitement
132. Exhilaration
133. Expectancy
134. Expediency
135. Experience
136. Expertise
137. Exploration
138. Expressiveness
139. Extravagance
140. Extroversion
141. Exuberance
142. Fairness
143. Faith
144. Fame
145. Family
146. Fascination

147. Fashion
148. Fearlessness
149. Ferocity
150. Fidelity
151. Fierceness
152. Financial
independence
153. Firmness
154. Fitness
155. Flexibility
156. Flow
157. Fluency
158. Focus
159. Fortitude
160. Frankness
161. Freedom
162. Friendliness
163. Frugality
164. Fun
165. Gallantry
166. Generosity
167. Gentility
168. Giving
169. Grace
170. Gratitude
171. Gregariousness
172. Growth
173. Guidance
174. Happiness
175. Harmony
176. Health
177. Heart
178. Helpfulness
179. Heroism
180. Holiness
181. Honesty
182. Honor
183. Hopefulness
184. Hospitality
185. Humility
186. Humor
187. Hygiene
188. Imagination
189. Impact
190. Impartiality
191. Independence
192. Industry
193. Ingenuity
194. Inquisitiveness
195. Insightfulness
196. Inspiration
197. Integrity
198. Intelligence

199. Intensity
200. Intimacy
201. Intrepidness
202. Introversion
203. Intuition
204. Intuitiveness
205. Inventiveness
206. Investing
207. Joy
208. Judiciousness
209. Justice
210. Keenness
211. Kindness
212. Knowledge
213. Leadership
214. Learning
215. Liberation
216. Liberty
217. Liveliness
218. Logic
219. Longevity
220. Love
221. Loyalty
222. Majesty
223. Making a
difference
224. Mastery
225. Maturity
226. Meekness
227. Mellowness
228. Meticulousness
229. Mindfulness
230. Modesty
231. Motivation
232. Mysteriousness
233. Neatness
234. Nerve
235. Obedience
236. Openmindedness
237. Openness
238. Optimism
239. Order
240. Organization
241. Originality
242. Outlandishness
243. Outrageousness
244. Passion
245. Peace
246. Perceptiveness
247. Perfection
248. Perkiness
249. Perseverance

Time Leadership 12
250.
251.
252.
253.
254.
255.
256.
257.
258.
259.
260.
261.
262.
263.
264.
265.
266.
267.
268.
269.
270.
271.
272.
273.
274.
275.
276.
277.
278.
279.
280.
281.
282.
283.
284.
285.
286.
287.
288.
289.
290.
291.

Persistence
Persuasiveness
Philanthropy
Piety
Playfulness
Pleasantness
Pleasure
Poise
Polish
Popularity
Potency
Power
Practicality
Pragmatism
Precision
Preparedness
Presence
Privacy
Proactivity
Professionalism
Prosperity
Prudence
Punctuality
Purity
Realism
Reason
Reasonableness
Recognition
Recreation
Refinement
Reflection
Relaxation
Reliability
Religiousness
Resilience
Resolution
Resolve
Resourcefulness
Respect
Rest
Restraint
Reverence

292.
293.
294.
295.
296.
297.
298.
299.
300.
301.
302.
303.
304.
305.
306.
307.
308.
309.
310.
311.
312.
313.
314.
315.
316.
317.
318.
319.
320.
321.
322.
323.
324.
325.
326.
327.
328.
329.
330.
331.
332.
333.

Richness
Rigor
Sacredness
Sacrifice
Sagacity
Saintliness
Sanguinity
Satisfaction
Security
Self-control
Selflessness
Self-reliance
Sensitivity
Sensuality
Serenity
Service
Sexuality
Sharing
Shrewdness
Significance
Silence
Silliness
Simplicity
Sincerity
Skillfulness
Solidarity
Solitude
Soundness
Speed
Spirit
Spirituality
Spontaneity
Spunk
Stability
Stealth
Stillness
Strength
Structure
Success
Support
Supremacy
Surprise

334.
335.
336.
337.
338.
339.
340.
341.
342.
343.
344.
345.
346.
347.
348.
349.
350.
351.
352.
353.
354.
355.
356.
357.
358.
359.
360.
361.
362.
363.
364.
365.
366.
367.
368.
369.
370.
371.
372.
373.
374.

Sympathy
Synergy
Teamwork
Temperance
Thankfulness
Thoroughness
Thoughtfulness
Thrift
Tidiness
Timeliness
Traditionalism
Tranquility
Transcendence
Trust
Trustworthiness
Truth
Understanding
Unflappability
Uniqueness
Unity
Usefulness
Utility
Valor
Variety
Victory
Vigor
Virtue
Vision
Vitality
Vivacity
Warmth
Watchfulness
Wealth
Willfulness
Willingness
Winning
Wisdom
Wittiness
Wonder
Youthfulness
Zeal

You dont have to choose values from this list; you can make up your own.
This list is just to get you thinking.

Time Leadership 13

2. Lifetime Goals
On your second page, list what you want to accomplish, experience, or
become in the course of your lifetime.
This list is one that you can add to at any time. I have moved my lifetime
goal list to my workbook. Whenever I see something that looks really cool, I can
add that to my list. In my workbook, my lifetime goal list keeps growing and
growing until I have pages filled with things that I would like to accomplish,
experience, or be.

3. Six Months to Live

On your third page you write down all the things that you would want to do
if you had six months to live.
The benefit of this page is that it helps you refocus. I find that when I write
this list, it is often very different from the lifetime goal list, and it gives me a new
perspective on my goals. If I had only six months to live, maybe I would spend
more time with my family. Maybe I would want to travel, and swim with the
dolphins in New Zealand. These goals are often different than lifetime goals and
are also important to keep in mind
while planning your life.
"Many people fail in life, not for lack
4. One Year Goals

of ability or brains or even courage

but simply because they have never
organized their energies around a
goal."
-- Elbert Hubbard

For this final page, you can look

at your other pages to create a list of
goals that you would like to accomplish this year. Be sure to take some goals from
your list of lifetime goals, and plan to achieve them in the next year. Remember
that these are goals, and must be SMART: specific, measurable, appropriate,
realistic, and timed. Define your goals carefully.

If you have not already done so, take ten minutes to complete each goal sheet:
Values, Lifetime Goals, Six Months to Live, and One Year Goals.

Time Leadership 14

Congratulations on completing these goal sheets!

You have taken the first step to a more productive lifestyle in which you will be
able to accomplish your goals.
Choosing your Top Four or Five Goals
Once you have completed these four sheets, you assess what you have
written and you choose your top goals to work on for that month. For my top
goals, I only choose goals on which I am willing to work an hour a week. If you
are not willing to spend one hour a week on each of your top goals, then clearly
these goals are not that important to you at this time.
Now that you have selected your top goals, you have a couple of options for
how to proceed that are outlined below.
When I complete these four sheets, I then take a business card and I write
down my top goals. I dont write the entire goal out; I just write a brief note that
reminds me what my goal is. For instance, if my goal is to grow tomatoes in my
garden this summer, I might just write Garden. Then, every day for the month, I
look at my business card once in the morning. I put a copy of the business card on
my To Do list so that I see it many times during the day.
Another approach to your top four goals is to write them down a certain
number of times every day. You can also say them aloud every day. Some
people record their goals on tape and listen to them every day while doing other
activities, such as exercising, driving, or falling asleep in bed at night.
You can tell other people what your goals are to get support. It is best to
tell other people your stop goals, because people will definitely want to tell you
to stop detrimental habits. Be cautious about sharing your get goals with other
people because you might be ridiculed, or they might be envious of your high
aspirations. Using other people to help achieve your goals is a valuable tool, but it
depends on the people around you and how supportive their attitudes are.
Another useful tool is visualization. Imagine how things will be when you
accomplish the goal. The more vivid your imagination, the more effective your
visualization will be. How will people treat you? What will it feel like? Where
will you be? What time of day is it?
You can use any of these tools in conjunction with each other.

Time Leadership 15

Habits
Frequently, my goals are something that I want to become a habit. Once I
have achieved my goal and created a new habit, I can take it off my top goals list.
For example, I like to eat right. If I have slipped into poor eating habits lately, then
eating a balanced diet could be on my top goals. When healthy eating is once more
a positive habit in my life, then I can take it off my list.
Speaking of habits, I want to reiterate that this really is the key to success.
We are the result of what we repeatedly do. So I spend a lot of time figuring out
what my habits should be. I call them success habits. For me, this is as important
as goal setting.
I redo my top goals (that I keep on business cards in strategic locations)
every month or every six weeks. Be sure to keep your top four goals up to date: but
dont change them until you have accomplished your goal or formed your new
habit.

Some Final Notes on Goals

Make sure that every action in your life supports your goals. Use your
workbook to track your progress on your goals.
Some goals that I have are too big or too daunting. For these, I break them
down into smaller parts. One big goal becomes a series of smaller subgoals. A
side benefit of this is often the subgoals can be done simultaneously or the
subgoals are different enough that I can spend more combined time on them than I
would on any single goal (This is a time trick variety helps sometimes).
I also like to break big goals down into smaller time blocks since I can often
do something in a short time. If I have 5 minutes, it is better to be working on a
subgoal for a top priority project than unimportant busywork that is not moving me
towards my larger goal.

Time Leadership 16

Your Time Log

How do you spend your time?
You need to ask yourself some important questions about the tasks that you
spend your time completing:
Does it need to be done?
Can you change the frequency?
Can you change the quality?
Can you change the method?
Is it possible to delegate part or all of the task at hand?
The best way for you to assess how you spend your time is to track your
time usage with a time log. Here is a copy of the time log that I use. Feel free to
print my time log and use it to help assess your time. You can also personalize it
to meet your needs. I have also provided you with a sample time log.
As you can see, my time log has a full day divided into fifteen minute
increments. At the top there is a space for me to write activities that I often find
myself doing, such as reading, writing, emailing, incoming call, outgoing call,
travel, etc. This saves me time from
To save time, you must determine
rewriting each task. There is a large where you are losing it.
column where I can jot down
--Vicki Dennis
specifics of what I was doing.
The most important three columns on my chart are on the far right:
enjoyment, productivity, and energy. The first column measures if I enjoy what
I have done. To track my enjoyment, I mark down if I like or dislike a task in the
L/D column. In the productivity column, I use an H or an L to denote highproductivity or low-productivity. Similarly, in the energy column, I use an H or an
L to denote if I am high-energy or low-energy.
You might wonder why I have both a productivity column and an energy
column. This is because I can be very high-energy and wide awake, and still have
fairly low productivity because I am doing something that is not necessarily
relevant. Conversely, I can be fairly low-energy yet still be highly productive.
I only do my time logs for a few consecutive days once a month, because it
takes extra time to complete the logs. After completing a few of the logs, I am able

Time Leadership 17

to look over my day and begin to answer the ultimate question of Time Leadership:
How do I spend my time?
Completing my time log gives a concrete answer to the question: How do I
spend my time? It allows me to answer the questions of need, frequency, quality,
method, and delegation raised earlier. Often, I realize that I can change the
frequency of one of my tasks. Sometimes I find that I am doing tasks that do not
need to be done. Sometimes I can change the quality, or delegate some of the
tasks. The time log helps my awareness of my time use, and with that awareness I
can make informed and positive decisions regarding my time use.
The Five Whys
Once I have completed my time log, I ask myself another question: Why am
I doing this? I ask myself why sometimes as many as five times, because by
asking this question repeatedly I can find my true motivation.
As an example, lets take an instance of answering a call from an insurance
salesperson.
Why am I answering a call from an insurance agent that I dont really want to?
Because Im polite.
Why am I polite?
Because I dont want to offend people.
Why dont I want to offend people?
Because I envision myself as a polite and courteous person.
Why do I envision myself as a polite and courteous person?
Ultimately, I come to the conclusion that maybe I dont have to be as polite
and courteous when I receive unsolicited insurance phone calls. No offense
intended to insurance agents, of course.
Asking Why? repeatedly gets to the root of the issue.

Time Leadership 18

Blank Time Log

Time Leadership 19

Sample Time Log

Note that names have been changed on this time log.

Generally, I fill mine out by hand because its faster; this is just
for your ease of reading. Some days I fill out much more
information than this: when you start, you will probably want to
fill in more (particularly on the right hand columns).

Time Leadership 20

Time Wasters and Savers

Your time log will help you identify where you spend your time. It is then
up to you to establish positive habits that minimize your time wasters and
maximize your time savers. Here are a few common time wasters and savers to get
you thinking about how you spend your time.
Time Wasters
Busy work. Sometimes you can work all morning, and still have
nothing done by the time lunch rolls around. Avoid busy work that
doesnt need to be done so you can focus on the important tasks on
your To Do list.
Jobs not suited to you. Sometimes you will spend a lot of time on a
job not suited to you. This is a time to delegate to someone who will
be able to complete the task easier, faster, and better than you can.
Redoing work. If you are spending your time doing things over, you
might need to consider the DIRFT tip: Do It Right the First Time.
Check out the other Time Leadership tips to pick up other hints like
ways to handle paper only once.
Post-it Notes. These are great for sticking to your front door to
remind you to pick up milk on the way home from work; however,
they are not great if you create one every time you think of something
that you need to do. You dont want to waste your time looking
through post-it notes, you want to be organized and stick to only one
To Do list.
Computer Games. If you find yourself constantly zoning out to
solitaire and tuning in to find five minutes have elapsed, you should
delete solitaire from your computer. This goes for any game or time
waster on your computer that you use. If you waste your time on the
internet, consider keeping the browser closed or disconnecting from
internet except for allotted times during the day when you complete
your necessary online tasks. Your time log will help you realize if
you have a habit that you need to break: you might even notice
yourself avoiding certain things simply because you are making a time
log. These are probably time wasters that you can now avoid.

Time Leadership 21

Time Savers
Stay organized. Having a place for everything and having everything

in its place keeps you from losing time looking for misplaced items.
Learn to use voicemail and email.
Use form letters. Having a few form letters handy to fill in is a handy

time saver if you are constantly writing similar memos, emails, etc.
Imitate. If you see another person in business doing something that is

more effective, imitate their style. It is not cheating in business to

copy.
Of course, this isnt a complete list of the time savers available to you.
Many of the hints and tricks this e-book offers you will help you to save
time. Consider making a list in your workbook of the timesavers that you
find most helpful. Then, if you feel that you are losing a lot of time, you can
turn to your workbook to see if there are any habits that you have lost, or
things that you are forgetting.

Time Leadership 22

Voice
mail

Using Voicemail Effectively

It has been said that you can answer seven
times as many emails as you can voicemails. When
making your outgoing voicemail message, you can
leave your email address on the message, so people
know how to get a hold of you electronically. My
voicemail message ends with or better yet, email me
at jime@synnex.com: I then spell my email address
so they will be able to reach me.
In my voicemail message, I also ask callers to
leave their number. This saves me the time of having
to search for their number to return their call.
When you call someone, be sure to leave your
number. Say it twice and say it slowly and clearly so
that they can get a hold of you without having to
listen to your message twice. Remember when you
leave a message to speak slowly enough that your
listener will be able to write down what you say.
When leaving a voicemail, try to leave the
reason that you called on the machine. This way, all
parties are informed and can prepare for the next
phone call.
Another voicemail trick I use is forwarding
voicemails to my assistant. She is able to return
many of my calls.

Time Leadership 23

Using Email Effectively

Just as voicemail is an important tool to master, in
todays world email is an essential part of daily life.
One of my email timesavers is dictating emails. My
assistant then types them up; she is set up so that she can
send emails that are from my account.
I find that filtering my emails is very helpful. I have
many folders, and many emails that come to my account
are routed to varying folders. This is particularly useful
for the groups that Im on. I subscribe to sales groups and
product management groups, as well as many electronic
publications. Frequently, however, these emails dont
need my immediate attention, so having them filtered
directly to a folder where I can browse them occasionally
is convenient and time-saving. A good folder system is the
key to email organization and management.
If you dont know how to set up filters, ask someone.
Learn how to use Outlook. Like anything you use a lot,
learning to be more efficient saves you time and energy.
Consider getting off lists that are unnecessary. This
saves you from having to look at and delete extraneous
messages.
For sending emails, I dont send many emails that
are more than a few lines long. Often, a couple of lines
suffices as an answer and saves time.
When you are sending emails, be sure that your
contact information is included in the email. It is easy to
set this as your footer, so that it automatically goes out
with each email. Be sure to include your company name,
address, phone number(s) and fax.

Email

Time Leadership 24

Organization
Part of the key to Time Leadership is organization.
Organization helps you
reduce stress
know your limits
be reliable
feel good about your job
The To Do List
The basis of time management is the To Do list. I happen to keep mine in
Outlook task, but you can also use a word processor or even good, old-fashioned
pen and paper. Regardless of how you choose to keep your To Do list, it is
imperative that you maintain one.
To begin with, you write down all of the items that you need to do. Then,
most importantly, you prioritize your list. You can do this electronically on
Outlook task or on a PalmPilot. You can also prioritize using different coloured
highlighters if youre using pen and paper, or underline with a red pen.
The key to a useful To Do list is to make it yours. Keep it simple and
effective. Dont let the simplicity fool you! This is a very simple part of any time
management system, but it is also the critical ingredient that will get you where
you want to go.

Time Leadership 25

Why have a To Do List?

In the most basic sense, a To Do list keeps track of tasks at hand and helps
you prioritize your commitments and tasks.
A To Do list makes you reliable; if an item is on the To Do list then it will
not be overlooked or ignored.
You will be able to determine your workload and scheduling with a To Do
list. If someone asks you to do something, you can look at your To Do list and
easily ascertain if you are available or not. The answer might be, Sure, I will be
able to get to that later this afternoon, or it might be, Im very busy this week and
wont be able to get to that until next Wednesday. Regardless of your answer, a
To Do list allows you to be honest with yourself and with others about your
commitments.
To Do List Hints
An action item is something that you can accomplish immediately. If you
have a large task on your To Do list, you can write down your first step to the
completion of that task. This first step is your action-item. As with goal-setting,
breaking down a task into smaller parts helps you reach your objective. Often, the
first step to completing a task is simply to think about how you will go about the
job, and considering the first action-item will lead to beginning the task, which is
the first step to finishing a task. This powerful To Do list hint has helped me
accomplish many more things.
Write down the time it will take to complete a task next to the task. One
advantage of this is that you will always know your workload. I might have 200
hours of To Dos to complete in the next few weeks so know I cannot take more
on. I am jumping ahead a bit but one time tip is to focus on one task at a time.
Sometimes I have only 15 minutes so can choose a 15 minute task to complete.
Over time, it has become a game I play with myself to see if I can beat the allotted
time.

Time Leadership 26

To Do List Traps
Some people come up with an overwhelming To Do list. If you have too
many things on your list, then you will not be able to accomplish any of them
because all of the small things that jostle for your attention. The simple solution to
this problem is to take a blank piece of paper, write your top three or four things
that you are going to work on for the day. This Today list helps keep your desk
and mind uncluttered so you can better focus on your listed priorities.
Another trap is over-listing: listing things that shouldnt be on the To Do list,
or even putting things on the To Do list after the fact so you can cross it off. Overlisting leads to over-planning and can be a waste of time and resources: you can
never plan for every contingency, so stick with what you know needs to be done,
and adjust things when necessary. It is not productive for you to write down items
on your To Do list simply to cross them off, so break that habit right now.
The Magical To-Do List
Mary LoVerde created the concept of the Magical To Do list. On this list,
you start by dividing your page in half vertically. On the left side, you write only
the things that absolutely must get done today. This does not include the things
that you want to do, or the things that you have to do at some point this week. She
stresses that it is important to be realistic and only put down a few items (this list
should be a fraction of the normal list that you normally write: that list that could
only accomplish if you worked for two weeks without sleeping).
In the right column, you write down the other things that you want to
happen. This is your magical column. You will put them down and ask for magic
help getting these tasks done. More often than not, those tasks get accomplished
without even any attention from you.
Once you have your magical To Do list, then transfer your regular To Do
items over as well. You will probably want some extra help with these ones
because often they are the most important.
This is a perfect example of distilling your To Do list to manageable
proportions, and keeping a positive attitude that keeps you open to possibilities.

Time Leadership 27

My Complete Organizational System

In the Foreword to this e-book, I mentioned filtering. I am about to share with
you how I organize what I do. You may choose to implement only some of these
strategies. You may also add others. The perfect system is the one that works for
you. No two jobs are identical. No two people are identical.
You will need to create a complete organizational system that suits your needs.
I will share with you how I organize myself, and you can use my system, adapt it, or
take its helpful pointers. The basis of your organizational system, like mine, should
be the To Do list.
My To Do list is the most important organizational aspect of my system.
Because my To Do list is frequently too full, I also use the Today list, mentioned
above, wherein I write down my three or four main priorities that I am working on
that day.
I have tickler files, things that I will work on next week, and things that I will
work on next month. I keep some of these files electronically, so that if I get an email
that I can deal with next week, I simply move it to the next week file, knowing that I
will respond to it when necessary. I do also have a paper file, because some of the
things that I get are in hard copy. These files for later keep items off my To Do list so
that I do not fret about them. These files also ensure that tasks and items are not
overlooked.
I also have project files or project boxes. I often have only one task on my To
Do list, which would require a complete project box. For instance, my first priority
could be writing the annual general report. This requires a complete project box that
might include past annual reports, and the current information that I will need to
write. A project file can be used to further organize each item on the To Do list, as
necessary.
Scheduling is another important part of an organizational system. I use
Microsoft Outlook to keep myself organized for the day. My Outlook is networked
with my assistant, who can book my time, book appointments, and take appointments
out. I use a RIM (Research in Motion) BlackBerry that is synced with Outlook. My
BlackBerry allows me to access my schedule and my To Do list even when I am not
at my desk. My BlackBerry contains the information for all of my contacts. It also

Time Leadership 28

allows me to access my email, using a wireless connection. I do acknowledge my

conflict of interest here. I am on the RIM Board of Directors. But even if I was not, I
would use and recommend the product.
My physical in-box allows people to leave me papers during the day. I have
one in my office as well as one outside my office door, so that if my door is closed,
people can still leave me pertinent information.
My slush drawers help me keep my desk from getting cluttered. I have both
physical and electronic slush drawers. A slush drawer is where I put something that
Im not sure that I will need, but I might need. I dont file things specifically in my
slush drawer. For my physical slush drawer, I place items in a lateral file, knowing
that if someone calls and says, Did you get that proposal? I can go back and get it.
When the slush drawer is full, I seal it with a note of the date, and then I go to my
second slush drawer, which has been sealed for probably around a month. I open my
past slush drawer, and am able to quickly sort through the items. The time elapsed
gives me a clearer picture of whether or not I will need them. I can generally empty
my slush drawer while Im on a conference call, which takes no extra time. If there is
anything that I am unsure about keeping, I put it in the current slush drawer.
For my electronic slush drawer, I have a folder that I label with the month. I
put emails that I might need or want to reference in the folder. I keep the folder for
about six months. Six months later, if I have not gone back to find something from
that folder, I probably do not need it, and am able to delete the file.
Another part of my organizational system is my use of people files. I keep a
file for certain people with whom I interact regularly. Rather than calling them up
when I have one little thing to cover with them, I put everything in their file. Then,
when I talk to them, I can cover four or five things at once. I greatly encourage
people who interact with me to keep a file for me. That way, when we meet, we are
much more productive.
My phone call organization is very similar to my use of people files. I plan
when I am going to call someone, and I have notes to cover for that call.
There you have it: my organizational system in a nutshell. From my To Do list
and my Today list, my files (tickler, project, people, inbox, and slush), to my phone
call organization and my scheduling, you see all of the tools for effective Time
Leadership. This system meets my needs, but you may need to adapt it to suit your
specific lifestyle or your particular work habits.

Time Leadership 29

Procrastination
You cannot escape the
responsibility of tomorrow by
evading it today.
Abraham Lincoln

Procrastination is one of the biggest

challenges to all kinds of time management.
Dont worry: this e-book will teach you the
tricks that you need to know to overcome this
trap.

Before we cover ways to avoid procrastinating, Id like to share with you an

article that I wrote (initially for my blog, though it was republished by numerous
independent article carriers, such as the example linked to here). This blog entry is
about the times when procrastination might be helpful. You be the judge of
whether your procrastination is helping you: and if it isnt, use the tricks below as
ways to avoid procrastination.
Good ways to Procrastinate
and When Procrastination Might be Good
I am writing this with the din of jackhammers in the background. I
am working on the weekend (surprising as that might be); feeling sorry
for myself that I cannot get good quiet uninterrupted time in like I had
planned.
I thought I would write an article on Procrastination since that is
what I am doing now. I have more important things to do (please don't
take offence). I am going into a heavy travel schedule so I like to have a
few posts written or at least roughed out so I can post quickly while I am
on the road. So writing a post is not a terrible use of time.
I started thinking about when procrastination might be good
and came up with many types of good procrastination.

The Rules of Good Procrastination

1 Procrastinate or leave something if it is likely to resolve itself if you
take no action. Of course in this case, it likely should not even be on your
list and should not be a priority.
2 Procrastinate if letting something "stew" will lead to a better solution.
In this case, rather than doing nothing on it, I spend a while to organize
it, think about it, write a few ideas down etc. Ideas tend to incubate

Time Leadership 30
better if some thought has gone into them before they are left.
3 If you must procrastinate, do something else on your list that might
be lower priority but still needs doing. This is like asking your child, do
you want to wear the red hat or the blue one. Not do you want to wear a
hat. Choose from two or more tasks all that need doing.
4 Procrastinate if you need a break. Sometimes productivity is an order
of magnitude better if you are properly in flow and have the right energy,
creativity, etc. Sometimes taking as long as 24 hours away from a task
will help you find new motivation, a new angle, or new solutions.
5 Sometimes I procrastinate on the big part of the job by doing the
smaller parts around it. For example, rather than do my taxes (which I
hate), I might just collect and organize things or set up a meeting with
my accountant. Choose a part of the job that is not as ugly.
6 Procrastinate by doing the more important task. This seems counter
intuitive since good time management says you always work on the
highest priority task (and you should be). What I often find is I am
working on tasks that are causing me stress (so I want to procrastinate)
only to realize, there are likely other more important tasks to do that I
enjoy doing.
7 Procrastinate if someone else is likely to do it (or if you can get them
to do it). Of course, I never said I was a marriage counselor. Leaving the
dishes or cleaning for your spouse might not be such a good idea now
hiring that's another idea.
Most of all, if you procrastinate, do not feel guilty. This only detracts from
the "good" of it.
Still, working on something that is not your highest priority too often is
not a good habit to get into. One of my favourite time management
authors, Alan Lakein, says to always ask "What is the best use of my time
right now?" So back to work.

Time Leadership 31

If you feel your procrastination is not being productive, then its time to use
these tricks below to help you get out of the habit of procrastinating, and into the
habit of being energized, effective, and on-task.
Set Your Goals
As we covered in our earlier section on goal-setting, often the act of
consciously setting a goal will help you move beyond procrastination. The first
step of thinking of your actions will lead to your actions.
Review Your Goals
Coming back to the goals that you have already established will often make
you realize the importance of the task that you are currently delaying. Go to the
list of your goals in your workbook and assess if what you are currently working
on will help you reach those goals.
Review Your To Do List
Reviewing your To Do list is just as important as reviewing your goals. I
print my To Do list from Outlook task, and then I write on it for a few days,
highlighting important things, and jotting down notes. After a few days, my list
gets messy, so I go back to Outlook to update my electronic list. Doing this helps
me realize the tasks that I have been neglecting. If I see something thats
highlighted on the list and has been there a few days, I realize that Im not moving
forward on that task. Simply knowing that Im not moving forward motivates me
to begin those tasks.
Set a Time Limit
Promise yourself that you will only work on a task for a limited amount of
time. I know that I can do anything for fifteen minutes, so I set myself up to work
for just fifteen minutes on a distasteful task. Frequently I find that after having
completed fifteen minutes of a task, I am able to continue through and finish the
entire task. Other times I dont finish the task. I give myself permission to say,
My fifteen minutes are up, I wont do anything more on this today.

Time Leadership 32

Start with the Pleasant

If I do not want to do something I need to get done to accomplish my goals,
I begin with the pleasant part of the task. For instance, if I need to call an irate
customer, I will have to look up the purchase in question, and perhaps talk to a
sales representative. Completing these tasks brings me closer to finishing the task
of calming the customer, and gets me started in the right direction.
Other People are Resources
If I am procrastinating over a task, I know that the other people in my office
are a huge asset. I can tell them that I am going to do this task, in which case, I
will accomplish the task so that I do not disappoint them.
Sometimes I get other people to brainstorm the first steps of a task with me.
When they tell me things (which I often already know) it moves me towards
completing the task. Just sharing ideas is often the impetus needed to avoid
procrastination.
Working with someone on a task is another effective way to end
procrastination.
Delegation, as covered in another chapter of this e-book, is another way to
use people as resources for helping you get past procrastination. Sometimes,
breaking the initial procrastination barrier is easiest if you get someone else to start
your task, and then you resume your work on it.
Break it Down
If a job seems too large to undertake, then you can break it down into
smaller, manageable pieces. This also works for jobs that are mentally daunting
even if theyre not actually that large. Brainstorming all the pieces that make up
the larger picture often brings the picture into fresh focus. You can also brainstorm
on the instantaneous tasks: what are the tasks that you can do immediately to
achieve this goal?
Sometimes completing an instant task gives you a sense of satisfaction with
your work that will help you get the energy and motivation for larger tasks.

Time Leadership 33

Get the Information

Often, procrastination is caused by lack of information. You need to
ascertain all of the pertinent information before going about certain tasks. This
helps you begin working while not working on the task itself.
Choose your Task
Give yourself a choice between two tasks instead of between working or not
working. For instance, sometimes I choose, Am I going to call this vendor, or am
I going to do this business plan? The choice is not between working or not
working; rather, it is between two tasks.
This reminds me of the time that my precocious daughter wanted to run
away. I told her that she had to stay, two which she replied, Do you want me to
leave by the front door, or the side door? Although we discussed what choices
little girls get to make, she had the notion of choosing the task down pat.
Add Reward or Punishment
This is a straightforward tip. Offer yourself rewards for completing the tasks
on your To Do list. For instance, when you finish writing the report, you can have
a cup of tea. If, on the other hand, you arent going to accomplish the task, you
can punish yourself with such things as not eating the cupcake you brought in your
lunch.
Write a Contract
Write out what you are going to do, why you are going to do it, and when
you are going to do it. Having a written timeline helps keep some people on
schedule.

Ask Yourself the Question

I dont like to write.

I like to have written.
--William Zinsser,
On Writing Well

Ask yourself Would you like to have? to

motivate yourself. I ask myself, Would I like to have
worked out when I go to bed tonight? or Would I like
to have this done? The answer frequently is yes,
which helps me move forward and complete the task so
I can have it done.

Time Leadership 34

Chart your Progress

This is something that you can write in your workbook. Chart your progress
on desired tasks. As mentioned before, when you pay attention to something in
your life by tracking it, it immediately improves.
Repeat a Mantra
I use a mantra to help me get through procrastination. A mantra is a word or
phrase that you repeat over and over in your head, though you can also repeat it
aloud. My mantra to overcome procrastination is: Successful People Do Tough
Things. When I am doing something that I find distasteful, I repeat this to myself
and I am able to continue with the task, because I want to be a successful person.
You can use this mantra or make up your own.
Establish the Pain and Gain
Anything that you can do to add
We take action when it is more
pain or gain, or make your task more real,
rewarding than not taking action.
can help you get through procrastination.
We take action when it is less
This is different than the reward and
painful than not taking action.
punishment tip, because here the pain and
gain are directly related to the task that
you perform. To determine what the pain
and gain will be for a task, you can make a list of pros and cons. What are the
advantages of getting the task done? What will happen if you dont get the task
done? The more problematic you can make the cons and the more beneficial you
can make your pros, the more it will help you realize the true benefit of performing
the task at hand, and can help you get through procrastination.

Time Leadership 35

Journal
Consider journaling. This is different than writing in your workbook. There
are many different ways that you can journal. If you are interested in journaling, I
suggest The Artists Way by Julia Cameron.
Camerons thesis is that you should write three pages a day, longhand. This
takes about twenty minutes. Cameron believes that you should write first thing in
the morning, but I think that as long as you are writing, you will get the benefits of
journaling.
When I journal, I dont use it as a diary to write how I feel or what the
weather is like. I use a journal to explore how I am accomplishing my goals. I
look at my goals, and I examine if I am working towards them effectively. I dont
journal all the time, but I find that when I do journal, I tend to spend my time more
productively. I find myself thinking during the day about what I am doing because
I know that I will write about my actions later. I want to look good in my journal,
even though its only me who is reading my journal.

Time Leadership 36

Delegation
Delegation is a great way to increase the use of your time. You might say to
yourself, I dont have people working for me, so who can I delegate to? You can
delegate to suppliers, you can delegate to customers, you can delegate to friends,
you can delegate to contacts.
Delegation is much like network management. You maintain your network
of contacts, and these are the people to whom you can delegate. I wrote a blog
entry (at www.jimestill.com) that explains the basics of effective networking:

9 Ways to Network Easily

One of the easiest ways to increase sales is through
networking and one of the best ways to network is to network
easily. What I mean by this is to do things that come naturally to
you.
Some of the ideas that can be helpful for networking are:
1. Join groups that you would be interested in joining. For
example, if you like to run, join a running group; if you like to play
bridge, join a bridge group; if you would like to go to church,
become a member of a congregation. Joining a group just for the
sake of networking, generally doesnt work.
2. Volunteer to speak at events. You can start by speaking to
small groups and then in time you can become more selective and
speak to larger groups. Toastmasters is an excellent group to join
to improve your speaking ability; it also provides another
networking opportunity.
3. Write articles. There is something that makes someone seem
like an expert when they write an article on a specific topic. Articles
are easy to write if you are passionate about your topic. There are
also hundreds of publications that are hungry for material. Again,
you will have to start small with local publications and work up to
other publications.
4. Keep a Rolodex (I use Outlook) and keep it organized. Ideally
include not only names and address but also a few points of
interest about the person or their business.

Time Leadership 37

5. Keep in touch with people. The best way to do this is to know

what interests the people have and then send them personalized
emails or notes with articles of interest attached. Do this with no
intention of them buying but the more they know you, the more they
will tend to buy.
6. Become an expert. Becoming an expert in any field is simple to
do. First pick a topic that you are passionate about and then spend
an hour a day reading trade journals, going to trade shows, and
learning about that topic. Within six to eight weeks, you will be
close to an expert in that field and people will turn to you for
solutions.
7. Be generous. People tend to link happy occasions with gifts. Be
prolific with gifts; for example, baby gifts: you will find that people
are very grateful that you remembered their special occasion.
8. Follow-through. If you are trying to sell a product to a customer,
make sure that you follow up with them so you can make the sale.
Many times people will provide the information on the product and
will tell the customer that they will get back to them, but dont, so
the sale falls through.
9. If you are going to be out there, work the room. What I mean by
this is why go to a function and sit only with the people that you
already know. No need to sit in the corner when you can mingle
with new people and get to know them. This skill does not come
naturally to introverted people; however, it is something that can be
easily learned by stepping out of your comfort zone.
People tend to buy from people they know. Become more known
and sell more. This is one way smaller companies can beat larger
companies any day.

Having a well-maintained network of friends, associates, and colleagues will

help you be able to delegate properly.
For more detail on how to network, check out Never Eat Alone by Keith
Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz. This book is also available as an audiobook, which you
might be able to better work into your schedule. I recently wrote a blog entry
about this book and how it deals with networking:

Time Leadership 38
Never Eat Alone
I read a great book on the way to Fremont, Never Eat Alone
by Keith Ferrazzi with Tahl Raz. I highly recommend it. Although I
network a lot, it was an inspirational refresher. It is about
networking (the people kind, not the computer kind: although I am
an advocate of both).
As a time management person, I often choose to eat alone. And I
choose fast restaurants (not fast food) when I do eat with others.
Ferrazzi understands good time use. He often eats with groups of
people.
Never Eat Alone speaks of the value of networking and has a
number of ideas on how to network. Three take away messages:
Always network first by seeing what value you can add to the
person rather than looking at it the other way around. Second,
although the book did not state this explicitly, networking is
common courtesy and actually enjoyable. It is not a distasteful task.
Third, nurture your network. Figure out ways to add value and keep
in touch. I suppose in some way, my blog does this.
I also realize how extensive my network is. It is not about the
3000+ contacts I have in Outlook, it is about the people I really
know and the people who know me (often more people know me
through my position, speaking engagements, articles, and blogs). I
am charmed to know a lot of highly influential people.
I have very good relationships with CEOs and Presidents of many
companies as a result of my years in YPO. Other organizations like
top 40 under 40 and other awards also help build a peer group. I, of
course, have a very deep rolodex in the computer industry (27
years will do that). I have many deep contacts in Guelph and
Kitchener-Waterloo since I have been in business in that area for
years. I have numerous senior contacts of influential people from
my board positions on companies like RIM. My years of running a
public company gave me many contacts on Bay Street and Wall
Street. Equally important as the people of perceived high influence
that I know, I have lots of friends, all of whom are in my network,
from just being alive and involved in things.
I loved one quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
"Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of
him"

Time Leadership 39
Even though my network is broad, I am inspired to nurture it, build it
and organize it more.
Now off to a board dinner. Hopefully they won't make me eat alone.

Having a network will make it easier for you to delegate, and as such, to
manage your time.
The key in delegation is to delegate the job to someone who can do the job
dramatically easier, better, or faster than you can. Frequently, people are willing
to give their time if they know that it will help you, even if they dont work for
you. People naturally want to help other people.
Questions for Effective Delegation
What needs to be done?
When does it need to be done by?
How should it be done?
Who should do it?
Why does it need doing?
The more fully you can answer these questions, the better the job will be
accomplished. You will need to give the person you are delegating to as much of
the background of the task and situation as possible, so that everyone is working at
their best, most informed state.
When to Delegate
Delegate when you are overloaded. You need to maintain an updated and
accurate To Do list in order to correctly gauge your workload.
Dont delegate unless it is necessary (you waste brownie points!)
Dont over delegate
It is important to find a balance in delegating. The last thing that you want to do is
alienate people when you are asking them for help.

Time Leadership 40

Hints on Delegating
Remember that even though you have delegated something, it is still your
responsibility. You need to track it. I keep a portion of my To Do list for things
that I need to check back on. Sometimes, I am delegating to people that I can trust
immensely and do not need to check back on the task. Other times, however, even
if I trust someone, I have to check back because of the magnitude of what I have
delegated.
Remember to reciprocate. Accept tasks that are delegated to you, do them
well, and give feedback to the delegator. Be cheerful and considerate. Ask for
clarification if you need it. Be reliable: keep tasks on your To Do List. People will
be more willing to help you if they think that you are pulling your weight.

Respect
Delegation is based on respect. You need to respect the person to whom you
delegate. They, in turn, will not want to do the tasks, unless they respect you.
The best way to delegate is in person. Giving someone a task face-to-face
is ideal because you can get a sense of the person you are dealing with. You can
tell if someone is happy to do a task for you, or if they are actually resentful.
Establishing the bounds of your delegating relationship is important.
When you ask someone to do a job in person, it is best to do it two ways:
orally, and in writing. This way you both know what has been said and the
expectations are clear from the outset. Make sure that you both know the what,
when, why, and how of the situation.
One reason to avoid asking people in email or on the phone is that it feels
impersonal. You are asking a favour, and it behooves you to be polite and take the
other persons reaction into account. You will be unable to gauge their reaction if
you are not in person.
If you must delegate over the phone or via email, however, be sure that you
do it politely. Get feedback from the person to whom you are delegating.

Time Leadership 41

Politeness is a must for all areas of delegation, regardless of the medium of

communication. Always ask someone to do something, never demand. Often, the
input that you receive from someone who you have asked to do the task is very
helpful. Remember, you asked them to do the task for a reason: they are able to do
it easier, better, or faster than you can. So be aware of their opinion and the
suggestions that they have to offer.
Remember, we all have strengths and weaknesses. Try to coach people on
their weaknesses, and respect them for their strengths. Ask them to accomplish
tasks that accentuate their strengths. This is a question of properly using human
resources. Dont give the task to Bob when Sue will get it done faster, better, and
easier.
Sometimes delegation is a long-term investment. If you take the time to
train someone properly now, it will save both of you time and hassle in the longrun.
Attitude is everything! Respect makes delegation a useful tool for you, and
makes it less of a chore for others.
Feedback
It is important when delegating to give effective feedback.
One of the most important elements of feedback is saying Thank You. This
is not only common courtesy but common sense. If the people that you trust to
complete your projects feel underappreciated, they will no longer want to do the
task that you assign to them. Even if they do continue to do the work, they will be
resentful or apathetic towards it, and as such, will not do a good job. So
remembering to say a quick Thanks! is not only polite, but also important.

Time Leadership 42

The Powers
You have the power to effectively control your time. You have the power to
exert positive Time Leadership. These hints and tips demonstrate to you that you
have many powers at your disposal with which to organize your schedule and
maximize your efficiency.
The Power of While
My favourite power is the power of While. What can you do while you
are doing something else?
What can you do while youre
Everything comes to him who
in the car? While Im in the car, I
hustles while he waits.
listen to audiobooks. Even though I
-Thomas Edison
live fairly close to work, I find that in
a ten minute drive each way I can get
through a lot of audio material. I also have an Apple Ipod, so that I can listen to
audio material while Im flying. Frequently, there is time that I can cover audio
material when I wouldnt be able to cover anything else, because I am doing
something else concurrently.
While youre driving, its important to drive safely. If you are going to talk
on a cell phone while you drive, use a hands-free set. You can also use a
Dictaphone while you drive: this is another great time saver that allows you to
remember and organize your thoughts. While dictating, remember to use bullet
points while you talk aloud: just because you are speaking it, doesnt mean it has to
be a complete sentence.
While youre exercising, you can often read depending on what kind of
exercise you are doing. You can spend your exercise time with a friend, so you
will be able to catch up while both maintaining a level of fitness. You can listen to
audio material while exercising.
While youre watching TV, you can use your extra time to stretch or
exercise. You can even read light material that you need to get through but might
not require your complete attention.

Time Leadership 43

If you take a minute to brainstorm a few ideas (such as doing arm curls
during Law & Order), you will be surprised to discover how much extra time you
have while you are doing something else.

Using Audio Material

Audio material is one of the easiest ways to optimize
your time use while you are doing something else. Here are
some more hints on how to effectively use audio material.
Audiobooks sometimes tell us that we will want to listen
to them repeatedly. When I listen to an audio-program, I
imagine that I am only going to listen to it once, although
sometimes I do listen to them more than once. I have found
that when I go into an audio-program knowing that I am going
to listen to it many times, I dont truly listen to it the first time.
Brian Tracy talks about the university in your car. If you
calculate the amount of time you spend in your car, which often
results in a staggering amount of time, you will discover that
you can absorb huge amounts of audio information while
traveling. An easy way to calculate how much time you spend
in your car is to look at your odometer and divide that by your
average speed, which will give you the number of hours spent
driving.
Brian Tracy has a number of audiobooks that you can
listen to (he certainly practices what he preaches!) You can
check out his Goals!: How to Get Everything You Want Faster
than You Ever Thought Possible, Brian Tracys 21 Secrets to
Success or his Master Strategies for Higher Achievements.
These are also available in book format, so that you could take
them with you to have during any wait.

Time Leadership 44

The Power of Total Focus

This is also called the Power of Return on Attention. Focus harnesses the
opposite power of the Power of While. While they are opposing powers, they are
equally important, and you can choose which one is more appropriate for each
situation.
Sometimes, focusing solely on the task at hand is important. It means that
you can do the task more quickly and efficiently.
The Power of Thinking on Paper
Thinking on paper allows you to remember what youre thinking. It allows
you to organize your thoughts. I am a great advocate of thinking on paper because
it is a simple thing to do that can make all the difference in formulating your
thoughts and ideas.
Your thoughts dont always have to be linear, either. Sometimes a splatter
diagram or a web of connected ideas is the best way to get your creativity started.
Sometimes a mind-dump is important to clear your head and focus your thoughts; a
mind-dump is when you simply write down everything in your head onto a page.
The Power of Punctuality
When you are on time, you gain moral power. Being punctual also
decreases the stress in your life: no more running around, speeding, or worrying
that youre late.
Your friends and associates will respect you if you are always punctual, and
they will recognize that you are an organized person who is on top of things.
Remember that when you are on time for things, you might need to bring
material for the wait. So if you arrive at the doctors office at 1:00 for your 1:00
appointment, have a book with you so that during the wait you are being
productive, rather than simply leafing through old issues of National Geographic.

Time Leadership 45

The Power of Energy

We all know that we can accomplish a lot more when we are high-energy.
There are many ways that you can increase your energy level:

Eat Right: eat low carbohydrate, light lunches.

Be Healthy: have a balanced diet and exercise schedule.
Be Inspired: if youre inspired you will have higher energy.
Breathe Well: breathe in deeply, exhale completely. You can use breathing
when you need more energy in a given situation.
Practice Good Posture: an alert position will help you stay alert and
energized.
Analyze what gives you energy and what drains your energy. Avoid energytraps and put yourself in positions where you gain energy. Add to this list of things
that give you energy, and find your own way to achieve a high-energy lifestyle.
Energy, like most of these tips and most of the things you encounter in life,
relies on momentum. The more energy that you have, the more energy you will
have. Use these tips to start building a high-energy lifestyle.
The Power of Gratitude
One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is an attitude of gratitude. Be
grateful for the great things in your life.
You should have a section in your workbook where you list three things.
The first list documents what you have done that you are proud of. The second list
contains the things that you have that you are grateful for. The third list is
comprised of your assets: what are the skills that you have? Write down the
knowledge, the tools, and the traits that make up your assets.
One of the mantras that I repeat is I Lead a Charmed Life. I do lead a
charmed life: I get to meet interesting people, I get to travel, I see many neat
things, and I can own the things that I choose.
The more things in my life that I am thankful for leads me to having more
things in my life that I can be thankful for. Having a thankful attitude is an
example of the power of momentum.

Time Leadership 46

The Power of Momentum

Success breeds success. Success in small areas creates momentum in other
areas. One example that I have often seen is exercise: when people achieve a
successful exercise program, they gather momentum which helps them achieve
success in other areas of their life.
Momentum is also important for business. If we start to increase our sales
on a product line, our sales are likely to continue increasing. The more we sell, the
more we will sell.
As you continue in life, and continue to glean tricks for effective time use,
the more tricks that you learn, the more tricks that you will pick up. This e-book is
just one tool that can help you create the momentum to guide you to success.
The Power of Mantras
As you have seen from my previous examples in the sections on
procrastination and gratitude, I use mantras. These are phrases that you repeat
when you are in different circumstances. Other people sometimes call them
affirmations, because they are positive messages that affirm the good in your life.
One mantra that I just mentioned is I Lead a Charmed Life. Another that I
have also mentioned is Successful People Do Tough Things. I use this one when
I am doing something difficult, like waking up early in the morning to catch a
flight.
One of the mantras that I use in negotiation is What the heck, Go For It
Anyway! Often I find that I am able to get things by going for it anyway, even if I
have cold feet or doubt that people will give me what I want.
When I am working out, I repeat to myself: I am Very Healthy. I Heal
Very Quickly. I cant remember the last time I missed a day of work because of
sickness. Im not sure if its directly connected to my use of mantras, but I am sure
that my good health is reflective of my frame of mind.
Have a few pages of your workbook set aside for mantras. Your mantras
can change according to your circumstances and what you desire. Repeat your
mantras often.

Time Leadership 47

The Power of Microactions

Mary LoVerde explains the power that microactions have to change your
perception and to change your action. LoVerde defines microactions as teeny tiny
steps that propel us forward without threatening our sense of control.
Basically, a microaction is when you do something (even the smallest thing)
to move towards a goal. Just that first small action can often propel you to
complete the entire task.
LoVerde gives the example of a woman who did not want to exercise. After
trying many different ways to encourage and chastise her into exercise, she still
would not exercise. LoVerde finally asked the woman to simply change into her
workout clothes. Just the act of changing into her workout clothes, with no
pressure to continue, helped her get out the door and into a walk.
If even setting the most minor subgoal seems too much, then settle for an
inch of action toward the task at hand. Sometimes I might only get an inch closer,
but thats an inch more than I would have moved if I had simply ignored the task
entirely. Other times my microscopic action could spur me to greater action, and
before you know it, my goal is achieved or the task at hand is completed.
The Power of Inspiration
Inspiration allows us to have great energy. It allows us to be highly
productive. It allows us to love what we do.
Im sure that we can all remember times in our life when we might not have
gotten much sleep, but we did accomplish a lot. We were highly inspired.
You dont have to accept that the inspiration level you have now is the
inspiration level you will always have. You can change your inspiration level.
One way to inspire yourself is to list the advantages of what you do. Coming up
with a list of benefits is advantageous, but it is also important to brainstorm about
why you do what you do. The more you can link the why with what you are doing,
and the benefits you reap, the more inspired you will be.

Time Leadership 48

The Power of Resolutions

Resolutions dont just have to be for New Years! I set resolutions twice a
year: at end on September 1st, which is when everyone is returning to school,
summer is over, and its time to get back to work, and, of course, January 1st. You
might also consider scheduling your resolutions for important dates for you: your
birthday, your companys fiscal year end, etc.
I enjoy setting aside most of a day to think about my goals and my
aspirations for the coming year. I take this time to go back and think about my
previous goals and previous resolutions.
It is also a powerful tool to publicize New Years resolutions for the
company. This way, your clients, suppliers, and shareholders can know and share
your vision for the future.
The Power of Breaks or Changes
I have been able to accomplish many tasks by not doing it for too long a
period. If I have a huge chore that will take twenty hours, perhaps I will spend one
hour on it, and then I will switch to a different task. Switching to a different task
ensures that I am getting another task done. Often, a change is as good as a break.
After working on the second task for a while, I can go back to the larger, twentyhour task.
If I work on the same task for a very long time, my productivity can
decrease. The power of change ensures that I am always working in my most
productive mode.
This is also helpful if you have to study something. Because you remember
what you study for the first twenty minutes of study and for the last twenty minutes
of study, if you want to maximize retention, it is best to study in roughly forty
minute periods. You can increase your retention time with practice. Keep in mind
that you can also switch to another task or subject between study periods to keep
your mind fresh and your productivity high.

Time Leadership 49

The Power of Meditation

Meditation is something that can give you the power of energy that we just
addressed. It would be impossible for me to give you the complete tools for
meditation in this short tip. There are many ways to meditate, and people can
choose the one that works for them.
I propose taking a course on meditation, or reading books on the topic.
Meditation can be intimidating, but there is no right or wrong way. There is no
perfect meditation. I think that if anyone can get 80% of a meditative system
correct, they will benefit from meditation. For some people, meditation is
religious, for others it is a secular experience of individualism: either way, it is a
valuable tool to set you on the path towards Time Leadership.
Meditations can involve emptying the mind, or moving the mind to the gap
where the mind thinks about nothing. Other meditations are active, problem
solving meditations. Some meditations lead you to an almost asleep state wherein
you can reflect on what your challenges are.
contemplative success
Experiment with varying styles of meditation and
is a result of consistent
decide which method(s) will suit you best. A
effort
mastery of meditation is something that you can
-Swami Bua
easily add to your lifetime goals list.
If you are looking for a resource on meditation, I suggest using The Silva
Method. Its easy to learn and its easy to use. You can even get this unabridged
audiobook on the Silva Method, which you can listen to while you drive or cook or
do other daily activities, and so use the power of audiobooks.
Some people use other activities to find clarity. I have colleagues who golf,
run, or do housework to help clear their thoughts. Make time for the things in your
life which bring you mental clarity.

Time Leadership 50

The Power of Continuity

Unlike the Power of Breaks and Changes, this power is best used for those
tasks that you need to do all at once. Sometimes, doing something in one sitting,
such as detailed work, will save you time. This means that each time you come
back to the task, you dont have to reacquaint yourself with the material each time.
Continuity is something that you can use if you are on a roll. If you are
getting a ton of work done on one particular project, but you had scheduled a
change for yourself, you might consider staying on the same task. If you are in the
flow, or in the zone as some people call it, ride out that wave of productivity and
get the work done while its easy.
The Power of Three Goals
I learned about this power from books about running. Every time you run a
race, you should have three goals. One goal might be to finish the 10 kilometers in
45 minutes. Another goal could be to finish the race in 50 minutes, and your last
goal could be just to finish it.
I use this power of three goals when I make sales calls. My top goal might
be to close the million dollar sale. My second goal might be simply to sell anything
to get the account opened up. And my third goal could be to introduce myself to at
least three people in the company.
The three goal system means that you always have something you can
achieve, while at the same time, having your stretch goals.

Time Leadership 51

The Power of Speed Reading

In our society, reading will get you ahead. The
more you read, the more you will know, the more you
know, the further ahead you will get. Take a speed
reading course.

Life is short, art long,

occasion fleeting.
--Hippocrates

It makes sense to be efficient with everything you are going to do

repeatedly. It pays off in the long term to take a speed reading course. Consider
taking a speed typing course as well.
Although I cant share everything about speed reading with you in this ebook, I can impart some of the basics to you.
The Basics of Effective Reading

Dont read. By this I mean dont read things

that dont need to be read. (Furthermore, dont feel
guilty about not reading things that dont need to
be read.) I mentioned this in my blog article Willie
Nelson and Filtering our Reading: G. M. Trevelyan
discusses people being able to read but unable to
distinguish what is worth reading. Be effective by
being discerning.

Read the first and last paragraphs of any

article in a newspaper or a magazine.
This will
give you the gist of the article, and can often let you
know if you want to read the article, skim the
article, or disregard the article.

Always carry reading for waits. Youll be

surprised at how much you can read in those twoor three-minute waiting periods if you have reading
material with you.

Time Leadership 52

Time Leadership Tips

Over my years of experience as an executive in the computer industry, I
have learned a great many helpful tricks that allow me to use my time more
efficiently and more effectively. I will share them with you now. Although they
are categorized as Organizational, Time-saving, and Time-Optimizing, there is
quite a bit of overlap in these categories, and you can see how these tips will help
various areas of your time management.
Tips to Optimize your Performance
DIRFT: Do It Right the First Time
While there is power in doing something thoroughly and perfectly, there is
also power in DIRFT, doing it right the first time. Accuracy pays. You will save
time if you dont have to go over and redo jobs done shoddily the first time.
Know Thyself
The better I know myself, the better Im able to spend my time. The trick
here is to have a dont do list, or a dont yet do list.
For example, I dont do politics. This makes it very simple for me. I get
approached by a lot of political parties that want donations, that want my time, and
that want me to attend functions. I can simply say, No, I dont do politics.
I dont yet golf. Im sure that when I get older I will golf, but right now it is
on my dont do list. It saves me lots of thinking about do I accept invitations to
golf tournaments: the answer is a polite no. This relates also to the hint about how
to say no.
Stand up while youre on the phone.
This helps me concentrate and perform better.

Time Leadership 53

Good Enough is Good Enough

Although sometimes it is important to do things perfectly, it is more
important to establish how well things need to be done. I have noticed that some
people get further ahead by not wasting their time achieving a level of perfection
that is practically unattainable, and does not need to be done.
For instance, when I am going to meet with a vendor, I ask a product
manager to give me a little briefing on the background and where we stand, etc.
Some project managers want to write a book and put it in a binder, and spend forty
hours on it, but what I really want is a two paragraph email that someone can type
up in ten minutes. Overworking wastes more than thirty-nine hours of the
perfectionist product managers time, and also wastes other peoples time, who
have to go through the entire write-up to find the kernels of information that they
really wanted. Distilling information and determining important tasks is a key
element to time management.
Another example of good enough being good enough is housework. Most
people complete 95% of the task in 50% of the time they spend on it: the last half
of their time is spent seeking perfection. Decide where perfection is important to
you, and spend your time accordingly. Perfectionism can waste time.
Have a Personal Coach
Im not suggesting that you pay for a professional life coach. I am
suggesting that you have a particular friend, possibly over email, who you discuss
your goals and progress with. They will support you in your choices. You can ask
your friend to be completely honest with you, and to push you when you need a
little start. Your friend/coach can help you track what you know you should be
doing. Think of it as having a personal trainer not just for your fitness goals, but
for your life goals.

Time Leadership 54

Use Every Minute

Efficient people use every minute.
Everything comes to him who hustles
Theres no such thing as waiting time.
while he waits.
You can use waiting time to make a quick
--Thomas Edison
call, or do a small task. For instance, why
not empty the dishwasher while you are
waiting for your toast to pop up in the morning?
Carry a book with you. I cant think of the number of books that I have read
two or three pages at a time. I will read two pages here and three pages there, and
sooner than expected, I have finished the book and have absorbed new
information.
I have even improved my health by doing minor exercises and stretching in
waiting time. This relates back the Power of While: while Im on a conference call,
I can easily stretch or do light repetitive weights.
Saying No
It is important to learn how to tactfully say No. It is also important not to be
embarrassed to say No.
Having a good To Do list is crucial to effectively saying No. If you know
your schedule and workload, you will have to say no to certain proposals simply
because of your prior commitments.
Another way to say no is to say No, not yet. This is not simply meant to
placate the other person: it is something that you can say if you genuinely intend to
do what they ask later. Consider adding some of the things you are asked to do to
your lifetime goals list in your workbook.
It is also easier to graciously decline something if you offer other
alternatives to the person who asks you.
One way that I remember to say no is to think about what saying yes would
mean to my time. If I say yes to something, I have to say no to something else. As
Grant Robinson put it, Yes means no.

Time Leadership 55

Do the Worst Thing First Thing

Do the most difficult job first thing every day. Its been said that if you
swallow a frog first thing in the morning, the rest of the day will look a lot better.
"Do something every day that you
don't want to do; this is the golden
rule for acquiring the habit of doing
your duty without pain."
-- Mark Twain

I have expanded this tip.

Sometimes there is more than one first
thing. It could be first thing in the
morning, but it could also be first
thing after lunch. This attitude has
gotten me through many projects.

This tip combines nicely with the Set a Time Limit tip from the
Procrastination chapter. If you are going to be doing something distasteful
immediately, then you can promise yourself that you will only have to work on it
for fifteen minutes. Those fifteen minutes, however, are often as long as it takes to
get the project completed, or to get through the toughest part of a task.
Planting the Seed
This trick is not about gardening, though I do enjoy my fresh vegetable
patch. Planting the seed is a way to get your mind started working on an issue. I
will spend a few minutes thinking about the problem, brainstorming and problem
solving. After those few minutes, I simply drop it and move on to another task.
Many of the solutions for challenges and much of the polish on my tasks comes to
me when I am not specifically thinking about it.
This problem solving and time-saving tool is helpful before you go to bed at
night. Focus on what the problem is and possible ways to solve it. I find that often
I wake up in the night or early in the morning and I am able to write a solution on
the notepad beside my bed. This harnesses the power of your subconscious mind.

Time Leadership 56

Ask yourself Lakeins Question

Alan Lakein, who is credited with
the invention of time management, poses
a simple question as the best way to
manage time. Lakeins question is,
What is the best use of my time right
now? Ask yourself this question often,
and act accordingly.

Time = Life. Therefore, waste

your time and waste your life, or
master your time and master
your life.
--Alan Lakein

Self-Discipline
A habit forms in 21 days. We are the product of our habits. Habits cannot
be changed; they can only be replaced by another habit. You can assess your life
to determine your positive habits and negative habits. The things we do repeatedly
create what we become. There is a power in knowing your habits: you will then be
able to choose positive habits.

Small Successes
Success in small goals leads to success in bigger goals. An example of this
is with exercise. Small exercise goals lead to large exercise goals. This is also true
of other areas: so if your large goals seem impossible, first try for some smaller
goals. This relates back to breaking your goals into manageable pieces.
Traps to Avoid:
Motion is not always action.
Motion is not always effective.
Look at the things that youre doing, and ask
yourself if you are getting the appropriate
outcome from your actions.

Time Leadership 57

Join Habits Together

One way to form a habit is to connect a habit you are trying to form with an
already-formed habit. So when you do what you normally do, you are reminded to
do another task as well.
For me, this means that every time I leave a room, I try to leave it a little bit
better than when I came into it. This allows me to keep my office and home fairly
neat. Rather than spending an hour cleaning my office once it has gotten out of
hand, I spend a minute or two here and thereparticularly when I leave the
roomand I am able to keep a neatly organized workspace.
You can also join other habits together. For instance, you might decide that
every time you have a cup of tea, you will make sure you have checked your
emails.

Attitude is Key
Most importantly, while you are applying some or all of the powers and tips
in this book, keeping a positive attitude is important. It is easy to become
overwhelmed by time management and to fall into negative thought patterns.
When I find myself getting negative or depressed about my lack of time
management skills, I find it helpful to come back to my workbook and look at my
goals. I also find it helpful to review some of the time management tips. If Im
not doing well at multitasking, perhaps I should focus my attention more.
Changing tactics often helps me get back on track.
Time Leadership is a constant process, not a definitive end point. I am
continually finding new approaches that work to help me optimize my time use.
Find a system that works best for you, and dont be afraid to change the system.

Time Leadership 58

Tips to Improve your Organization

Avoid Clutter
When you have clutter, everything jostles for your attention. As we have
mentioned earlier, this also applies to your To Do list. If your To Do list is two or
three pages long, you tend to cross off and go for the low priority items to simply
shorten your list, rather than handling the high priority items.
I have a credenza behind my desk. This allows me to place piles of items
behind my desk, so that they are accessible while not being distracting. On my
desk I have very few items, and mostly the ones on which I am currently working.
Group Similar Tasks Together
I use my organizer, Microsoft Outlook, to group similar tasks together. I
have two separate offices, so some tasks are grouped according to locations:
meeting at Guelph or meeting in Toronto. Other tasks are labelled so that I
know I can accomplish them in the car or while Im on the phone.
Grouping similar tasks together is a benefit because it reduces the learning
curve, it reduces the clean-up time, and it reduces the time that you need to get
initially organized or set-up for each activity.

Schedule Phone Calls

Scheduling your phone calls avoids time-consuming telephone tag. When I
schedule a phone conversation, I have an agenda. I often email this agenda to the
other person; even if I dont send the agenda, I have it in front of me so that I will
cover all of the points that I wanted to cover. This saves time because it means
you dont hang up the phone and realize that you have forgotten to discuss
something; it saves unnecessary repeat phone calls.

Time Leadership 59

Time-Blocking
When you create a time-block, you set aside a specific time to work on a
specific project without interruption. This means that you set aside one hour or
two hours to work on a specific project, and you dont answer the phone.
Eliminate Temptation
Dont have things around you that you consider a negative temptation. I, for
instance, dont have a television. Because I dont have a television, I never waste
my time with it. If you do have a television, I would strongly recommend that you
plan your television time: record shows so you can skip the commercials.
Food is another temptation that is easy to eliminate from your life. I tend
not to have unhealthy food around because I dont want to eat in an unhealthy way.
If I dont have unhealthy food near me, it is not a temptation.
The reverse of eliminating temptation is increasing your access to positive
things. If there is something that you want to include in your life, set it up so that it
is easy to access, or to achieve. For example, if you want to go to the gym more
often, put a bag of workout clothes in your car so that not having your gym clothes
with you cannot be an excuse for skipping your workout.
Plan your Route
This is an obvious time management tool. Planning saves you time. If you
are out doing errands, plan your route to minimize the distance between stops. I
also use this technique when I go through the office. This relates back to having
your person files: when I have files for the people that I plan on seeing as I walk
through the office, I am able to save myself trips back and forth from my office.
Even if Im not carrying the physical file, just the clipping I wanted to show, or the
book I wanted to return, this improves my time-use while I am at the office. This
allows me to complete my in-office errands in ten minutes all at once, rather than
completing them one at a time.

Time Leadership 60

Streamline your Files

File in only one place. Though this may sound obvious to you, often people
have certain things double- or even triple-filed. Also, keep your files properly
organized. Alphabetical is the simplest and most effective organizational system
to use. Good files are an essential part of any good organizational system: they
help you in a big way.

Sleep is for Wimps

Before you read more about this tip, I would like to remind you that you do
not have to apply every tip in this book. Some people find that sleeping less makes
them less productive or lowers their energy levels. I find that the less I sleep, the
more energy I have. You might find this tip works for you; you might find it does
not. Try monitoring your sleep and your energy levels to see what works for you.
If you cut your sleep just one hour a night, youll gain 7 hours in your week,
and you will increase your productive time between 14% and 15% depending on
how much you sleep. Most people dont need the amount of sleep that they get.
This is not true of everybody; as with all of these tips, use your judgment to
determine how it will best work in your life. I find that I am more productive
when I am getting less sleep rather than more.
Below are some tips on how to increase your productivity by sleeping less.
This is reprinted from my CEO blog, available at www.jimestill.com. Visit the
blog for more articles on sleep and increasing productivity.
March 1st, 2006 entry:
My top 8 tips for sleeping less and still feeling great are:
1 - Be inspired. If you truly are passionate about life, you will
naturally function well on less sleep. You also will not want to miss
anything so will sleep less.
2 - Avoid drugs. Caffeine and alcohol are two bad ones that come
to mind. Both impact sleep negatively.

Time Leadership 61

3 - Wake up at the same time each day (I am not perfect at this

but it helps).
4 - Sleep well when you sleep. This means a quiet, cool, dark
room. Relax well before going to bed. Clear your mind.
5 - Exercise. This helps you to sleep better. It also helps you to be
more alert during the day.
6 - Eat well. Healthy eating leads to healthy sleeping.
7 - Just do it. Like any habit, it is easy to get used to less sleep (to
a limit). I do think it varies from person to person.
8 - Catnap if you can. Learn to nap for only 20 minutes (a trick
stolen from polyphasic sleep). I have begun to master this one and
it works well.
Given that you are not over sleeping, perhaps the idea should be to
be more productive with the time we are awake. And you know if
you follow my blog that I spend a lot of time and focus on being
productive.

Be a Minimalist
There is a huge cost to owning things: there is the purchase cost, the cost of
storage, the cost of upkeep, and often the cost of stress. I choose to own very few
things, which means that I have space for everything. It also reduces clutter, which
I have mentioned earlier is an important aspect of optimizing your time usage.

Have Multiple Common-Use Items

Get more than one stapler, pair of scissors, and other items that you use
regularly. Put these in varying locations where you generally use them: for
instance, the scissors need to go in your office as well as with the wrapping paper.
This saves you from having to get up and walk to a different room when you need
something.

Time Leadership 62

Create a Space
Outfit the space you have made with the tools that you use. If you have a
space designated for one specific task, you will find that going to that space creates
the psyche of getting prepared for that task. For example, I have a reading chair.
Next to my reading chair I have all of my tools: a highlighter, post-it notes, a pen,
and a notepad. I have everything I need for power reading. When I sit in that
chair, all I ever do is power-read. Simply sitting in that chair moves me forward
into the power-reading mindset.
Feng Shui
In creating your space, consider many different options. Does
it make you comfortable? Is it functional?
Some people enjoy following specific guidelines, such as the
school of Feng Shui. Feng Shui is a form of decorating that is based
on focusing energy in different areas of your life. I am not sure if I
believe in Feng Shui, but using it can make decorating easier and
more fun. I also think that Feng Shui is valuable because it helps you
focus on what your goals are for your life, and for the spaces in your
life.
You can find many different approaches to Feng Shui, but one
that you might find helpful in moving you towards your goals is Eric
Shafferts Feng Shui and Money.
You dont have to subscribe to any particular belief system to
create your space, but sometimes you might benefit from reading
ancient wisdom from many sources.
Personally, I enjoy nice spaces, because it puts me in the right
mood and the right mindset to work on my projects. Being in places
that make you happy will ultimately make you more productive.

Time Leadership 63

The Benefit of an Assistant

Something that more than doubles my output is the benefit of a good
assistant. It is important to employ an assistant appropriately. I dont use my
assistant for personal tasks, such as picking up my dry-cleaning. I use my assistant
only for business, though you will have to decide what works for you.
I respectfully delegate tasks to my assistant which she can do easier, faster,
or better than I can, as we have previously discussed in the delegation section.
As an example of how important it is to properly use your
assistant, I relate the story of a busy two-executive family that hired a
nanny. The nanny was hired under the auspices of watching the
children, cooking, and cleaning.
Both parents, however, continued to give the nanny tasks that
were not agreed on. They asked her to help convene the little boys
ball league. They even asked her to prime the upstairs bathroom for
painting.
Because the nanny had not been trained on how to organize the
league, or on how to properly paint, she was not able to accomplish
these tasks effectively, and eventually had to spend time and money
in redoing the tasks. Focusing her attention on these tasks, in turn,
meant that she had less time to spend with the children, and so she
was less effective even at the tasks that she had been hired and
trained to do.
Use your assistant to increase productivity: assistants need to be
trained, informed, and respected.
Of course, having an assistant is equally a responsibility. It becomes your
job to keep that person adequately and fully equipped for all situations. I could do
an entirely separate e-book, seminar, or audio program on the use of an assistant,
so I will not be able to go into detail now.
As I wrote about in the section on delegation, delegate anything someone
else can do better, faster, cheaper or easier than you can. This speaks to having
good self-knowledge and good knowledge of your assistant.

Time Leadership 64

Tips to Save you Time

Move Closer to Work
If you can move fifteen minutes closer to work, it will save you two weeks
(more than one hundred hours!) per year.
The time that you gain by moving closer to work you can spend at work, or
with your family, or doing something nice for you.
Saving Time and Saving Money
Moving closer to work will not only save you time, but it will
also save you money. Check out these figures to see if moving closer
to work is worth it to save you time and money.
* Assuming that your time is worth $20 an hour, you are losing
more than $10,000 a year that you could be earning if you are
commuting an hour to work each way.
* The AAA (American Automotive Association) estimates that
in 2006, it costs $0.52/ mile to drive your car. If you live 45 miles
from work (because it takes you an hour to commute), you will be
spending more than $12,168 to get to and from work. You will
spending even more than that if you own a large sedan, a minivan, an
SUV or a truck.
You could save yourself more than $20,000 a year by reevaluating your commute and moving closer to work. Saving money
while saving time? It makes this time-saving tip valuable for two
important areas of your life.

Time Leadership 65

The Two-Minute Rule

I apply this rule predominantly to email. If I can respond to an email in two
minutes or less, then I deal with the complete task immediately, rather than filing it
for later.
Sometimes I change the Two-Minute Rule; I might make it as short as ten or
fifteen seconds. I shorten the two minutes when I am particularly busy or
backlogged. If I have been away for the weekend and I come back and have two
hundred emails, I simply deal with the ones that I can manage in fifteen seconds.
This rule also applies to other areas of work, such as paperwork. If I can
touch a paper only once and have the task done from start to finish, then I simply
do it and get it out of the way.
Youd be surprised at how many things you can accomplish entirely in one
minute or two minutes. This rule
"To think too long about doing a thing
helps you avoid having too much
often becomes its undoing."
clutter (both physically and
-- Eva Young
electronically, as well as mentally)
on your To Do list.
Be careful when you are applying the two-minute rule that you dont waste
your time assessing the tasks you undertake. Your judgment of whether it is a two
minute task or less should be a snap decision. Trust your instinct and dont second
guess yourself. It is not the end of the world if you attempt to do a task that takes
three minutes instead of two, or conversely, if you file a task that would have only
taken you one minute. You will improve at judging time as you continue applying
the hints and powers in this Time Leadership program.
Live Off-Peak
Organize your life so that you are doing tasks when it is not the busiest.
Why drive in rush hour traffic when you can choose not to drive in rush hour
traffic? Why do your grocery shopping when it is crowded? Living off-peak helps
you avoid lines and save time.

Time Leadership 66

Learn to Run a Meeting

Here are some tips on how to run a tight meeting:
have no meetings (or very few) more than an hour long
always have an agenda
try stand-up meetings to make them short
have meetings just before lunch or just before dinner: this way people
wont want to extend the meeting past its purpose
Close Your Door
Sometimes it is appropriate to close your door, or hide-out. If you need time
alone or out of the central frenzy to focus specifically on one task, take that time.
For me, this involves closing my office door occasionally. I might work from
home on a project. Very occasionally, I find that changing the setting allows me to
be more productive and focused.
Speed Up
Dont be afraid to talk fast as long as you enunciate your words. Walk fast:
its healthier, and you get more done because you are faster. It has always
perplexed me why people meander: if you are walking to get someplace, it is faster
and healthier to walk quickly, so why not walk purposefully?

Use Technology Appropriately

Using technology can help you save time in your day. My personal
favourite tool is the RIM two way pager: this device saves me time and effort on a
daily basis. Discover what technology eases your life.
Joe Federer recommends using a tablet PC with MS OneNote. He finds this
helps him keep his workbook easily, with both typing and handwriting inputs.
This also increases the ability to search through your files, which can help you stay
organized.

Time Leadership 67

Conclusion
I would like to leave you on a positive, upbeat, and energetic note. Ill leave
you with an edited version of an article from my blog that has been republished in
numerous places. This article neatly sums up my philosophy of Time Leadership.
Jim Estills 8 Rules of Time
I study the use of time and how to maximize productivity and enjoyment
from it. From these studies, I have come up with the following list of time
rules:
1 It is more important to have clear goals than to be efficient. It is
more important to work on the right things than to work efficiently. I liken
this to the person who wants to get to Sudbury so gets in their car and
drives 150 km/hour. Does he get there before the person who checks the
map (direction) and drives less efficiently at say 100 KM/hour? Driving in
the right direction is more important than driving fast. I call this Leadership
before Management. Leadership is about direction, management is about
efficiency. This is why I called my CD Time Leadership (and later my
ebook)
2 Energy use is more important than time use. I can get much more
done if I have the right energy than if I just spend the time. Because of
this, I work on things that give me energy (eg. exercise, working on things
I am inspired by, avoiding things that drain my energy, etc.). I also try to
recognize when I am high energy and spend those times doing high
productivity tasks.
3 Know what you have to do. I am not referring to goals here, I am
referring to specific tasks. Every course and book on time management
talks about the To Do list or some variation on it. Part of the reason for
this list is to be able to prioritize (see Rule #1). It also helps you to know
your workload. One trick on a TO DO list is to write the first action
required to start the task right on the list. Eg. If I am calling a vendor, I
might need to get a briefing on the relationship as the first step.
4 Learn to say NO politely of course. If you know your goals and
priorities (see Rule #1), you will see what things you are being asked to
do that infringes on them. Having a TO DO list helps you know if you have
time (see Rule #3).

Time Leadership 68
5 Learn tricks. For me, the best sources of tricks are from other people
who are effective in their jobs. I also get them from books and audio
programs. Some of the more effective tricks I use are outlined in the
chapters on Powers and on Time Leadership Tips.

6 Track how you spend your time. On the tracking sheet record what
things give you energy and what things take energy (see Rule #2).
Determine how you think you should spend your day and from the time
sheets figure out the changes you might want to make. One concept I
have worked on is The Perfect Day. What would be the elements of your
perfect day?
7 Get rid of your TV, or at least control your use of it. TV is North
Americas biggest time waster. I have nothing against entertainment but I
think many people use TV as a time waster and do not get great
entertainment or learning from it.
8 - Study time use. I have written many articles and published a CD (and
before that an audio tape) on Time Management. Even though I have
read 40-50 books on the topic, over 100 articles, listened to many audio
programs and attended half a dozen time management courses, I always
learn something new when I read a new one.
Finally, many people think I am too efficient or time focused. I do not deny
that I am somewhat. However, good time use can also lead to a fuller life.
Why not spend the time you need to spend effectively so you have more
time to do other things you want to do?

In the end, it is more important to be effective and to have proper goals than
it is to be efficient or use your time well. Its the difference between leadership
(being effective) and management (being efficient). Leadership and direction
comes before management and efficiency.
Set a pace that you can maintain forever. But remember: sense of urgency
wins!

Time Leadership 69

Afterword
People know I study time management. They often ask me to give them the
golden bullet. What one thing can I do to help me succeed with time? The simple
answer is that there is no golden bullet; it is all created by the little things. But if I
am forced to say my best time saving tips, I choose:
1 set goals
2 develop success habits
3 do the worst thing first
4 have a prioritized To Do list
Good luck with it!