Signal Vs Noise in Time Management

  • Signal: Top 3-5 things that you MUST get done today.
    • Write these down at beginning of the day.
  • Noise: Everything else.

Questions

  • What do you really want to do that you are saying NO to?
    • As in what sacrifice of ideas are you making to stay focused on signal - (today's focus tasks).

Practice

  • Slot personal tooling investments to the weekend.
  • Slot distraction tasks for later processing (which will likely not be processed).
  • AVOID: jumping into side tasks when Signal task gets tough.
  • DON'T lie to Yourself: don't say this tool will take few minutes.
    • Instead: slot the idea for later processing, the high level idea can actually be written down in few minutes.

Remember

  • By investing time towards B you TAKE time away from A.

Related

References

References

References

~ One of the things he [Steve-Jobs] would say is how many things you have said NO to? What Focus means is saying NO to something that you think is a phenomenal idea BUT you say NO to it because you are focusing on something else. - YT: Jony Ive