Turn idle time into gems of productivity
Maximize your time properly and you'll never run out of it again.
Time is the enemy of the ambitious.
How many times in our lives have we wished that we had more time in our hands? Too many times, for sure. We cannot increase time in this world, but we can always make the most out of it by doing more things in less time.
In this case, people work smart by multitasking three, four, or even five tasks all at once. Unfortunately, many studies have proven that humans can multitask only up to two tasks with good results. Doing more leads to wastage or mistakes.
The key, therefore, is to multitask when the opportunity is perfect — and “forced” idle times are the best times to do this! Here are some suggested idle moments to take advantage of so you can become the next multitasking-killing-machine!
1. Small queues
I hate small queues. They’re like bugs that pester you at the most unfortunate times: queues in supermarkets, queues for paying bills, queues at the ATM, queues in a popular restaurant downtown. They may only kill five to 10 minutes of your time, but if you add them all up, in a week, they can total to hours of wasted time.
I make calls when these happen — whether personal or work (I call my mom or sister and ask how they’re doing). I send SMS and say hello to a friend I haven’t seen for a month. I set calendar meetings for work. I take a peek at my notebook and check the things I need to accomplish for the next day. I grab my phone and make a list of grocery items I need to buy for the weekend.
They’re all small wins of the day, but they make me feel good when I nail them down.
2. Grand queues
These are worse compared to your small queues. These are your four to five hours of waiting time at an embassy while waiting for your visa approval. These are your two hours of waiting time at the airport, or two more extra hours when the flight gets delayed. These are your 30 minutes of waiting time at the bank to pay your bills on a Friday payday (why don’t you pay those bills online, by the way?). This is an hour of bench-waiting outside the doctor’s office for a check-up.
Don’t be victims of these. Bring a book and read. Fully charge your iPad and watch a documentary about climate change while waiting. Pull out your wallet and clean it — all those bills, receipts, small pieces of paper tucked in your wallet (I bet you’ll discover so many things by unearthing your wallet, and what more your bag!).
Bring a notebook and pen and scribble the things you want to do in the next one, two or five years. Plan your life. Better yet, make a mental note and understand how you ended up queuing for long like this: didn’t wake up early? Didn’t accomplish forms? Use this time to pause and understand your daily routine at work or in life: most likely you are doing something wrong and use this time to figure that out.
3. Transit time for travel
Whether you’re traveling via car, train or plane, your time is inevitably wasted. Your mobility is also limited as you can only sit down or stand up the entire time. Don’t just listen to music. Listen to something that can change you for good. When it’s traffic jam at night, I listen to free podcasts (I would recommend “Freakonomics Radio” and “Radio Lab” for starters) and I end my trip with new things learned that become a permanent part of me.
Learning a new language through audio guidebooks can also stretch your time (again, there are many free downloadable guides that have popped up over the Internet). These days, I’m usually on a plane so I’m on automatic work mode with my laptop. But when I need a break, I rely on my healthy stock of TV series like “Suits” or “House of Cards” (if you don’t know any of these TV series, you’re missing out a lot!).
When my laptop and phone batteries all get used up, it’s time to go traditional with paperback books. I have default lightweight cook books in my luggage for casual reading, but right now I am finishing a brilliant management book about leadership called “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” by Marshall Goldsmith. Occasionally, I also sort my work receipts 37,000 feet above the air, so they can be ready for submission when I land.
4. ‘Frunch’ or ‘frinner’
I used to think that eating should be enjoyed in the company of friends for sheer fun and laughter. These days, I’m finding it as a means to increase my productivity, too, when necessary.
Meetings are potential time killers because they don’t guarantee productivity — not all meetings will end with a conclusion or an agreement. Worse, some researches show that 30% of meetings require another follow-up meeting before they finally get resolved. As this is the case, I’d rather risk having an unproductive meeting through lunch or dinner vs. setting it during work hours that I could have used for other tasks that generate real money for business.
I set lunch meetings with colleagues or agency partners as much as I can (it makes the discussion happier and people are more engaged, thanks to the food). As a custom, a supplier or agency that wishes to propose a partnership or venture with your company usually offers lunch or dinner for meeting, aka “frunch” (free lunch) or “frinner” (free dinner). Accept those invitations as a gesture of openness and means to build a relationship — they’re free anyway.
5. Sleeping
People underestimate the power of productivity during sleeping hours. Never forget to charge your phones, laptops, mobile chargers, tablets, etc. when you sleep. Sync your smartphones with your laptops or desktops overnight. Those files that take millions of years to be converted overnight — those mp4’s that need to be mp3’s, those .doc’s or .ppt’s that need to be .pdf’s — convert them all while you sleep because they take so much time. Download movies, music and podcasts during your sleep by letting your PC or Mac work overnight.
Trust me. Do these and you will thank yourself with a smile in the morning. When you’re done reading this, please share your tips with me and the other readers. I am excited to know your best practices regardless of where you come from and what you do!
Need motivation at work? Read more insights from Jonathan:
Jonathan Yabut is the season one winner of the hit business reality TV show, "The Apprentice Asia." He currently serves as the Chief of Staff reporting directly to Malaysian business mogul and Group CEO of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes. Jonathan actively engages in motivational and leadership talks within Southeast Asia and is soon to launch a book about leadership and “making it big.” Visit Jonathan’s website, www.JonathanYabut.com for more updates or follow him via AAJonathanYabut (Facebook) and @jonathanyabut (Twitter).
