WHAT: The 18-Minute Plan is a time hack (popularized by Peter Bregman) that helps me stay focused on my priorities throughout the day. It involves a simple three-step ritual that takes less than 18 minutes over an eight-hour workday.
This addresses the times when I start my day with good intentions, but quickly find myself pulled in multiple directions — days when I sit down at my desk, turn on my computer, and check my email; then, two hours later, I have dealt with various urgent issues and problems that had been thrown my way, and I could hardly remember what I had initially set out to accomplish.
HOW: Here are the three steps to avoid this productivity pitfall:
— Step 1: Set a Plan for the Day (5 minutes)
- Before turning on my computer, I sit down with a blank piece of paper and decide what I can realistically accomplish to make the day highly successful (see Daily Highlight).
- I then schedule those tasks into my planner, prioritizing the most important and challenging items for the beginning of the day, if possible, before checking my email (see Time Blocking).
— Step 2: Refocus (1 minute every hour)
- I set my phone to ring every hour.
- When it rings, I take a deep breath, review my list, and deliberately recommit to how I will use the next hour.
- This helps me manage my day hour by hour, rather than letting the hours manage me.
— Step 3: Review (5 minutes)
- At the end of the day, I shut off my computer and review what worked, where I focused, where I got distracted, and what I learned to help me be more productive tomorrow.
WHY: Implementing this simple ritual helps me stay focused on my priorities throughout the day. The predictability of the ritual and the deliberate actions I take ensures that I don't get ambushed by the constant demands and distractions that can derail my productivity. It’s a great shut-down ritual that helps me achieve my goals and leave the working-hours feeling productive and successful.