Achieve more in less time – learn the 6 P formula!

Posted by: Malik Mirza on: January 31, 2010

• In: Book Review | Food for thought | Inspiration | Lets think | Motivation | Self Help
• 5 Comments

  

I read some where: “People say: Time pass away – Ah! No – Time stays, people pass away!” 

Every one in the world, in East or West, whether he or she is living in a developing country or in developed country, rich or poor, has one thing in common. 

Every one has got twenty-four hours in a day!. 

However, some people achieve more and more in the same 24 hours and some people are unable to achieve much. Why? Is it due to time management or self-management? 

One of my friends asked me to select some book and write ideas on the theme of better time management. So, here are some ideas from the book: “Eat that Frog – 21 Great ways to stop procrastinating and Get more done in less time”; an interesting book by Brian Tracy (www.briantracy.com) 

Here, the FROG refers to the task which seems most difficult one and we are not willing to do it, though we know that we HAVE to do it. So – EAT THAT FROG i.e. do ‘that’ dreadful task first! 

A great formula from the book is six P formula. What is it? 

Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. 

To begin with, a person is required to ‘set the table’ first. How? Very simple acts to read but difficult to do: 

1. Determine the ‘goals’ – What do I want to do? 

2. Write the goals down – Pick a paper and pen and start writing 

3. Dead line please – Some one defined a goal as “a dream with a dead line”; If there is no target date, it is difficult to track performance and ensure that the task really gets done. 

4. Prepare a list of all tasks which are required to done to ensure that the goal is achieved 

5. Act on plan immediately and keep on moving – set some reward for yourself once the task is accomplished. 

One of the tools provided by Brian Tracy in this book is ‘ABCDE’ categorization of the work which we do i.e. all tasks which we perform on daily basis should be categorized as A, B, C, D or E. 

A category task – considered as something that is very important. It is something that we must do. It is something that carries with it serious consequences (e.g. some task given by our Boss!). 

B category task– a task that we should do but has only mild consequences. These items are the tadpoles of our life. We should make it a habit to never do a “B” task when there is still an “A” task left undone. 

 C category task is denoted as something that would be nice to do. Whether or not we do it, there are no consequences at all. This sort of task has no effect at all on our work or personal life. 

D category task– is referred to as something we can delegate to someone else.  

E category task – is something that we can get rid of altogether and it will not make any real difference nor pose any serious effects. 

Take time to think – 

Am I trying to do every thing at the same time and as a result, not getting any thing done? Do I have any priority of my work? Am I doing with work which should not be done at all, some thing from E category? Am I doing some work which can be delegated, some thing from D category? 

Here is a video clip on Eat that Frog – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0W7GB5Fh2XM 

You may read ideas from various other books by reading earlier posts – 

Share your thoughts on time management. 

More from the book: Eat that frog & time management shall be posted in the coming week. 

Happy reading!  

  

    

  

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Inspiration, Malik Mirza, Motivation, Self Help, self management, time management, Wisdom from books