My coaching clients are highly effective leaders. Many of them enter into coaching relationships because they are looking to take their personal and professional leadership to the next level. That’s what coaches do; we help you gain a fresh perspective, strategize, and accomplish goals. An important aim within a coaching relationship is maximizing effectiveness and productivity. When my clients implement our strategies, they create space in their schedules and are able to deal with the unexpected while also hitting each of their targets. These strategies have the ability to take any leader from good to great, from mediocre to excellent, from burned out to revitalized. One of the strategies I have designed to encourage my clients in their pursuit of growth is the 50-10-01 Productivity Plan. This plan is a model for managing both their time and their tasks. My favorite way to explain this plan is to use the analogy of dropping lemons. Imagine with me for a moment that sitting before you is a glass filled to the brim with water. Now, what would happen if you were to drop a lemon into that glass? You would make a mess! Quite often, our days look like that full glass of water. There is so much to be done and so many tasks, meetings, and people that need our attention. We plan our days with little room for lemons, which leaves us unable to handle the unexpected things that we will inevitably face throughout the day. The 50-10-01 Productivity Plan will give you the margin you need to handle the day’s lemons. Let’s break down this strategy.
50 Minutes on Task.
Begin by planning your day in fifty minute increments. Many people plan their days in one hour increments, but when your inbox is full and you have back to back meetings, you leave no room for things that may come up. When you have an extra ten minutes on every hour to deal with the unexpected, you will not lose control of your schedule should a meeting go long or someone stop by your office.10 Minutes of Busy Work.
This 10-minute block on every hour not only creates space for dealing with the unexpected, it also allows you to respond to emails, tidy up your desk, and collect your thoughts before tackling the next item on your agenda. Grab a cup of coffee, check in with your assistant, and stay on top of the little things.01 Hour of Margin.
I recommend to all of my clients that they allow the last hour of their day to act as a buffer, meaning nothing is on the schedule during this time. Let’s go back to our glass full of water. When we leave the last hour of our day free, we leave space in the glass to deal with dropping lemons. Lemons are going to drop; that is unavoidable. But the best way to avoid overflow is to plan for it. Create space in your glass by leaving the last hour of your day open to handle the unexpected. [bctt tweet="The best way to avoid overflow is to plan for it." username="dukematlock"]Bookend Your Day.
We have discussed this concept quite a bit on this blog. If you need a refresher, check out this blog post. Choosing an endpoint for your day allows you to go home and invest in your family and your personal life. The 50-10-01 Productivity Plan is all about creating margin in your day. Bookending your day is a vital step in creating margin.Disconnect Days.
In order to maximize productivity, you have to be willing to take a step back from your day to day tasks to look at the big picture. When I am speaking with my clients, I recommend that they do this in two ways:- First, set aside two days a month for planning. Spend these two days in the office, but don’t schedule appointments, attend meetings, or take phone calls. Devote these two days to planning for your big events and projects.
- Second, set aside two days a quarter to cast vision. Spend these days out of the office; get away, spend some time alone, and rest. Pray about the coming months and discover what God has in store for the future.
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