5 Time Management Tricks for More Joy, More Friends, More Clients

Posted on October 27th, 2009 by Keith Ferrazzi

time_managementA common reaction I get when I teach people my relationship building system is, “My schedule’s killing me! And now you want me to fit in all these pings and calls and meetings and dinners and…?”

Here are my favorite tips for making all those important relationship building activities fit inside the schedule you already have – no add-ons!

1. Blend Not Balance. Blend your personal and professional life, rather than trying to keep them in separate worlds. Don’t be afraid to mix friends with colleagues and associates during evening and weekend socializing.

2. Clone meetings. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that every meeting needs to be one-on-one. Look for opportunities to introduce members of your network; you can’t clone yourself, but you can double or triple up the number of people you’re seeing in any given hour. If you are savvy about who you match up, the meeting will be more beneficial for everyone involved.

3. Imbed it. Imbed relationship-building activities into your daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. For example, you might use a concentrated 30 min a day for proactive pinging. You might send a weekly group email. You might reserve noon every Friday for lunch with a new person. Find a routine activity that works for you.

4. Use your taxi time. We all have wasted time slots; they’re wasted because we’re not prepared to use them.  So carry around your contact lists; dedicate that “free time” to texting, email, calling, and tweeting. (For info on managing time specifically for social media, check out Amber Naslund’s blog post.)

5. Make it fun. Don’t think of it as a networking chore. Every opportunity to connect with someone is an adventure! Discover the joy in it and you won’t feel like it’s (ugh) more work.

NOW: How about you? What are your favorite time-management techniques? I’ll be gathering comments to include them in an upcoming webinar, so make sure you include your full name and web site link, if you have one. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

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29 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

  1. My favourite time-management technique is based on Brian Tracy - How to win 2 extra hours a day audio book and another longer audio book Brian Tracy - How to master your time.

  2. Elizabeth Rhody says:
    October 27, 2009 at 3:48 am
    Reply

    Network at the gym. Even better if your company has one located in the office building. This is where I've met several of my very good friends that have introduced me to thier colleagues.. I've also found that many managers are placing more emphasis on healthier lifestyles and are scheduling time for exercise.

    For lunch, schedule group lunches with co-workers from different areas of the company. My friends do monthly lunches and we encourage everyone to bring a friend.

  3. When I travel, I put a lot into my "advance work." I try to source out contacts whom I've only met through internet and telephone to line up a face-to-face.

    As some of the dates & times of my travel are flexible, I also do my best to schedule them to coincide with the speaking engagements or other events that are important to my business contacts. If you're speaking in front of a crowd, and it's not something you do every day, it's nice to know there are a few friends in the crowd!

  4. Delegating is the key to more time! And I'm not saying this because it is our business (first virtual personal asssitant provider in Germany).

    Every morning I go through my list of tasks for the day. First, I set priorities and then I mark every task that I can delegate. Many times there are phone calls, emails and researches I have to do. Afterwards I write a memo for my VPA including all the tasks that can be delegated and send it to her.

    At noon I receive her results and usually this has saved me half the work of the day. Right now, after establishing the business, of course many tasks are not plannable and I can't delegate as much as when I have a daily routine, but still without assistants I would never be able to get the work done I do each day.

    This is the best way to multiply my time!

  5. My time management tips revolves around celebrations.

    Every 3-4 months I organise informal drinks to coincide with a major Indian festival/celebration (eg Diwali, Indian Independence Day etc) as a way to connect with people - but in a very time efficient manner.

    I'd book a venue (nice bar in within a central London Indian Restaurant) and invite all my personal and professional contacts. I'd pay for the tasty Indian canapes and everyone buys their own drinks.

    It only takes a couple of group emails to set up - and then in one evening I get to connect with a big chunk of my contacts.

    As I centre them around Indian celebrations - it's completely unique, gets people talking and never clashes with diaries (...not many people get invited to Indian Independent Day drinks elsewhere!).

    It started off a year ago simply as a way to connect with my network in a more time efficient manner - but in reality, there have been 3 spin off benefits too:

    1. Creates further opportunities
    It's rare that people invited don't reply. Most people that can't come mail back to say "love to come, but am busy. Lets meet up for coffee/lunch sometime. When you free?" - so my diary gets filled for the next couple of months. I've won business on the back of these lunches that all started from the drinks invite

    2. I get to connect lots of people to each other and so strengthen my overall network
    At a drinks evening earlier in the year, an out of work ex-colleague of mine met a recruitment consultant I know at the evening. He subsequently found her a job and they were both so grateful for the invite and opportunity to connect

    3. Stronger relationships
    My contacts have got to know me much better as they've met other people I know in different parts of my life - and so strengthen's the bond. Plus I've been able to reactivate several lapsed relationships simply by inviting people to drinks focussed around a celebration.

    I've now got several clients doing similar things based around something that's authentic to them and theiur style. A Greek client is organising drinks to coincide with Greek festivals and a Grand Prix fanatic organising drinks to coincide with each Grand Prix event!!

  6. Put the X in you phone numbers.

    To save time and fumbling with my phone I put in the key numbers that I need to enter.

    For my conference call number, I add an X followed by the passcode. For my airline, I put in the reservation number followed my frequent flyer number. This helps when I am calling in, when prompted, I will press the send button on my phone to send the code.
    This also works with people that I call that have automated attendants asking for the person's extension number.

  7. Keith,

    Time management to me is all about priorities. Techniques and tools may change but the philosophy that governs how we spend our time allows us to adapt to change without losing productivity.

    For me, I ask myself these questions everyday:

    1. What am I trying to accomplish?

    2. By making this decision, does it move me closer to my goal away from my goal or is it neutral? (sometimes I am ok with it moving me further away if it is the best long term decision)

    3. Is there a more simple and effective way, tool, or technique to get this done?

  8. The best use of time management I have found is not only daily lists, prioritization and delegation, but also task management focus. Efficiency models are said to show that when a person focuses on one task at a time, they are more efficient. For example, clearing out all the email at once, filing replies or "done" in client folders, and putting together a virtual daily "to do e-list" or "tickler" file. Then next task - go back, reply and work on that tickler list -instead of sitting, replying one by one, and multi-tasking while on email. Focusing on one specific task, instead of trying to multi-task and getting sidetracked constantly, is a better time management tool.

  9. Although we can never manage time, time blocking is my favorite tool to stay focused throughout the day.

  10. Wow these are great tips.
    Way I keep myself on track is by scheduling my day in hourly intervals with about 3 to 4 hours throughout the day as either "lunch breaks" or "free time". These few hours are the excellent time to network, get involved with some non-strenuous activities. While doing all of these things I keep my objectives of the week, month, and year in mind so I don't go off-track.
    I'm still in University so I def need to work on improving my current methods. Thanks for all the tips above! =)

  11. "Bruce October 27, 2009 at 4:31 am
    Put the X in you phone numbers.

    To save time and fumbling with my phone I put in the key numbers that I need to enter.

    For my conference call number, I add an X followed by the passcode. For my airline, I put in the reservation number followed my frequent flyer number. This helps when I am calling in, when prompted, I will press the send button on my phone to send the code.
    This also works with people that I call that have automated attendants asking for the person’s extension number."

    Bruce, could you explain more in detail how this is done? Or provide some links?

  12. Hi Keith:
    I love the blend and balance idea, in fact I make a habit of doing this regularly whenever I can. This Sunday I am hosting a traditional Italian immigrant dinner where friends and colleagues will come and enjoy a lost cultural event from their heritage. I can't wait to see what relationships develop as a result!

    Also, I had fantastic results networking while on jury duty. As it turned out, I served on a jury where I met an individual that had served on the Board of Trustees an upcoming project that was perfectly suited for our company. After the trial, he contacted me to submit a proposal.

    Networking doesn't really take all that much time out of your day, it just takes a little creativity.

  13. I like to use my lunch in two parts: eat with one person and go for a walk with another. It gets in a little extra exercise and many people are happy to move around in the middle of the day. It also takes that short time and connects me with at least two different people.

  14. I have another blog (beyond my personal blog) that I think of as a reference library. In that blog I collect links and articles that I have found and want to save for future reference. I can return to this blog and access what I have saved, follow saved links, and also share the blog content with other artists, which saves time re-finding links and stuff(for myself), and saves time sharing (re-finding links and research for others) since the topic of my reference blog is art marketing for artists: http://ArtistMarketingSalon.wordpress.com

  15. One thing I do is leave a small pad of paper in areas of the house that I frequent so when I think of something I need to do, before I forget I jot it down. So at the end of the day I have this to do list for the next day. I keep my to do list in my iPhone, so that I have it on me at all times. As far as time management I utilize my calendar on my iPhone and my outlook at work. Filling it with the tasks and duties I need to get done that day.

  16. Dog walking. That's prime pinging time for me, working from a home office. The dog doesn't mind. However, other dog walkers, not seeing the Bluetooth at first, believe I am having decidedly animated conversations with the dog.

  17. Keith,

    I am a recovering over achiever. My habit had been to try to fit everything in and I was generally pretty successful at making all the pieces fit - except perhaps renewal and creative time for myself. My pace was exhausting. When I shared what was on my plate with my RMA accountability group, they were exhausted, too!

    I am now listening to my own advice and am slowing down. I set aside time each week to review my next week's schedule as well as a quick look forward over the next few weeks. Before I schedule something, I look for the added value - to me, not just the other person. I safeguard white space so I do have time to thoughtfully follow up with people I meet in a timely manner or to respond thoughtfully to this post - things that are impossible to do if every minute is booked. That white space is also important to presence - without it, it's hard to see the world and its wealth of opportunities as they really are.

    If something is strategic and important enough to put in the calendar, I ask myself, "What does success look like?" and "How much time will it take to achieve that success?". This includes being clear about required prep time. Having the answers to these up front sets me up to be more productive and my activities give me energy rather than drain it. No more exhaustion!

    As a result, I am taking fewer giant steps forward rather than many small steps and I am covering more ground, more quickly. I am choosing to say yes to achieving my goals, which incidentally are also in service to others. To create the space for this, occasionally saying no is inevitable. The cost of not saying it is not only reduced productivity but also our own success and happiness.

    Warm regards,

    Cindy

  18. Sleep - it's amazing what gets worked out having a good sleep

  19. To answer your question, I use a calendar to assist me to keep track of my task. I also make time to pray, worship and listen to music often to help keep me energize.

  20. I download business books from my local public library (free) and put onto my iPod. I listen while I drive, during my workouts, while I am walking around town, even grocery shopping. If the audiobook is one that I want for my personal library (example - Who's Got Your Back and Never Eat Alone), I purchase a used copy from Amazon (in Keith's case, they were new of course). Saves me time, money and I find that I learn better by listening rather than reading.

  21. As a sport junkie I spend a good amount of time in front of the TV (evenings and w/e's); I use this time to follow up on e-mails, schedule calls/mtgs with people, and generally work on the things that I don't get to during the workweek. It's a great use of the in-between-the-play time and I don't feel like such a sloth.

  22. I find that after a long day at work, all I want to do is go home, flop on the couch and watch tv. That is wasted time! I feel MORE tired doing that than if I met a colleague for dinner, went to the gym, or walked the dog. So I've given up tv - not totally, of course, but in a significant amount. I catch up on replying to emails, organize my home office files, walk the dog, meet up with friends, spend time on Facebook reconnecting with old friends and networking with new ones. Basically, this has allowed me to use my time more wisely as well as more healthfully.

  23. I create my own "taxi time" by making sure I get to an appointment at least 15 minutes early. It's good to be early, but I also use those minutes for pinging, returning emails and social media. I can get a lot done in 15 minutes if I stay focused.

    I also make a point of inviting contacts to come to a networking event with me. I'm already there, so it's no more time out of my day to touch base. And I can do good by introducing them to other people at the event. A more practical result for me is that they tend to talk about me. It's like carrying your own cheering section with you.

  24. Wow .. what great posts! Like many, I am HUGE proponent of managing priorities ... what must I do this month, this week, this day. What is labeled as "critical & urgent," "Important," "Needs to get done." I make sure that I have one "trusted source" that holds all my priorities and follow-up items, providing me with peace of mind that I have everything in one place. I also group types of activities into chunks .. "Creative activities," "Office tasks," "Relationship activities," etc. ... so that I am real focused and more productive for a chunk of time.

    As a sales executive for over 25 years I was continually challenged with the time it took to organize and submit expense reports .. took hours to complete at times. The BEST time savings tip that I came up with was to carry around with me a thin spiral notebook and small role of scotch tape. I made it a personal practice at the end of every day to tape/label all receipts in the notebook. This took hours off the time it took to reorganize/sort/label a bunch of little receipts at the end of a month. I was able to easily and quickly reconcile the receipts in the corporate system. Personal Practices are Powerful!

  25. I just finished your book, Keith. Amazing stuff. I wonder though -- how have you leveraged LinkedIn to help grow your personal network? I read that you use Plaxo for birthdays and contact info, but for being introduced to people, how does LinkedIn really measure up?

  26. blending is a great idea. with 6 kids i have found time mgmt skills quite tricky. however priorites are easier to do family first...then work. love all the great ideas. i also find that intense workouts (swimming and running) help to clear the fog and allow for real discernment. i use a automated marketing system that does email mkting weekly. FB and twitter have really assisted me in the "pinging" process. with all those kids and all those shools...i am active in the car pool lines...this keeps me quite networked :)

  27. Christel Croes says:
    October 28, 2009 at 5:10 pm
    Reply

    My tip to students and what I do practice all the time is to handle each piece of paper just once (or nowadays e-mail), do the follow-up, check and put away, not having piles growing on my desk, and I have a time slot each day for doing this and then move on to the more strategic tasks. Works great for me, can attend 3-4 times a week my Zumba Class.

  28. I have two tips. The first one is more of a mindset than a specific tip, but I have found it incredibly helpful. It comes from Peter Drucker: "Effective executives put first things first and do one thing at a time." Instead of trying to multi-task, as much as possible I try to do one thing, complete it, then go on to the next thing.

    The second is to identify one "most important task" each day, and then devote the first hour of the day to that task -- before checking email or doing anything else.

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