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Nov. 15, 2018 / 6:53 PM GMT
By Julie Compton
In today’s busy world, making time for what matters can feel like one more impossible item on our to-do list. But according to productivity experts John Zeratsky and Jake Knapp, it doesn’t have to be.
The co-authors say their new book “Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day” outlines how we can overcome the many obstacles that prevent us from doing the things we really need to focus on.
“It’s all about concrete ways to rethink some of the default behaviors that have crept into 21st century life that have to do with our smart phones and our calendars and our corporate cultures that leave us with this feeling that time is sort of slipping away from us,” Zeratsky tells NBC News BETTER.
“I think one of the biggest themes of the book is that there’s a default in our culture, in our work culture, and our every day society of guilt,” adds Knapp “… a lot of the tools that are out there are just designed to nag us — to make us feel more guilty.”
The old coworkers used to work at GV, formerly Google Ventures. There, the men contrived a number of techniques to help startup companies be more productive, which they outlined in their first book “Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test Ideas in Just Five Days.”
The duo say “Make Time” applies a lot of the same tactics for individuals. They say the book outlines four basic steps that, if repeated every day, can boost your productivity dramatically over time.
STEP 1: THE HIGHLIGHT
The first step is the most important, according to the authors. Each morning, figure out what you want to be the highlight of your day.
“Even if it’s just one thing, even if it’s something I’m doing already, what is the one thing I should have my peek attention on?” asks Zeratsky.
Everything else in your day is secondary to the highlight, Zeratsky says, which may require you to “bulldoze,” or clear your calendar so you can focus on that one thing.
“It has a powerful effect on what happens for folks,” Knapp says, “and it’s a nice, simple way to reframe everything, and it is kind of the heart of how ‘Make Time’ works.”
STEP #2: LASER
Now that you know what your highlight is, you need to be able to focus on it distraction free.
“The next thing after achieving that highlight, is the moment when you’re in it — that’s Laser,” says Zeratsky. “You want your attention to be laser-focused.”
Depending on what works best for you, this step could include eliminating or logging out of distracting apps on your phone, or turning off the news.
What matters is that you are excited about whatever you’re working on, says Knapp.
“And that’s actually the biggest difference from the other ways we’ve heard people talk about time management or attention management,” he says, “is this idea of really being excited, and bringing joy and enthusiasm to that moment.”
STEP #3: ENERGIZE
Energy is “the battery pack that makes everything else run,” so it’s important to take care of your physical health, the authors say. Be sure to make time to exercise and eat well so your energy stays elevated throughout the day, says Knapp.
“We just think it’s important to also keep in mind that the body is whole thing, it’s not just the brain,” he says.