The 45-minute hour

One of the ways that I try to manage my energy and concentration is to adopt the 45-minute hour.  What do I mean?

Well, I've discovered that my concentration span is no more than 45 minutes these days.


So when I'm working in my office at work or at home, I plan to work for 45 minutes on any one task, then take a break.


During the break I can make a cup of coffee or stretch a bit, or go and talk to someone else in the building.  I also take a minute or so before I start again to re-focus and pray.


I've even found that it helps to set a reminder to alert me when the 45 minutes is up.  As this rhythm is developing I find that I'm also scheduling meetings for 45 minutes, or having a break in longer meetings after 45 minutes.


It feels more productive and I've got more energy.  


Do you have any tips for using time wisely?  I'd love to hear them.

The 45-minute hour

One of the ways that I try to manage my energy and concentration is to adopt the 45-minute hour.  What do I mean?

Well, I've discovered that my concentration span is no more than 45 minutes these days.


So when I'm working in my office at work or at home, I plan to work for 45 minutes on any one task, then take a break.


During the break I can make a cup of coffee or stretch a bit, or go and talk to someone else in the building.  I also take a minute or so before I start again to re-focus and pray.


I've even found that it helps to set a reminder to alert me when the 45 minutes is up.  As this rhythm is developing I find that I'm also scheduling meetings for 45 minutes, or having a break in longer meetings after 45 minutes.


It feels more productive and I've got more energy.  


Do you have any tips for using time wisely?  I'd love to hear them.

Start the day the Bill Murray way

Does the fact that I've been neglecting my blog about developing daily disciplines tell you something? Well, I'm back.

The Bill Murray way refers to a friend of ours who died several years ago. Bill was a lovely man and a devoted Christian. He was very supportive to me through all of the years that I knew him. Yet we came from radically different perspectives on almost everything.

So how did Bill start his day? By getting up early and spending time praying and reading his Bible. (Bill could quote as much of the Bible as anyone I've ever known.) Bill's definition of early was 5:30 a.m.

Recently I've adopted this approach too - yes, up at 5:30 - and I feel fantastic after about 4 weeks. I feel that the day is getting off to the best possible start. Mornings seem calmer, and I still leave for work by 7:00.

I would encourage you to find a way to spend time early in the morning - reading, praying, studying. Take your mind away from yourself. I call it heightened focus - lifting my eyes from the ordinary to the extraordinary, so that I may serve the ordinary better.

Start the day the Bill Murray way

Does the fact that I've been neglecting my blog about developing daily disciplines tell you something? Well, I'm back.

The Bill Murray way refers to a friend of ours who died several years ago. Bill was a lovely man and a devoted Christian. He was very supportive to me through all of the years that I knew him. Yet we came from radically different perspectives on almost everything.

So how did Bill start his day? By getting up early and spending time praying and reading his Bible. (Bill could quote as much of the Bible as anyone I've ever known.) Bill's definition of early was 5:30 a.m.

Recently I've adopted this approach too - yes, up at 5:30 - and I feel fantastic after about 4 weeks. I feel that the day is getting off to the best possible start. Mornings seem calmer, and I still leave for work by 7:00.

I would encourage you to find a way to spend time early in the morning - reading, praying, studying. Take your mind away from yourself. I call it heightened focus - lifting my eyes from the ordinary to the extraordinary, so that I may serve the ordinary better.

5 minutes

As I receive mail I allocate it in a variety of ways (more of that in another entry). Something that I've been trying to introduce recently is my "5 minutes" folder. The idea is that if I think something will take a short period of time (5 minutes is a loose measure of time) and it's not urgent (most things aren't), then I put it in my "5 minutes" folder.

Throughout the day as I finish a task, have time between meetings or need a break from something, I turn to the "5 minutes" folder and deal with something from start to finish. It's quite productive and satisfying. By turning to it a few times each day I find that there isn't an accumulation of stuff in it - and if it is getting too full, I know it's time to concentrate on thinning it out.

It works for paper and electronic material, and also for reading stuff. In theory it should work at home as well as work - but somehow I haven't managed to get sufficiently organised at home.

5 minutes

As I receive mail I allocate it in a variety of ways (more of that in another entry). Something that I've been trying to introduce recently is my "5 minutes" folder. The idea is that if I think something will take a short period of time (5 minutes is a loose measure of time) and it's not urgent (most things aren't), then I put it in my "5 minutes" folder.

Throughout the day as I finish a task, have time between meetings or need a break from something, I turn to the "5 minutes" folder and deal with something from start to finish. It's quite productive and satisfying. By turning to it a few times each day I find that there isn't an accumulation of stuff in it - and if it is getting too full, I know it's time to concentrate on thinning it out.

It works for paper and electronic material, and also for reading stuff. In theory it should work at home as well as work - but somehow I haven't managed to get sufficiently organised at home.