Leading People
Gerry Murray talks to leading people about leading people. Get insights and tips from thought leaders about how to bring out the best in yourself and others.
Leading People
How to Save 1 Hour Every Day (Without Working Harder!)
Ever feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day?
You start with good intentions, but distractions, interruptions, and never-ending demands pull you in every direction. Before you know it, the day is gone - and your most important work is still unfinished.
What if you could reclaim an hour (or more) every single day - without waking up earlier, working longer, or burning yourself out?
In this One Simple Thing episode of Leading People, I share a practical strategy that will help you take back control of your time, boost your focus, and get more done with less stress.
It’s a small change that can have a huge impact.
Curious?
🎧 Listen now and start winning back your time today...
Follow
Leading People on LinkedIn
Leading People on FaceBook
Connect with Gerry
Website
LinkedIn
Wide Circle
Welcome to Leading People with me, gerry Marais, this week. It's One Simple Thing, where in each episode, I share a quick, actionable tip to help you bring out the best in yourself and others the best in yourself and others. One simple thing is created for young leaders, but hey, us older folks can still learn a thing or two. Ask my dog. He's learned a few new tricks recently. Here's a question for you. Let's be real now.
Speaker 1:How often do you sit down to focus on something important, only to be derailed within minutes? It's no surprise. We're constantly bombarded by interruptions, such as messages, emails, slack, pings and even well-meaning colleagues dropping by for just a sec. And here's the catch Studies show that every distraction or interruption can cost you between 10 and 23 minutes to fully refocus. Now, that's a lot of wasted time. Let's do the math If it took just 10 minutes to refocus and you got interrupted once an hour, that's at least an hour of lost productivity every day. And let's be honest, it's never just once an hour. Yeah, I know Some of you are rolling your eyes thinking I wish I only got interrupted once an hour. So here's one simple thing you can do today Create a distraction-free zone. And here's how.
Speaker 1:Step 1. Identify your biggest distractions. Ask yourself what's pulling me away from deep work. If it's your phone, put it on silence, flip it over or even put it in another room. If it's email or social media apps, shut them down for a set period, no more just checking real quick. If it's other people, set clear boundaries. Let colleagues or family know when you need uninterrupted time. And if you're not sure what's pulling you away from deep work, then keep a time log for a week. From my own personal experience, this can be quite revealing.
Speaker 1:Step 2. Time block your focus sessions. The best way to eliminate distractions. Plan for focus. Block specific time slots in your calendar for deep work, even if it's just 30 to 60 minutes at a time, and during that time, commit to just one thing staying on task. No multitasking, no peeking at messages, just focused work. And step three create a distraction free environment. For example, test out noise cancelling headphones or play gentle instrumental music or white noise, or turn off unnecessary, unnecessary browser tabs and apps Whatever works best for you. Because when you create the right conditions, your brain enters flow, that magical state where you're fully immersed and working at your best. And when that happens, you'll accomplish more in less time, without the mental exhaustion that comes from constant context switching.
Speaker 1:So test this out for the next few days. Set up your distraction-free zone, protect your focus and watch your productivity skyrocket. And that's another one simple thing. Thanks for tuning in. Remember, small steps can lead to big changes. Test out this one simple thing and notice how it transforms your day. Let me know how you get on. Reach out on LinkedIn and connect with me. Mention the podcast and if you'd like to learn more one simple things, then subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast channel and follow our LinkedIn Leading People page. In our next episode of One Simple Thing, we'll explore another easy way to be a great leader by bringing out the best in yourself and those around you. And in between, you can check out one of my longer conversations with leading people about yes, you've guessed it leading people. So until then, keep exploring and stay curious.
