Most things can wait. In fact, most things should wait.

How many times have you checked your email today? Which takes priority - the thing that was top of your to-do list at 9am, or the email that just dropped into your In Box?  

If you’re talking on your landline and your mobile phone rings, what do you do? And if, in the midst of all this, a Skype contact comes online and wants to chat, how do you handle your juggling act?

Not so long ago, things were so different.

Phones rang unanswered. Inter-office manila envelopes worked their way round the building, from department to department. Memos were typed in duplicate, triplicate and quadruplicate.

Letters were posted, and replies carefully composed. ‘By return’ meant a two-day turnaround, not a two-minute one.

The world was a slower place - and that gave us time to think.

Welcome to the machine

When did you first discover email?

For me, it was 1986. I sat in a friend’s office and she showed me just how technically advanced the company was. On their mainframe, they could send messages within a matter of seconds, as vital information winged its way around the organisation.

“Look at this,” she said, her voice brimming over with enthusiasm. She jabbed at function keys (no mice in those days) and clicked her cursor keys.

And there it was: cod and chips, roast lamb and nut cutlet - today’s staff-canteen menu, instantly transmitted by my friend’s friend, whose office was around the corner from those unmissable main courses.

Food for thought indeed.

Business at the speed of light

Since then, things have moved on a little. Slowly but surely, we’ve become bombarded by inputs. Emails, text messages, RSS feeds. Discussion groups, podcasts and instant messaging.

The digital deluge never stops.

Until we stop it.

Right now, my email program is closed. I’ll open it up when I finish this blog post. And if the phone rings, I’ll let it go to voice mail.

I’m no saint - it’s just that I’ve learned the hard way that if I don’t focus, I don’t get the job done. 

One thing at a time.

If only others did the same. Ever spoken to somebody who takes a mobile phone call while they’re in the toilet? I have - believe me, you don’t want to go there.  

Most calls can wait. Most emails can wait. In fact, most things should wait - you’ll have more time to reflect, decide and evaluate. And you’ll come up with better solutions, easier answers and clearer analyses.

Take your time. Think about it. Then, think a bit more.

You’ll be glad you did.

OK. You can check your email again.

Do more with less and get to bed early

Ever feel like you could do more if only you could get more organised, be more focused, and cut out the interruptions?

Been there. Done that.

And here’s the top 10 list I’m going to print on my t-shirt.

If I ever get round to printing a t-shirt, that is.

1. Change your point of view

What’s yours? Mine is out the window, across suburban gardens. It’s very pretty, and it should inspire me to great things.

And it does – most of the time. But when I start feeling stale, I know I’ve got to move. So I head for the coffee shop, the art gallery, or if it’s a nice day, the park.

And it always pays off.

2. Stop checking email

I know, I know. In the 21st century, this one is like saying ‘stop breathing’. But believe me, you’ll survive.

Imagine giving a speech where your audience constantly interrupts you with questions. Or singing a song where the music keeps starting and stopping.

That’s the email effect. So shut it down, and check it occasionally.

It can wait.

3. Map it

When I was 10, my English teacher showed us MindMaps. I was captivated. Then for years, I forgot about them. But recently, I’ve started using them for all sorts of things.

So get a sheet of paper, pull out those colour felt-tip pens, and get mapping. You’ll crack the problem in next to no time.

If you really must, you can even use your PC to mind-map, with iMindMap.

4. Be a task master

Ironically, one of the most inefficient people I’ve ever come across gave me some of the best advice I’ve had on efficiency.

Review your tasks at the start of the day. Preview the ones you’re going to do today. Review mid-way through the day if you can. And review at the end of the day.

Ever get that feeling that the day’s run away with you? Well it won’t if you follow three simple steps.

Review, preview, review.

5. Do something else

Can’t crack the problem? Then don’t. Do something else instead.

Often, when you turn your mind to other things, you’ll magically find the solution to the original problem – the one you weren’t even thinking about.

Or rather, the one you thought you weren’t thinking about.

6. Sleep on it

The logical extension of tip 5. If you can’t solve it, leave it overnight.

I often do this with copy I’m writing, and next morning, everything seems clearer and more obvious. Often, I’m surprised (and not always pleasantly) by something I wrote the previous day. And morning is always when I trap typos.

7. One thing at a time

Computers multi-task, so why shouldn’t we?

Because spreading yourself too thin is a bad idea. Take it from me – I’m a repeat offender.

The day tabbed browsers hit the scene, I couldn’t believe my luck. I could do 10 things at once.

But I couldn’t. And neither can you, if you want to do any of them properly. So here’s my solution: do one thing at a time, and tell yourself out loud what that thing is.

It’s simple but very, very effective.

Say to yourself ‘For the next 30 minutes, I’m going to focus on Project A’. Or ‘I’m going to finish this blog post by 5pm’. Or ‘I’m going to collate my notes, and put together this PowerPoint presentation’.

It’s the saying-it-out-loud bit that makes the difference.

Don’t ask me why. It just works.

8. Go low-tech

Shut down your computer and put your mobile phone on silent mode. Forget technology, and reach for a pen and paper.

Now write. Scribble thoughts and bullet-point ideas. Draw lines between things. Doodle if it helps.

Just make contact with the paper and write something. And keep going. You’ll be amazed how quickly the ideas will flow.

9. Don’t start until you’re ready

If you find yourself scratching your head thinking something is missing, it probably is. If you don’t know the answer, maybe you haven’t asked the question.

Often, we start a project before we have all the pieces in place. Somehow, we think, they’ll fall into place when the time comes.

And sometimes, they do.

But mostly they don’t. So ask questions, gather information, get organised, summarise and plan.

Then go.

10. Learn to type (I mean really learn to type)

Ever wondered why the ‘F’ and ‘J’ keys on your keyboard have little marks on them?

They indicate where your index fingers go when you’re on the home keys. It’s the first step in learning to touch-type.

Imagine never looking at the keyboard again. Instead, you can look at the screen or out over suburban gardens. You can even close your eyes, as your fingers glide across the keyboard like a concert pianist’s.

Your typing speed will soar. And you’ll finish your work in half the time.

So what are you waiting for? Go and have a word with Mavis.

She’ll sort you out.