Are you a well-organised individual or are you one of those people who always tries to put off the jobs you don’t like doing until the last minute? This means you waste time thinking about them and dreading them rather than concentrating on what you should be doing at the moment.
I recently read a book that advocated having a ‘golden hour’ each day. You should set aside one hour where you just concentrate on doing key tasks – this could include anything you find difficult or complicated; anything you’ve been putting off or phone calls that may be complex or time-consuming. And here are the rules for your golden hour:
Choose a time of day when you are feeling alert and energetic (so obviously not straight after lunch!)
Close your office door (if you have one), tell everyone you are not to be disturbed for an hour and get someone to answer the phone for you and take messages. Don’t check incoming emails or texts.
Clear your desk so that only the relevant files/phone numbers are available to you.
Concentrate and get on with the work that you need to clear.
When the hour is up – assuming you’ve achieved what you set out to do – reward yourself.
You’ll probably find that you do more in this hour than in a whole morning or afternoon of less intense concentration. Why not give it a try and let me know how you get on?
And before I leave you this week, I’d just like to recommend a terrific resource from the British Council. Visit their website for all kinds of information on everything British and some great opportunities to brush up your grammar, improve your listening skills and watch videos. Enjoy!
Author: Diana Nadin
