Notes of Scott Hanselman’s Efficiency Talk

Watched Scott Hanselman’s excellent talk about information overload and  managing the flow today.

1. We spend our work time in three categories: work as it appears, defined work, defining work …

My thought:

• If I am not doing any of the above, I am not working, which is fine if that is how I wan to spend my time at that moment
• If I am only working on work as it appear, I am being reactive and might not work on the most important work
• If I am only working on defining work, I am spending too much time thinking not doing

2. 4Ds: Do it, Drop it, Defer it, Delegate it

My thought:

• Do it? Can I do it now? Is doing it an interruption of what I am doing? (Kent’s rule of only allowing one interruption)
• Drop it? Is it really that essential that I have to do it?
• Defer it? Is this the best time to do it? How do I make sure I can do it at the most suitable time? (put it in timed inbox, remember the milk)
• Delegate it? Admit it, most of the time, I am not the best person to handle it. How can I make sure it is following through?