Tim Ferriss, writer of the book “The 4-Hour Workweek“, has published a list of the 9 habits you have to stop now to become more productive.
I totally agree with his list, and have more or less been applying this in my everyday life for a while now. The list goes as follows (with my comments):
1. Do not answer calls from unrecognized phone numbers: I rarely ever answer a phone call by a number I don’t recognize, some people think it’s wrong of me to do so, but personally I think that if that someone is a person I want to hear from I’d surely have his number saved. Of course out of the times I do reply, there is a small percentage of times it turns out the person is someone I want to hear from, but well I’m comfortable with the odds.
2. Do not e-mail first thing in the morning or last thing at night: I always try to avoid early-morning or late-evening emails, unless it’s something I’ve already thought out well and only the actual writing of the email is left.
3. Do not agree to meetings or calls with no clear agenda or end time: I do my best to avoid these, they’re such a waste of time, but well sometimes you can’t but help get dragged into one, and that’s when I try to apply the next point…
4. Do not let people ramble: Sometimes you just have to step in, take hold of the conversation and take it straight to the point; or else people will just keep on rambling and wasting time with no end in sight.
5. Do not check e-mail constantly
Juste une remarque concernant les appels telephoniques. C’est le genre de choses qui m’enervent le plus. Pourquoi les gens doivent-ils connaitre celui qui les appelle auparavant pour lui parler??
Il m’est arriv
Tell them subzero … tell my boss about that !!
He’s reproaching me working the strict minimum he wants me stay late at night … but all my goals are achieved on time, as you said organization is very important …
The rules you’re telling cannot work in Tunisia, we have to work a lot (even without achieving goals), to send mails early in the morning and late at night (even to say nothing) !!!
Aaaaaahh !!
@Tas: I understand how it can be annoying for a person who calls someone not to be replied to; But it’s also annoying when you get a bunch of unexpected phone calls from people you don’t want to talk to at a certain time.
Personally, I always keep other ways of contacting me open, over my land line for example or on my wife’s phone; so if someone really needs me, I am somehow reachable. And well if the number is an international one, I mostly always answer, because if someone is willing to pay the international call to talk to me, it’s most probably someone I want to talk to too.
@Sami: Many bosses in Tunisia don’t understand that, and think they’re only successful managers if they manage to keep their employees working late without overtime pay.
As for sending emails early and late, it’s basically used in Tunisia as proof that a person comes early to work and goes home late, because that’s what Tunisian bosses expect of him, although that’s obviously very wrong.
It will take some time to change this mentality between Tunisian managers, but the day will come, I hope.
I just finished reading the book, it is to say the least a total life change. I am interested if you did any of the sheet work and are soon launching a product based business in Tunsia.