Mark Ellwood’s Brainy Blog of Fascinating Facts and Timely Tips

Putting A Priority On Your Time

Putting A Priority On Your Time

Where does all the time go? Long hours. Late nights. Snatched lunches. Some people boast about their overwhelming work schedule as if it’s a badge of honor: “I start work at 7:00 a.m. and work right though until 8:00 p.m.” Often their Herculean claims border on the...

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Seeking Executive Women For A Time Study

Seeking Executive Women For A Time Study

We are looking for time-stressed executive women to participate in an innovative time study. Ideally, participants would be in senior executive roles, working for large companies, earn over $150,000, and have children living at home. This innovative work-life balance...

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Up The Creek Without A Poodle

Up The Creek Without A Poodle

There was something odd about my day at work today. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but in a strange way I felt as though I were tangled in a web, caught in a trap of overwhelming clichés from which there was no escape. Let me explain. It all started when I arrived...

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Clear Your Day And Block Your Time

Life rushes at you. Deadlines, requests, e-mails and meetings. You’re in a reactive mode, getting through the day but with never enough time to plan for the major projects. Here’s a technique to make sure you get to the big stuff. Every day, write out a list of...

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How to Delegate

Our time study data indicates that the average employee spends 19% of his or her time on administrative tasks. This increases to 25% for managers. For many of them, delegation of some tasks would free up more time for high priority activities. But employees make all...

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Mark Ellwood Radio Interview on Productivity

Mark Ellwood Radio Interview on Productivity

Have you got six minutes? Here’s a punchy radio interview with some practical tips for managing your time.  Along with the tips, you’ll hear time study insights from our work measurement and process improvement...

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Take Control When You Can’t Say No

Take Control When You Can’t Say No

Sometimes it is difficult to say no. An urgent request comes your way and it has to get done. Right now. Yesterday if possible. If you could say no and turn down the request, you’d have more time for the things that count. But the situation demands action...

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How to Prepare for Meetings

One reason that people dislike meetings is that they are not well planned. If you are the chair for the meeting, some preparation steps can make a big difference. And even if you are not the chair, you can ask that these be done. Writing an agenda in advance forces...

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The Best Tip For Planning Your Day

Employees who spend more time planning generally get better results. This is based on evidence from our work measurement studies where employees track their time using our TimeCorder device. So make time for planning each day. Here is my favorite tip on how to do it –...

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Be Accountable and Stop Procrastinating

Be Accountable and Stop Procrastinating

It is so easy to put something off that doesn’t matter. Or at least, you think it doesn’t matter. Maybe not today. But someday it will. That aching toothache you think might just go away. The overdue taxes that maybe they won’t check up on. All of these catch up some...

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