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Time Management Techniques: Tomorrows Top 6

Charles Schwab, President of Bethlehem Steel, paid Ivy Lee $25,000 for this time management techniques benefits over 100 years ago. If it was worth so much to Schwab, don’t you think its worth learning too?  

I'm going to share this time management technique with you the same way I learned it....through a story.

Around 100 years ago, Charles Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel, wanted to increase his own efficiency, and of the management team at the steel company. Ivy Lee, a well-known efficiency expert of the time, approached Mr. Schwab, and made a proposition Charles Schwab could not refuse:

Ivy Lee: "I can increase your people's efficiency – and your sales – if you will allow me to spend fifteen minutes with each of your executives."

Charles Schwab: "How much will it cost me?"

Ivy Lee: "Nothing, unless it works. After three months, you can send me a check for whatever you feel it's worth to you."

Charles Schwab: "It's a deal."

The following day, Ivy Lee met with Charles Schwab's management executives, spending only ten minutes with each in order to tell them:

Ivy Lee: "I want you to promise me that for the next ninety days, before leaving your office at the end of the day, you will make a list of the six most important things you have to do the next day and number them in their order of importance."

Astonished Executives: "That it?"

Ivy Lee: "That's it. Scratch off each item after finishing it, and go on to the next one on your list. If something doesn't get done, put it on the following day's list."

"Each Bethlehem executive consented to follow Lee's instructions. Three months later, Schwab studied the results and was so pleased that he sent Lee a check for $25,000. 

If Schwab, one of the smartest businessmen of his day, was willing to pay so much money for this advice, don't you think you could benefit from it too?

Taking advantage of this time management techniques benefits is as simple as it gets...just 4 steps:
  1. Each night, make a list of the top 6 things you want to accomlish the following day
  2. Prioritize the list
  3. Start working on task number one, and keep working on it until you complete it.  Do not move onto the next task until you complete this one.
  4. If any tasks are left at the end of the day, move them to the top of the next days list.  For example, if you finish tasks 1-4 today, tasks 5 and 6 become tasks 1 and 2 on tomorrows list.
I hope you'll share your results from using this time management techniques 4 simple steps at the Contact Us page.


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