Impact on profit:

• Enables managers and staff to focus on what is important rather than what's 'pushing on them'
• Enables managers and staff to produce more effective outcomes on their projects
• Reduces stress in the workplace

We all know what it is like when things mount up in our inbox. We feel anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, bored and bogged down.

We all know what to do about it, but do we always do it? Or do we gradually let the “productivity destroyers” take charge of our time and take action when it all starts to overwhelm us?

The “productivity destroyers” include:

• Being focused on what’s urgent rather than what’s important
• Having email on automatic download
• Poorly planned and communicated delegation
• Not choosing the most important projects to work on
• Jumping from one small task to another
• Doing things as they crop up
• The lack of planned concentration periods

Clearing your inbox each day helps defeat the “productivity destroyers.” Effective and productive systems, often simple and common sense, can add enormous benefits, including:

• More important achievements, more often, by being focused on ‘important’ rather than ‘urgent’
• A greater sense of satisfaction due to achievements
• Increasing confidence
• Fewer obstacles to your own work flow
• Blockages unfrozen at all levels
• Easier access to advice and assistance
• Shorter waiting time for those seeking your input
• Self-motivation
  

The 4D Approach

David Allen is a recognised authority on personal productivity and is the author of the bestseller Getting Things Done.

He has done valuable research into what makes companies work best and one of the points he raises is that an important key to enhanced productivity is being clear and specific about the next physical action you need to take.

The 4D approach commences by asking one essential question:

Does the thing under consideration (eg email, phone message, idea) require any action?

The answer to that question leads to a choice of 4 options, considered in the following order:

• DROP it if it does not need you to do anything

• DO it immediately if it is likely to take you less than 2 minutes

• DELEGATE it if possible

• DEFER it

Use the 4D Getting Your Inboxes to Empty Flowchart to help you implement this new approach.

Another D could be added – Discipline

Drop it, Do it, Delegate it or Defer it!

Improve productivity and watch efficiency and profitability rise.

But most of us need another 4D’s. Discipline, Discipline, Discipline, Discipline.

If you don’t, we certainly do!

Profitable action

1. Print off the 4D Getting Your Inboxes to Empty Flowchart (PDF)
   
2. Create a special file on your desk called Personal Productivity or similar.
3. Every time you go to clear one of your inboxes, review the Flowchart and make sure you are following it. Soon enough it will become habit.

Associated topics to come

• Time to shred your to-do list
• Stop your gofer delegation
• Keeping track of projects - the 10,000ft level

 
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