Description

In this clever book, bestselling author Richard Templar delivers a collection of principles, tactics and techniques that will make sure things always get done, without you ever having to break a sweat or stay up into the small hours to do it.

These pithy, self-contained ideas are so straightforward that you can even read the book itself without trying too hard.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• You can and you can’t
• You have to want to be organised
• You don’t have to change your personality
• Know yourself
• Make time
• Have a routine
• Don’t tell yourself you’re bored
• Don’t get distracted
• Think about what you’re not thinking about
• Don’t panic!
• Do it little and often
• Think positive
• Steer clear of time sappers
• Know when the good times are
• Do the scary jobs
• Set yourself limits
• Invest now, save later
• Don’t do too much
• Don’t waste your down time
• Be reliable
• Don’t wait for people to change
• Write lists
• Get off to a flying start
• Visualise the finished thing
• Have less
• Sort it or bin it
• Ditch the eco-guilt
• Have a packing list
• Get into good habits
• Have a place for it
• File your week
• Keep a notebook
• Count your bags
• Streamline your workload
• Streamline your movements
• Multitask
• Build up a stockpile
• Double up
• Turn your toothbrush upside down
• Pin a note on the door
• Be decisive about mess
• Learn how to tidy
• Get the kids working
• Don’t do it yourself
• Give false deadlines
• Use a two-bin system
• Have a shopping list
• Read faster
• Keep time
• Get ahead of yourself
• Remember birthdays
• Make technology work for you
• Get Christmas wrapped up
• Treat yourself
• Find a sixpence
• Be decisive
• Lay the groundwork first
• Talk it through
• When you have to decide, do it
• Toss a coin
• Tell everyone what you’ve decided
• Hone your people skills
• Be assertive
• Learn to say no
• Stand your ground
• Understand thick skins
• Say what you mean
• Keep calm
• Count to ten
• See their point of view
• Feed it back
• Learn to delegate
• Know who's doing what
• Get the best out of people
• Know what really matters
• Prioritise
• Know what is urgent (and what isn’t)
• Organise your to-do list
• Clear some downtime
• Plan your life
• Don’t just firefight
• Have a thorough diary
• Know what makes a difference
• Get organised at work
• Know where you’re going
• Know what you’re doing
• First you must push the wheelbarrow and then you can sit down
• Don’t work a week behind
• Deal with it when it happens
• Don’t do things twice
• Organise your space
• Don’t read things you don’t need to
• Keep it together
• Make sure the boomerang comes back
• Keep your meetings on time
• Know what you’re aiming for
• Avoid unnecessary meetings
• Don’t get interrupted
• Don’t get caught by the phone
• Choose between email and phone
• Reduce your inbox
• Ditch the ping
• Stop playing games
• Get it over w

Back Cover

Why is it that some people always seem to be on top of everything? Paperwork dealt with, projects delivered on time, diary organised, promises met, all those little jobs around the house sorted… And they seem so relaxed about it too.

In this clever book, bestselling author Richard Templar delivers a collection of principles, tactics and techniques that will make sure things always get done, without you ever having to break a sweat or stay up into the small hours to do it.

You’ll discover the secrets of being the kind of person who gets things done, and how to set up and run your work and your life so that efficiency and effectiveness just seem to happen.

These pithy, self-contained ideas are so straightforward that you can even read the book itself without trying too hard.

Author

Richard Templar specialises in taking a common sense approach to obvious subjects and making the commonplace seem revelatory. He lives a semi-virtual existence in rural Devon.