I’m a fan of ‘effectiveness systems’ - things that make me more effective.

And to clarify, I make a distinction between being efficient (which is doing things quickly and well) and being effective (which is doing the things that really matter).

My bookshelf is loaded with books on time management, goal setting, and personal organization. By putting a lot of what I’ve learned into action, my day stretches to a functional equivalent of 27 hours.

Which is why I bought the domain name, www.Your27HourDay.com, thinking to write a book on the subject.

Anyway, over the years, having explored many options, I’ve distilled the lessons learned into a system that works - and last week, modified and updated my system for working online.

While posting about it on Twitter, Ross Goldberg asked to see a longer blog post about it - so here it is!

The ’system’ involves having a ‘dashboard’ - which is just a fancy word for a web page full of links that I have set as my browser’s default homepage. Every time I fire up my Firefox web browser, this page loads.

I have figured out that simply avoiding having to type in URLs of pages I visit frequently saves between 5 and 30 minutes daily! With my dashboard, I just ‘point and click’.

My main dashboard has these sections -

Forums: These are the handful of forums I visit often and post regularly on.

Google: My Adsense and Adwords account pages to review stats quickly.

Blogs: Links to all my major blogs that need frequent updates.

Memberships: Sites I run or belong to, and need constant access to.

Ecommerce: Quick links to Clickbank, PayPal and PayDotCom homepages.

Automation Stations: Shortcuts to my web hosts’ cPanel pages.

The last one is most interesting - ROUTINES.

This is something I learned from ZEN TO DONE - creating routines helps improve efficiency, and keeping only the right things on your routine ensures better effectiveness.

I have 2 sets of routines - one for the morning, the other for the evening. And both are linked from my ‘dashboard’.

I wake up in the morning, fire up a web browser window, click on MORNING ROUTINES, and have a quick reminder of what’s to be done - with links to those websites to make it fast and easy!

What gets on each routine?

That’s entirely up to you, and depends on your personal goals, targets, purpose and available time.

My ‘daily activity’ list in the MORNING ROUTINE looks like this:

1. Process inboxes, reply to messages.
2. List 3 top things to do (Zen to Done)
3. Work on the 3 things.

Simple, yes?

But you won’t believe how powerfully effective it can be - until you try it.

The ‘3 important things’ lesson is again something I picked up from ZEN TO DONE - and it is awesome.

My productivity grew exponentially by following this, because where I once was all over the place, trying to cram as many things on my ‘to do’ list for the day and getting anxious and frustrated, I now calmly execute the 3 major tasks - and DO THEM FIRST!

That leaves the rest of the day free for other things, some fun, some work and even for just ‘wasting some time’ - while still having a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment that the important work has been done!

So, What’s NEW?

This system of ‘dashboards’ and ‘routines’ have been a part of my daily life for a few months. What’s changed is the focus I’ve set for each day of my week.

Here’s how my ‘Day of the Week’ task list looks now:

Monday: Compile a final list of links worth checking out for my list.

Tuesday: Negotiating JV deals and work related to my CHD Foundation.

Wednesday: Update blog with new episode of “My Story” or write a new article.

Thursday: Financial and investments related work.

Friday: Promote a product or service to my list, with full review.

Saturday: Reading.

Sunday: Email management and networking.

How does this help?

Where I once would waste time each morning trying to think about what I felt like doing that day, I now just have to look at the list - and start planning my ‘top 3 things’ list.

And by making sure all the important elements of my work find a place on that ‘Day of the Week’ task list, I can be certain that all the work being done is effective, not merely ‘efficient’.

I know revealing what happens ‘behind the screen’ is a poor strategy for magicians. And judging by feedback and astonished questions I get asked by readers, subscribers and clients, I know many think of me as some kind of magician, considering how many things I get done in a typical day.

On two previous occasions, I have blogged in detail about a ‘Day in the Life of Dr.Mani’ - here (2005) and here (2007).

This effectiveness-based approach is what is responsible, in main, for such results. That, and a time management system taught by one of my mentors - and whom I finally convinced to teach and share with others through a book!

The first draft of this book is now done, and we’re looking to make it much better and extensive before launching it to the public. In the meantime, we’re soliciting suggestions and opinions from anyone interested in time management - yes, that includes YOU.

Would you mind sparing a few moments to take a short survey about what you most want to learn about time management, please? Thank you

Time Management Survey - click here