45 Mins Rule…Every workplace should use this!

I’ve just returned from a trip to the UK so forgive me if my writing seems scattered all over the place.

This weeks lesson, as I’m sure you know by now, was centered around using 45 minute blocks of time to increase ones productivity levels.

Oh if only I could have persuaded my boss at my very first supermarket job to let me work 45 minutes then take 15 minutes off…I think I would have lasted more than 6 days at the job.

Unfortunately not all bosses see the benefits of such a fantastic concept.

I do…but can I implement?

Only time will tell….I’ll report back in 45 minutes =)

The struggle with the concept for me is discipline.

A doctor once told me that 9 out of 10 obese people will only change their diets and lifestyle if they are faced with life threatening news. For example…

“Sir, I’m here to inform you if you don’t stop eating your daily 3 bars of chocolate by tomorrow, you will certainly die of a heart attack on 1 week”.

This news would be enough to change an obese individual. Other than that, the person may change for the short term but then would be likely to slip back into old habits.

I too suffer from a lack of urgency and discipline in my business life. I truly want to change this.

Writing for this blog is helping change this character flaw, so I am a step in the right direction.

Last weeks lessons also helped me to identify some passions:

Travel

Windsurfing

I used to windsurf anytime there was wind. Sometimes up to 6 hours per day in the summertime when there was light until 10pm. Today, I barely windsurf…partly due to where I live (1h 20m away from a generally windless coastline), but mainly due to laziness.

Traveling can only be revisted once the financial issue have been resolved. I like to have money to do fun things when I travel. If I’m watching every penny then I’m inclined not to travel at all. Those all inclusive hotels in Benidorm just don’t do it for me.

Another question poised in last weeks lesson was:

“If I had to relate my business to a person, what would that person be like?” (or something similar)

Answer: A lackadaisical 1st year college student who is more interested in keeping up on the latest beer deals than finding out what career choices interest him.

I’m not a drinker but I have been more interested in being distracted by other things than focusing on life goal discovery.

Hopefully this goal discovery will become clearer in the next 24+ weeks.

After reading some of my fellow bloggers posts this week, I took action:

1. Unsubscribed from all the distracting email sales pitches from Internet Marketers

2. Unsubscribed from as much spam as possible

3. Unsubscribed from various IM newsletters (I only kept 2 of the very best)

When I started to add up how much time it was taking to go through all these emails, even just to delete them, it was surprising. I estimated I was spending an hour or more a week on these usual emails. Once in a while, a gem product will be offered but most other offers are distractions that will suck away our time and our money.

This week, I also realized how very lucky I am.

I am in no means a successful IM’er but I do have an original product that sells. This gives me motivation to carry on.

I also believe that the printed book business it a great way to earn extra income and urge anyone looking to create their own IM product to look into the possibilities.

‘Till next time

- Laurence

Laurence Samuels

Laurence Samuels is a blogger for the Online Marketing MBA. Follow my journey weekly and use the comments below to ask me questions. Visit Orlando Web Design to learn more about my business site.