“A gourmet food store. The store managers have set up a table where customers can sample imported jams for free. One day, the table showcases 6 different jams. Another day, 24 jams. As you’d expect, the 24-jam display attracts more customers to stop by for a sample – but when it comes time to buy, they can’t make a decision. Shoppers who saw only 6 jams on display are 10 times more likely to buy a jar of jam.”

The authors are discussing information overload, decision paralysis, and what writer Barry Schwartz calls The Paradox of Choice. At a certain point, Schwartz says, “choice no longer liberates, it debilitates.”

So what’s the relevance of this to improved productivity? To becoming Time Savvy? It’s this: We all have dozens, if not hundreds, of options on the table of our “to-do list” at any one time. But if we don’t narrow the scope of choices by setting aside time to plan, prioritize, and schedule a subset of those options, we’re more likely to feel overwhelmed by them. And when we feel overwhelmed (even if unconsciously), all kinds of bad things happen. For example, procrastination and stress increase, while confidence and effectiveness decrease.

So start your day by limiting the number jams on your table given your “white space” for the day (i.e., the otherwise unscheduled time on your calendar). You’re far more likely to get more of those things done.

Remember, if you try to keep all of your to-do’s in your head as open loops (instead of narrowing them down realistically), you’re keeping way too many options on the table. You’ll scan them mentally, but it’ll be harder to make the commitment to take action.

But, in order to be our best, we need to learn how to manage the flood of fragmented information and the frenzy of instant accessibility. To serve our clients most effectively, to nurture our personal relationships, to think clearly about what matters most, to tend our health and happiness, we need to learn when and how to disengage from the grid – even if for short amounts of time.

So this week, try to do some of the following: turn off your email alerts (or leave your email program closed for 2 hours each afternoon). If you subscribe to blogs, newsfeeds, etc, set them to come in once a week instead of once a day. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb for an hour or two while working on a particularly important pleading or contract.

Try turning off your cell phone when you get home in the evening (or at least during dinner). Turn off your phone when you’re at your kid’s game. Or turn off your computer early one or two nights a week and get back to a hobby or a family activity you used to enjoy (or don’t spend as much time with as you’d like).

By unplugging your communications technology for even short amounts of time, you’ll gain focus (by reducing interruptions) and presence (the experience of being in the moment more fully).

Unless we establish attitudinal and behavioral boundaries to protect ourselves from the downside of the “always-on” milieu, we’re at the mercy of the “technological imperative.” Life is brief enough as it is. You can slow it down here and there (and reap the benefits of doing so), by selectively unplugging from the grid.

Here two important questions to ask of yourself:
1. What do I have to do differently to be on time?
2. What can my staff do differently to help me be on time?

And lest the question go unasked: Why should you strive to be on time with clients, prospects, fellow counsel and staff? Because being on time builds credibility and trust. Being on time also builds your confidence to ask and expect it of others. Conversely, being late creates a negative external impression in people outside of your office, and it lowers morale among your colleagues and staff when they can’t trust your word about when you’ll be somewhere or when a meeting will start.

When you’re punctual, you’re less stressed, more organized, and in greater control. And when you’re all of these things, your overall mastery of time-related activities improves as well – (e.g., getting your bills out on time, or estimating how long something’s going to take to complete).

We’re talking here about appointments and meetings that you initiate or agree to with someone, whether in person or by phone, whether formally or informally.

Here are four tips to help you improve your punctuality:
1. Use calendar reminders and alarms in Outlook or whatever you use for your calendar. Some appointments only require a 5 minute reminder (if you’re placing a call, for instance) or a longer reminder depending on the circumstances (such as travel requirements).
2. Let your staff know that you’re working on your punctuality. Have your assistant remind you of what’s coming up on your calendar. Ask your staff how they can help you be more punctual.
3. Check the words that come out of your mouth, and revise them in the moment if necessary. “I’ll call you back in five minutes . . . . I’ll head down to your office at 11:15. . . . I’ll meet you there at 4.” Of course, the goal is to have the first words out of your mouth be accurate and achievable, but better that you adjust right then and there with the person than not meet your commitment later.
4. Don’t schedule appointments back to back without taking into account transition time (whether that’s travel time or prep time).

When you’re scheduling appointments (or making verbal commitments to be somewhere or call someone) on court days, let those folks know it’s a court day for you (or a depo day, etc), and that you might be constrained by those requirements. They’ll understand and accept that if they’re warned in advance.

Finally, what about meetings you don’t initiate but have to attend? If they start late, practice the skill of letting the organizer know that you’ll have to leave at a specific time. While this can be tricky, you can learn to do it graciously and remain in control of your time. Because, as we know, if you’re not in control of your time, other people are.

Accurately projecting the amount of time something can take is a well-calibrated science when the task at hand is broken down into its components.  Before you begin a project or task, first ask yourself if you have all of the elements that you need to complete it.  Are there any other resources that you should have on hand?  Are there any associates, clients, or specialists with whom you need to consult?

When you are sure you have everything you need, break down the task into its separate parts.  In the case of exhibits for depositions, this might entail checking the chain of custody on each exhibit or putting post-its on the relevant pages of a contract.   How many separate tasks can your project be broken down into?  How long will each of these parts take realistically?   Once you’ve added up the time for all the different parts of the project, add 25% more time to your overall estimate.  That way, if you hit a snag, you’ll have already accounted for it in your time budget.

You may find you no longer have a big enough block to completely finish your task from start to finish.  No matter.  When filling in your white space during your morning planning, write down in your calendar which next actions you’ll be taking that particular day.  When you finish those sub-tasks in the amount of time you projected, you’ll still feel a sense of completion.

With outsourcing becoming more acceptable, hiring virtual assistants (VA’s) is a growing trend.  For many attorneys, the first step in using one is overcoming the fear of not having real-time access.  Don’t worry; you will.  With tools like Skype, a free video-conferencing program, and file access sharing programs, you can easily communicate with your VA whenever you need to.

And virtual assistants are cost-efficient. There are no taxes to pay, no FICA, no worker’s comp, no unemployment insurance or other typical costs.  In most cases, you won’t have to worry about buying software or fixing hardware since a good VA comes fully equipped and ready to go.

Most of all, a virtual assistant can free you and your staff up to do other more pressing tasks.  Remember, it’s a fundamental principal of attorney time management that if it doesn’t require a law degree, you shouldn’t be doing it.

Interested in hiring an experienced virtual assistant?  To see what’s possible, check out http://www.tvlai.com/