Tim Ferriss' 4 Hour Work Week is a wildly successful book teaching "lifestyle design" built around a low-maintenance sole proprietorship that allows the owner to travel the world. It's an inspirational book if a bit unrealistic. Buried within, though, are some fantastic ideas.
As an example, Ferriss covers the concept of Time Management and suggests a slightly radical approach. To summarize, I'd call it "batching." Ferriss produces data to support the generally accepted hypothesis that multitasking is actually a drain on performance. First, eliminate any activities that are not productive. In doing this, Ferriss advises considering the P focusing on the 20% of activities that produce the 80% of results. After eliminating whatever one can from the 80% of activities that produce 20% of the results (things that can be delegated), Ferriss advises further removing the multitasking ("context switching") by batching similar tasks.
I find that when I'm able to successfully defend a block of time, and I ignore my ringing phone during that time to continue focusing on the task at hand, I actually get the planning done that I'm being paid for. Shocking!
Ferriss suggests that "In a digital world, creating time therefore hinges on minimizing e-mail." He advises that corporate employees setup a schedule of two times per day when they will check and reply to email, and setting up an autoresponder to inform people that email will not reach him until those times. He's available by phone for emergencies, but by limiting access people think twice before contacting by phone. And finally if someone does call, Ferriss answers with "This is Tim, how can I help you?" to guide people to the point quickly.
I cannot implement this in my current position, but I have found other ways to "batch." I actively set aside blocks of time for certain tasks to allow myself to get "in the zone," then perform the brainwork required, then switch tasks to the meeting following the block of time. When possible, I decline other meeting requests during the block. Unfortunately I am overbooked already-per the link above at Coding Horror, even with 2 major projects I've already lost 20% of my work time to context switching. (I gain it back by working extended hours, but I digress.)
So my interpretation is that while everyone's job situation is a little bit different, it pays to make a conscious effort to batch similar activities when possible because the payoff on time management is more effective use of time.
