To achieve a black belt level of productivity, there are eleven skills to master.
Download the Productivity Levels pdf
Twelve important skills to master for productivity:
1. Capturing – add appointments, tasks, and ideas to a calendar or system
2. Listing – use a to do list and other lists
3. Storing – organize information in files
4. Emptying (digital) – organize and delete email, texts, and voicemails
5. Tossing (physical) – simplify, shred or recycle unneeded papers, donate or throw out unwanted objects
6. Planning – take time to think and prepare
7. Setting priorities – choose very important pursuits
8. Scheduling – include actions toward important tasks that have no deadline
9. Noticing – use reminders and check system regularly
10. Acting – avoid procrastination, use grit, determination, and other strategies to get motivated
11. Focusing – manage distractions and use peak time for important work
12. Reviewing – schedule a regular time to review progress
Evaluate yourself in each of these areas – which level of skill do you have?
1. White Belt – Beginner
2. Green Belt – Novice
3. Brown Belt – Expert
4. Black Belt – Master
White Belt at the white belt level, you:
Rely on memory, let email/voicemail pile up indefinitely, and have difficulty letting anything go. Don’t use a calendar or to-do list, and have no early warning system to trigger actions. Either fail to act or act on the wrong things and don’t complete them. Don’t do a regular review.
Green Belt at the green belt level, you:
Use a mix of memory & scraps of paper, with piles of notes in various places. Email and voicemail are rarely de-cluttered, and some things are tossed occasionally. Attempt to put everything into system, rather than acting on small items immediately. Use folders, can connect item on schedule or list to folder. Can sometimes find needed information. Use calendar for appointments/meetings and maintain a to do list. Sometimes uses alarms, timers, tickler file for reminders. Sometimes check lists/schedule before selecting next task. Have begun to think of how to prevent problems, and do infrequent, unplanned reviews.
Brown Belt at the brown belt level, you:
May have multiple points of capture that are not always available. Have a better systems for notes, and sometimes de-clutter areas. Update and refer to calendar and to do list regularly. Have a good set-up for files and can usually find needed information. Maintain several lists by may fail to monitor them regularly. Often remember to use reminders. Most actions are based on lists or schedule. Are aware of warning triggers, but may fail to notice them. Do frequent planned reviews of contents of system but not the system itself.
Black Belt at the black belt level, you:
Have a paper, electronic, or combination system chosen and use a single device for capture that is always available. Use a calendar for planning, keep essential lists easily accessible, and continually update and refer to them. Can easily find needed information and always looks for things that can be simplified. Files are organized, and essential information is backed up. Are skillful at selecting priorities and taking action on them. Able to see the next step and quickly enter into system. Regularly use many different methods of reminders. Monitor warning triggers regularly. Perform daily reviews of system content and regular system reviews.
- This post was originally inspired by The 2Time Mgt Blog, now 2time-sys.com.
- see also: “Ready to Test for Your Belt?” from MarkTaw.com.
Learn more about productivity skills at Time Management 101.
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