Five tips, techniques and tricks of the trade for 2018

Derek Arden, a great mate of mine, is a negotiation expert and in my opinion the best in the world by longshot.

The tips below really do make a heap of sense and are taken from the January edition of his newsletter (to subscribe email derek@derekarden.co.uk).

• The 17 minute rule – Set your alarm for 17 minutes to rapidly concentrate on one task without a break. No interruptions, no email, no text messages. Put the pressure on yourself to get it done.
• The five minute meeting rule – Limit your meetings to 5 minutes. You will be amazed what effect this has on you and your colleagues.

• Book your holidays out now – We all need quality time out and rest. Even though you might check your emails and your phone like I do. It cuts down the amount of catching up time we have to do and also means in my case I don’t miss a client or a speaking opportunity.
• Use the 80/20 rule – 20% of what we do accounts for 80% of the results. Refocus your attention on what matters. It’s a great time management tool.
• Read books, go and listen to wise people. People who have experience, have been there and done it. There is nothing like wisdom. Wisdom comes with experience, trying different things and making mistakes. Why re-invent the wheel if you can use other people’s experiences.

Derek and I recorded a chat recently which I’m sure you will find most interesting. Here is a link to it.