{"id":68,"date":"2011-10-07T10:02:52","date_gmt":"2011-10-07T16:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/?p=68"},"modified":"2011-10-07T10:02:52","modified_gmt":"2011-10-07T16:02:52","slug":"expert-witness-powerful-time-tip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/expert-witness-powerful-time-tip\/","title":{"rendered":"Expert Witness Powerful Time Tip"},"content":{"rendered":"

The purpose of this short note is to share with those of you who also do expert witness or construction related litigation work a little yet powerful time tip that comes from Benjamin Franklin in advice given to a young tradesman in 1748. <\/p>\n

Franklin said: “Time must be explicitly managed, just like money.”<\/p>\n

We all know this principle, talk about it a lot, but seldom do anything more specific about it than give it simple lip service and lament that we haven\u2019t reached our billable hour quota for the day, week or month. <\/p>\n

Yet would it not be a blessing in our lives, if we were able to accomplish more in less time and be able to profit from the billable labors, instead of procrastinating by doing meaningless non billable tasks. <\/p>\n

As an expert witness in construction litigation, a majority of my income is based upon billable time. That involves long hours devoted to gathering of facts by reading construction plans, documents, depositions and then writing reports. And although I love the challenge and process of unraveling the mystery of each new case, when I am given a new box of documents that weighs 10 to 15 pounds, I become the world\u2019s BEST procrastinator. I just can\u2019t seem to get interested enough in the project to get started on it, although I recognize that box of documents represents a big chunk of change for my company and its pocket book.
\nI see the box of documents and initially dread the many, many long hours ahead. The box appears to be overwhelming. It represents a supersized challenge or responsibility which makes it difficult for me to get started. I can think of more than 100 other things that at the moment seem far more important, even if I don\u2019t get a single billable hour for doing them.<\/p>\n

In taking Benjamin Franklin\u2019s advice to heart, I found a simple little system that helps me get the most out of my expert witness in construction billable work day. It starts by:
\n\u2022\tWorking on the priority task for 25 minutes straight, then take a 4 to 6 minute break.
\n\u2022\tI time the 25 minutes with my smart phone clock timer.
\n\u2022\tI focus during the 25 minutes strictly on the task at hand.
\n\u2022\tI do not allow myself to be interrupted with phone calls or text messages.
\n\u2022\tWhen the timer rings, I reward myself by taking a short break, returning phone calls, text messages or emails \u2013 but only for 4 to 6 minutes.
\n\u2022\tThe side benefit of doing the non revenue producing activities during the 4 to 6 minutes is that they get done quicker and I have more time to work on billable activities.
\n\u2022\tAt the completion of the 4 to 6 minutes \u2013 I start a new 25 minute segment.
\n\u2022\tAfter completing four – 25 minutes segments, I take a half hour break, get up, walk around and relax my mind. This half hour break is refreshing.
\n\u2022\tWhen I return to the billable task, I am more productive.<\/p>\n

I have found that by managing my time by focusing on the task at hand in small 25 minute increments gives me the opportunity to accomplish more billable hours during a given workday. My work product is more accurate and I no longer dread the big 10 to 15 pound box of billable opportunity.<\/p>\n

If you are involved in expert witness work and construction litigation and have a tendency to procrastinate when given the big box of opportunities, then try this simple system as explained. See if it makes a difference in your life, as it has in mine.<\/p>\n

Eugene Peterson
\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The purpose of this short note is to share with those of you who also do expert witness or construction related litigation work a little yet powerful time tip that comes from Benjamin Franklin in advice given to a young tradesman in 1748. 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