This article was submitted by our friends at Get Staffed Up, a staffing company that provides virtual assistants to law firms and other small businesses to help you free up valuable time and get more done!
Most of our time is consumed with busy work — creating content, answering emails, scheduling meetings, and more. These tasks stress us out and exhaust us, leaving little to no time or energy for high-value work. So how can we reclaim our time and increase our productivity? By applying a simple formula called OI90 (oh-i-ninety).
We have been using this formula to simplify our own to-do lists and avoid being distracted by low-value tasks. By following these three simple steps you’ll be able to decrease time spent on non-income work and increase your productivity on work that matters.
The “O” in the OI90
The office hours are times in the week when executives and managers have the opportunity to answer questions, address concerns, and discuss issues. This encourages employees to approach managers and promotes transparency. For better results, plan the office hours on the same day and time every week, and document issues and opportunities raised. To support hybrid or virtual workspaces, set a recurring Zoom meeting and grant access to one team member at a time.
By having office hours, you establish aspirational communication, promote collaboration goals, and avoid creating and attending unnecessary meetings. Thus, you will save time, boost your productivity and resolve issues efficiently and effectively.
The “I” in the OI90
The issue matrix consists of ten questions that your staff needs to ask themselves before interrupting you. Only if the answer to the questions is YES can they raise the issue at any moment. If the answer is NO, they must wait for the office hours or the weekly 90-minute meeting (discussed next).
Every business has its issues. Whatever the causes of the issues at hand, the success of your business is directly proportionate to your ability to deal with them.
- Will this influence a single purchase of $10,000 or more?
- Will this improve our systems, impact more than $10,000 of sales, or affect our reputation?
- Is it vital to ask me this because I am the only person who knows the answer?
- Has the question already been directed to all other staff members and gone unanswered?
- Is this feedback vital because it could shape the direction of the company?
- Is the person involved a VIP (potential client, important colleague, influencer, industry leader)?
- Does this involve a significant loss of money?
- Is it a significant media opportunity?
- Does this affect my calendar, travel, family, or relationships?
- Does this affect a project I am currently focused on?
The “90” in the OI90
The 90-minute meeting is used by leadership and business experts around the world and follows a strict agenda to make sure meetings are focused and actionable. Here’s what a typical 90-minute team meeting agenda looks like:
- 5 minutes: Each team member shares good news (personal and professional).
- 5 minutes: Review weekly KPIs or scorecards. (Red indicates an ISSUE).
- 5 minutes: Review quarterly objectives or goals. (Off-track indicates an ISSUE).
- 5 minutes: Report any customer or employee headlines.
- 5 minutes: Review the previous week’s tasks/ to-dos list. (Not done could mean an ISSUE).
- 60 minutes: Solve issues by creating to-dos (who does what by when – usually one week).
- 5 minutes: Review the tasks assigned to each member for the next week and rate the meeting.
With this agenda, meetings can have a profound impact on people’s desire to speak up and not waste time because they focus mostly on issues and the bigger picture. It’s essential to decide on a timekeeper and a note-taker who can capture the issues and to-do list items.
The OI90 formula, when implemented correctly, can save you up to 20 hours a week. To download the complete guide for free, please click HERE.
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