Try this brilliant time management trick that Google uses

Try this brilliant time management trick that Google usesTry this brilliant time management trick that Google usesGoogle welches once again named the best company in the United States to work for in 2017, in Fortune Magazines widely-watched ranking.Every time Google gets a mention, another round of speculation starts what makes the company a favorite of many employees? Some people say its the culture some say its the slides, free food, and bright colors.We propose another reason.One of Googles most famous employee perks is that employees can use 20% of their time to work on individual projects, giving employees time to maintain work productivity while avoiding burn out.And its paid off that one unstructured day a week has led to some of the Googles most successful and profitable innovations - Gmail, Google News, AdSense, Google Reader, among many others.In their 2004 founders letter, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin even explicitly cited the 20% time policy, saying that when employees are free to pursue projects they are passionate about and think will benefit Google, it can lead to innovation that becomes a core parte of the companys identity.And it can work for you.Doing something you like makes your work betterWith the 20% time policy as well as on-site chefs and doctors, Google knows how to make employees feel special, pampered, stimulated, well-fed - and eager to work hard, said Fortune in its100 best companies to work for in 2017listing on March 9.20% time in particular has been widely imitated by other organizations.In 2012, Apple introduced the Blue Sky perk for select employees to spend a few weeks of their time on pet projects.LinkedIn created InCubator for employees to spend 30 to 90 days to develop individual prototypes that could be judged and tested later.Its even moved beyond Silicon Valley.Educator A.J. Juliani authored a book on how you could adopt 20% time to classrooms and give our students a voice in their own learning path, a nd allow them to go into depth in subjects that we may skim over in our curriculum.When 20% time becomes 120% of your timeDespite all the acclaim and adoption 20% time received, in 2013, Quartz reported that even Google itself effectively killed the perk off because what had once been a right for all employees, now required manager approval. And since managers are judged by the productivity of their teams through an internal analytics system that doesnt take 20% time into account, they are discouraged from signing off on the perk.As one anonymous Googler put it, I work at Google and leise have 20% time. Its called Saturday.Ex-Yahoo CEO and former Googler Marissa Meyer once bluntly told her Yahoo employees seeking the perk that, Ive got to tell you the dirty little secret of Googles 20% time. Its really 120% time. Google later disputed the Quartz report, saying 20% time off was alive and well.But in the back-and-forth between the company line and what anonymous and public Google empl oyees were saying, what becomes clear is the paradox that if you wanted that free time off, you would need to work for it the rest of your work wont wait.But for driven, creative employees who need unstructured time to incubate their wild ideas, theyll find a way.Ryan Tate, who authored The 20% Doctrine How Tinkering, Goofing Off, and Breaking the Rules Drive Success in Business, is still a believer in the concept 20% time has always operated on a somewhat ad hoc basis, providing an outlet for the companys brightest, most restless, and most persistent employees - for people determined to see an idea through to completion, come hell or high water.Tates key point having the idea doesnt make 20% time the perfect answer. You still need to see the project through to completion. Gmail was a 20% time idea from engineer Paul Buchheit, but it still took him two and a half years to convince the company that there was value in moving beyond search.If 20% time is too much, try 10% or just 5%De spite the disputed reputation 20% time now has, I still believe in its value. Earlier this year, I attended a transformative leadership seminar Poynter created for digital journalists from diverse backgrounds.One of the lectures I listened to was given by Poynters Katie Hawkins-Gaar, where I first learned about the concept of 20% time. In a newsroom world of deadlines and bottom lines, 20% time can be too much of a sell. An entire day in the news cycle can mean missing something huge.So Hawkins-Garr participated in a smaller trial andrang of 5% time at CNN iReport. Thats only two hours.Those two hours proved invaluable for reflection, brainstorming and team morale.Ideas are the best currency in any organization, and using any version of 20% time off empowers individuals to experiment. Thats what those hours can give us - space and time to try and fail with all your wild ideas until theyre ready to see the light of day.This article was originally published on March 9, 2017.Try this brilliant time management trick that Google usesGoogle was once again named the best company in the Unites States to work for in 2017, in Fortune Magazines widely-watched ranking.Every time Google gets a mention, another round of speculation starts what makes the company a favorite of many employees? Some people say its the culture some say its the slides, free food and bright colors.We propose another reason.One of Googles most famous employee perks is that employees can use 20% of their time to work on individual projects, giving employees time to maintain work productivity while avoiding burn out.And its paid off that one unstructured day a week has led to some of the Googles most successful and profitable innovations- Gmail, Google News, AdSense, Google Reader, among many others.In their 2004 founders letter, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin even explicitly cited the 20% time policy, saying that when employees are free to pursue projects they are passionate about an d think will benefit Google, it can lead to innovation that becomes a core part of the companys identity.And it can work for you.Doing something you like makes your work betterWith the 20% time policy as well as on-site chefs and doctors, Google knows how to make employees feel special, pampered, stimulated, well-fed- and eager to work hard, said Fortune in its100 best companies to work for in 2017listing on March 9.20% time in particular has been widely imitated by other organizations.In 2012, Apple introduced the Blue Sky perk for select employees to spend a few weeks of their time on pet projects.LinkedIn created InCubator for employees to spend 30 to 90 days to develop individual prototypes that could be judged and tested later.Its even moved beyond Silicon Valley.Educator A.J. Juliani authored a book on how you could adapt 20% time to classrooms and give our students a voice in their own learning path, and allow them to go into depth in subjects that we may skim over in our cur riculum.When 20% time becomes 120% of your timeDespite all the acclaim and adoption 20% time received, in 2013, Quartz reported that even Google itself effectively killed the perk off because what had once been a right for all employees, now required manager approval. And since managers are judged by the productivity of their teams through an internal analytics system that doesnt take 20% time into account, they are discouraged from signing off on the perk.As one anonymous Googler put it, I work at Google and still have 20% time. Its called Saturday.Ex-Yahoo CEO and former Googler Marissa Meyer once bluntly told her Yahoo employees seeking the perk that, Ive got to tell you the dirty little secret of Googles 20% time. Its really 120% time. Google later disputed the Quartz report, saying 20% time off was alive and well.But in the back-and-forth between the company line and what anonymous and public Google employees were saying, what becomes clear is the paradox that if you wanted tha t free time off, you would need to work for it the rest of your work wont wait.But for driven, creative employees who need unstructured time to incubate their wild ideas, theyll find a way.Ryan Tate, who authored The 20% Doctrine How Tinkering, Goofing Off, and Breaking the Rules Drive Success in Business, is still a believer in the concept 20% time has always operated on a somewhat ad hoc basis, providing an outlet for the companys brightest, most restless, and most persistent employees - for people determined to see an idea through to completion, come hell or high water.Tates key point having the idea doesnt make 20% time the perfect answer. You still need to see the project through to completion. Gmail was a 20% time idea from engineer Paul Buchheit, but it still took him two and a half years to convince the company that there was value in moving beyond search.If 20% time is too much, try 10% or just 5%Despite the disputed reputation 20% time now has, I still believe in its valu e. Earlier this year, I attended a transformative leadership seminar Poynter created for digital journalists from diverse backgrounds.One of the lectures I listened to was given by Poynters Katie Hawkins-Gaar, where I first learned about the concept of 20% time. In a newsroom world of deadlines and bottom lines, 20% time can be too much of a sell. An entire day in the news cycle can mean missing something huge.So Hawkins-Garr participated in a smaller trial run of 5% time at CNN iReport. Thats only two hours.Those two hours proved invaluable for reflection, brainstorming and team morale.Ideas are the best currency in any organization, and using any version of 20% time off empowers individuals to experiment. Thats what those hours can give us- space and time to try and fail with all your wild ideas until theyre ready to see the light of day.