STOP HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON ON YOUR LIFE!
Time – it’s one of the most precious things we have and yet we often use it so carelessly. Take a moment to consider how you spend your time – are you using it wisely or are you spending time on busy work that isn’t truly productive?
I’ll let you in on a little secret: there’s no such thing as time management. I know, that’s crazy talk, right? Here’s the deal: time is an elusive, always changing thing – you can’t really manage it. What you can manage is yourself. Most people assume that because they’re semi-successful or have goals that everything will magically fall into place. Not so. Think about how your life would change if you had 2 additional hours in every day to spend as you pleased. What would you do with that time? What if I told you that you could get that time?
Most of us are misusing and abusing our time like an old pair of gym shoes. We lack respect for our time so it slips away quietly until we realize that we never seem to have enough of it. I’ve always considered myself a “productive” person, but I recently came to the realization that e-mail is a huge time sap for me. Every time my Blackberry’s little red light was flashing, I immediately picked it up to see what was incoming. This compulsive habit was distracting and draining my time. I’ve decided to limit my e-mail usage to three times per day: first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon, and just before bed. There are few e-mails that I’ll receive that will be so urgent that they cannot wait (unless it’s Zappos announcing that new Stuart Weitzman pumps came in). What is your time sap? Is it the phone? Do you look up after an unexpected phone call and wonder where the time went? Maybe your time sap is Facebook, long lunches, or poor planning. Whatever it is, get a handle on it and you’ll have more time for the things that are important to you.
Here are more tips for maximizing your time:
Map out the day on paper before you begin. Planning the day’s activities is a great way to improve efficiency. Time is often wasted wandering aimlessly from one activity to the next. Setting an intention for the day is a powerful way to get clear on your purpose and be sure that your activities are productive, not just busy. Plan 60% of your day then leave 20% for unanticipated developments and 20% for a buffer.
Make lists. Lists are a productive person's friend. Think about the amount of energy you spend trying to remember a grocery list or trying to remember to send an email, feed the dog, and grab your phone before you rush out the door. A list frees up your mental energy to be used on something more important. Use lists as miniature assistants that keep you on track and remind you of the details.
Budget time with people. Networking is important. We need to create and maintain relationships with people. As you begin to assess how you’re spending your time, think about the return on the investment of spending time with certain people. In his book, The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson noted that there are people you should spend 2 minutes with and others you should spend 2 hours with. The key is to know who is who. Be honest with yourself about whether you are growing, flourishing, and expanding in the presence of those you spend your time with and make adjustments accordingly.
Get organized. Are you spending hours and hours trying to find things? Organization is essential to moving quickly from task to task. Clear the clutter from your home, car, and office, and not only will you be thinking more clearly, you’ll observe that it’s easier to find things. Form the habit of putting things in their proper place once you’re done using them.
Freeing up time in your schedule means more time to do the things you love and spend time with your favorite people. Remember that your time, like your body, is a gift. Unlike money, once we spend our time, we can’t get it back so always spend wisely.
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