Time Flies
How many times do we hear from those around us that “they don’t have enough time”?
There are 52 weeks in a year, 7 days in a week, 24 hours in day, 60 minutes in an hour. Everyone gets the same amount of time. It’s less about managing time – and more about managing ourselves better.
There is a misconception that activity equals productivity. There are many very busy unproductive business owners. It is not uncommon to hear from business owners that they are too busy to plan, to put systems in place, to organize, or to train – as they are too busy running an inefficient business.
Here are some simple ways to take a look at how you manage yourself and make sure that you are doing the right activity in the right way and check that what you are doing is leading you to your goals
1. Create Worthwhile Goals
The first step to managing yourself better is to have clearly written goals that are true priorities in your life. If they are not priorities you will find yourself attracted the newest “shiny thing” that appears in your life.
2. Conduct a Time Study
There’s a saying that says, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”. Most of us have no clue on how we really spend our time. For one week record everything you do in 15 minute segments. At the end of the week categorize each task to see where you are spending most of your time. Look carefully at where you are spending your time and the value of your time. First determine, what activities you can eliminate, what activities you can delegate, then determine what activities you can begin that will move you closer to your goals.
3. Schedule the Big Rocks
In order to be really productive we have to focus on the “big rocks” in our lives and do them first and all the little stuff will fall into place. By determining our worthwhile goals we are picking our big rocks. Be sure to schedule these into your calendar first – creating blocks of time to do the things that will move you forward. By scheduling the big rocks your calendar is less likely to fill up with the next “shiny thing” that comes your way.
When you learn how to invest your time and not spend it, you will be more productive. Remember, time is your most valuable asset. Once you’ve spent it, it’s gone forever.
YOUR CHALLENGE: Pick one thing to do, set goals, conduct a time study or schedule the big rocks. This will be one step forward in managing yourself better and making the most of your time.
If you would like to learn more about how this might apply to your business, let’s talk:
