Ever Feel Like Time Slips Through Your Fingers?
“Time management.” We toss that phrase around like it's some magic solution to our problems. But let's be real – who among us hasn't felt the panicked scramble when deadlines loom or the sinking feeling as we waste hours staring at the ceiling (or scrolling through social media posts looking at the cute dogs and cats) instead of doing something productive?
I know I have!
The thing is, everyone talks about being organized and focused; however, it's more complicated than just slapping some dates into a fancy planner. True time management is a skill, one you've got to learn and consistently practice, like playing the guitar or learning to bake the perfect lasagna.
So, Where Do I Even Start?
The first step is figuring out where those precious hours actually go. Picture yourself as a time detective, uncovering how your minutes turn into hours that turn into days.
For a couple of days, track your activities. No need to be super-detailed – stuff like "worked on presentation," "scrolled through Facebook," or "got lost in a Netflix marathon" will do.
Download my complimentary Time Log Exercise to help you and your team members be even more time efficient, so you are in a higher probability position to achieve your goals by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/time-log/. Simple instructions come with this exercise to help you know how to complete the time log.
Once you've got the evidence, look for patterns. Are there time-sucking culprits lurking in your day? Maybe social media is your kryptonite, or maybe your team interrupts you all the time, or maybe starting a task without a clear plan leaves you floundering.
This is about awareness, not about beating yourself up. Time management isn't about perfection, but it is about seeing things clearly so you can make even better choices.
Time Blocking: The Not-So-Secret Weapon
Heard of time blocking? It's a lifesaver. Basically, instead of a never-ending to-do list, you divide your day into chunks of time and assign specific tasks to each of those time blocks. Think of it like building your day with Lego blocks.
Here's a quick peek at what it might look like:
6:00 AM – 6:15 AM: Mediate, Gratitude Attitude for the day6:15 AM – 7:00 AM: Exercise, Stretching7:00 AM – 7:30 AM: Shower7:30 AM – 8:00 AM: Breakfast 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM: Team Meeting – Set priorities and focus for the day9:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Deep work on project X (no distractions!)10:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Client Acquisition / Revenue Generation Work11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Answer important emails 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch – stretch, walk, meditate1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Client Acquisition / Revenue Generation Work2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Client Service / High Payoff Activities3:00 PM – 3:15 PM: Break – stretch, walk, pushups against the wall, power nap4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Answer important emails 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM: Close out the day and prepare for the next day
See the difference? It's focused, it's planned, and it's got built-in breaks to stop your brain from getting fried.
Now, this isn't about being a robot. Stuff happens, and emergencies pop up. The trick is to be flexible, not rigid. If you have an unexpected crisis, reschedule your time blocks, and don't abandon the whole system.
For more information on time blocking your calendar for maximum effectiveness, check out an article I wrote by going to https://bit.ly/Time_Blocking.
Pro-tip: Color-code your time blocks for extra motivation. Maybe work is blue, personal activities are green, and breaks get a cheerful yellow. Sounds silly, but it works very, very well!
A Word on Prioritizing
"Everything is important!" Yeah, I feel you. But that's where prioritizing is key. Remember this famous quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower: "What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important."
It basically means the loudest, most pressing tasks aren't always the ones that move you towards your big goals. Before you dive in, consider:
Impact: Will this task have a big effect on my life or work?Deadline: Is there a real due date I can't miss?Effort: How long will this take, and is it worth the time investment?
The Biggest Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)
Let's talk about a few areas where you may tend to fall off the time management wagon, so you can work on changing how you leverage your valuable time.
· Distractions
Our phones, inboxes, and YouTube siren songs are like time-warping black holes. Use apps that block distracting websites or go hardcore and put your phone in another room during deep work sessions.
· Saying Yes to Everything
It's okay to say NO! Actually, get comfortable saying ‘No’ more often. Don't over commit and please learn to politely decline requests that don't align with your goals and your values.
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that successful people say no to almost everything.” –Warren Buffett
· Procrastination
That monster rears its ugly head for all of us. Break big tasks into smaller, less intimidating steps to make them feel doable. Or try the "5-minute rule" – tell yourself you'll work on something for just five minutes. Often, that's all you need to get started. Once you are started, you then keep going.
Download my complimentary Guide to Stopping Procrastination, Helping You Create Your Ideal Business and Ideal Lifeby going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/stop-procrastination.
“Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time.” – Jim Rohn
You Versus the Clock – Who Really Wins?
Time management isn't about cramming a million things into your day, feeling stressed, and STILL being behind. According to a study on time management published in Harvard Business Review, effective planning leads to reduced stress and improved work performance. So, oddly enough, being smart about your time can give you more time in the long run.
And here's the best part: it makes space for what truly matters. Instead of feeling constantly frazzled, you will find time for hobbies you forgot you loved or for simply chilling out without guilt.
Think of it like this: time is your most valuable currency. How are you going to spend it?
"One of the few things that can't be recycled is wasted time."
- Sean Covey
Ready to Give This a Shot?
Remember, it's a journey, not a sprint. Start with these small steps:
Track your time: See where your hours vanish. Use the Time Log exercise.Work on time blocking: Even if it's just for part of your day. Read the time blocking article, I mentioned earlier.Prioritize ruthlessly: Ask yourself those tough questions about what really matters.
To help you and your team be even more time efficient, use my Prioritized Action List (PAL). This is a list of everything you have to do, so you don’t have sticky notes, pieces of scrap paper laying around, or things in your head that you are trying to remember or are afraid you will forget. Everything on the list is in a priority order – hence the name – so you are more focused and on target to getting the most important tasks/activities done every single day. Some contact management to-do lists can be customized to be more like my Prioritized Action List, which I think makes your list easier to tackle.
Download my Free Sample Prioritized Action List (PAL) that everyone in your office can use, if you don’t already have something, by going to https://www.accountabilitycoach.com/pal-sample/.
You got this! And here's one of my favorite quotes to leave you with, by Seneca, an ancient philosopher dude who was surprisingly wise about time: "It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it." Let's be smarter about our time, shall we?
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I’m the author of many books, including, Excuses Don’t Count; Results Rule, Live Life with No Regrets, No Excuses, The Guide to Stopping Procrastination, The Power of Visualization, My Gratitude Journal, the Work Life Balance Emergency Kit, and The Roadmap To Success with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, and more.
Aim for what you want each and every day!
Anne Bachrach
The Accountability Coach™
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