1. Gathering Information
There are a couple of fundamental reasons why you feel that you need more time: Either you actually have too much to do each day, or you allow yourself to be distracted and don’t get the things done that you know that you should.
First, you will need to write down where your time goes each day. Some people would call this a time audit and it can be effective at bringing your unique distractions into the light so you can deal with them. (There are even apps for smartphones to help keep track of your time for you, which I find just a little ironic.)
Observe what you are doing during your work day and pay attention to the routine, rituals, habits and activities that are harming your business and effectiveness. Write them down.
Identify interruptions and distractions that you cannot directly control that could be lessened, avoided, or eliminated by being more proactive. Write them down, too. You want to handle these things before they become emergencies.
Here are a few examples to get you started:
Situations: Traffic or road conditions, weather, job cancellations, crises, emergencies, rework, repairs.
Tasks & Functions: Paperwork, administrative functions, bookkeeping or accounting, jobs you hate to do, tasks you’re not good at.
Habits: Excuses, rationalizing, procrastination, wrong priorities, piling on too much work, unreasonable expectations, getting distracted, lack of focus, disorganization, self-discipline, accountability, mindset, self-defeating beliefs and actions, self-sabotage.
Distractions: Some phone calls, phone notifications, some email, web surfing, personal errands.
Interruptions: Unexpected and unimportant calls and texts, long phone calls, chit-chat, phone notifications.
States of mind: Stress, frustration, worry, fear, indecision, anger, guilt.
Did you notice that the majority of the examples above are habits? As much as you’d probably like to blame other things, the majority of your time issues may be related to your own habits and discipline. This is where you should start, although it may seem hard.
So I think you would agree that time management is really about self-management. The habits and rituals that you have, plus the way you manage situations and make decisions all lead to a feeling that you could have done more, or that you need to do more.
So how do you develop the discipline and self-management needed to be more effective or get more accomplished in less time?
You’ll need to:
You have already made a positive move toward fixing this critical area of your business and personal life by taking action and getting this book. I commend you on your effort to change and encourage you to stick with it. But in addition to the above you will need to do some serious observation and introspection.
When you look at your situation, you should try to remove the emotions and feelings that you associate to each of your challenges. You may feel guilty about procrastinating. You may feel unhappiness or shame for not doing more or being able to figure it all out. You don’t do anything about it because it causes you pain or discomfort.
The key - when looking at your current situation - is to be detached and unemotional about these habits and actions you’re currently engaged in. Be objective and practical in your approach and analysis. And deal with them appropriately.
Where you do want to apply the strong emotions and feelings is in your personal motives for making the changes. Think about the way you will feel when this area or situation is handled. Imagine the happiness you’ll experience when you have more time to spend with friends and family. Also, think of times you have made fundamental changes in habits and routines to accomplish something before this. This will help to get you started.
You will also need some real motivation to keep you going. Without the big reason why you need to change your habits, it probably won’t happen for you. Without the who you’re doing it all for - those most important to you - it will be all too easy to fall back to the comfortable old ways of doing things. It just seems too hard to change. Again, by applying deep emotions and feelings to your reasons, you will have a greater chance to make the changes.
Find what truly motivates you and use that to get things done. Chances are that it’s pain, pleasure, or pain avoidance that gets you to take action. So use that knowledge to help you get your time management under control, and use it to your own advantage.
The fear of the unknown or fear of change is a very big thing for many people. It’s necessary to shake things up and get out of your comfort zone as much as possible to experience real growth and change. I tell my clients that if it feels uncomfortable then it’s probably worth looking at a little closer. If there is positive outcome and low-risk, then they should probably do it. The point being that if you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always got.
I am not suggesting that you make risky or crazy moves in your life or business, but to sit in one place and not change, or grow, or learn new or even try is a sure recipe for disaster and could lead to stagnation and unhappiness. To talk yourself out of things before they have even happened is a real shame. What you’re doing isn’t working, and a break in the routine is probably what you need to set you back on your heels a bit and make you aware of what does and doesn’t work.