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More time is the most valuable commodity any of us has, so it is appropriate that we examine ways to use time management to make the most of the time available to us.
Think about it. Unlike other commodities, time is something we all get in equal measure. Every living person gets exactly 24 hours a day, no more and no less. Regardless of our economic, social or intellectual status, whether we are old, young or somewhere in between, we are allotted the same amount of hours per day and that cannot be changed.
Why am I emphasizing this point?
Of all the feedback that comes my way from clients, newsletter subscribers and blog visitors, the one question I here most often is, “how can I get more done in a day?” That’s a Chrono-management question if I ever heard one. Here are a few partial quotes, “…trying to do everything all at once,” “… getting overwhelmed by committing to too many things,” and, “there never seems to be enough time.” Do you ever feel that way?
With the ever-increasing demands being put on our time and energy, it’s no wonder that people feel overwhelmed. So, how can we deal with it?
Take a realistic approach to more time management
There are a few simple strategies I can suggest that will provide a measure of relief. To keep things realistic though, we need to remember that there actually is a limit to what can be accomplished in 24 hours. Nobody gets a 25-hour day, so with that in mind, let’s acknowledge that limiting the number of things we try to pack into a day is a necessary skill we would all do well to develop.
If we habitually spread ourselves too thin, we will be unable to accomplish anything effectively. This just adds to the problem, and increases the pressure we feel to get more done. Avoid this trap by learning to set reasonable limits and focusing on the task at hand.
Now that we’ve acknowledged that we are working within certain limits beyond our control, we see the need for some effective time management skills. With that in mind, let’s examine some areas where we do have a measure of control.
5 ways to improve our use of time
1) Decide which activities will get top priority.
2) Limit distractions and clutter that rob you of energy.
3) Schedule brief but refreshing breaks.
4) Tweak your perception of time.
5) Simplify your life.
Notice that our list starts with the basics. That’s because if we don’t get the basics right, the rest really doesn’t matter.
3 high priority items that you should never ignore
1) Sleep. Never make the mistake of sacrificing sleep to get other things done. Your body, your mind, and your emotions all require adequate sleep in order to function properly. If you don’t like the way you are feeling physically, mentally, or emotionally, take an honest look at your sleep patterns. If there’s a problem or a lack, make the needed adjustments. Proper time management in this area means making the time to get sufficient sleep.
2) Nutrition. If you’re living on coffee and fast food, adjustments are in order. Yes, it takes more time to properly nourish your body, but the time spent is an investment that pays dividends all day long.
3) Exercise. The human body was not created to sit in a chair all day. Find some form of exercise that you can realistically commit to and make it a habit. Spend at least 15 to 20 minutes a day, five days a week in some form of activity that gets your blood flowing and your mind away from work. This is one of the easiest areas to ignore and that’s why it needs to become a priority.
Adequate sleep, nutrition and exercise, play a vital role in your mental clarity, energy levels, productivity, and overall outlook on life. Make them your first priority if you want to perform at peak levels. Remember, time management means making time for the things that matter most.
Is it important or just masquerading as urgent?
Another important distinction we need to make when setting priorities is to understand the difference between things that seem to be urgent (but aren’t), and things that are important. Life is full of fake emergencies, and it’s quite possible to spend all your time dealing with them.
The problem with this scenario is, at the end of the day you don’t feel like you’ve accomplished anything. That’s because you haven’t done anything that makes a long-term difference in the quality of your life or moves you closer to your goals. In other words you haven’t taken time to do what’s important because you’ve been too busy doing what seemed to be urgent but wasn’t. This is one of those areas where time management requires discernment.
Keep your priorities straight
These days the overwhelming sense of hurry, hurry, hurry is easily confused with genuine urgency. Such demands can easily take control of our lives. If we let that happen, we will never feel like we have the time to take care of our mental, physical, or emotional health. Time is not money, time is life. That’s why it is so important to keep our priorities straight.
The only way to truly master your time is to organize your schedule each day so that you can spend the majority of time doing what is really important rather than what is merely masquerading as urgent.
Do low priority activities ever dominate your day? Have you ever sacrificed your health because you felt rushed?
The lines are open!
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In part 2 we’ll look at how distractions and clutter rob us of our time,
and will consider some ways we can gain the upper hand.
