Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple of my eye along with his sisters Carley and Brenna. I was watching him the other day as he was preparing to assume a self-proclaimed role of 'Master of the Universe' while playing a game with some of his friends. I marveled at how prepared he was and how his plan included alternatives if there were any 'problems' in the scheme of things. He was, in fact, more focused on achieving his goal than just about anyone I've ever seen.
Then it hit me?Zak was mentally organized. Maybe some of my teachings had rubbed off on him?but more than likely Zak was just being himself. Here's what an organized three-year old can teach us about improving our time management skills:
His goal was clear and he could see himself in the role he was about to create. He looked at some of the alternatives, decided what he wanted to do, who he wanted to be and began preparing himself. He was convinced that what he wanted was attainable and totally realistic and was clear that he was going to do something about it. Setting and envisioning goals is crucial for all of us.
He knew what was important. I didn't see Zak spend too much time with low pay-off activities. He was clear on what he needed to do first, before anything else, and then made sure it got done. He prioritized.
He had a plan. He moved forward with first things first, but if the plan didn't work he was fully prepared to temporarily shift activity until he got where he needed to be. He actually had a strategic plan and made decisions based on that plan.
He communicated. Yes, you can only imagine the excitement of children's voices, but is it any different than the frequency and types of interruptions and struggles in communication that you experience at work? He managed to keep everyone 'informed' and pointed in the right direction, even when some of the kids disagreed.
He took action. True, three year olds aren't always the most judicious group, but with his crown and scepter, right or wrong, he was moving forward to his goal. Sometimes what we do isn't popular, but it's important to getting the work done.
He delegated. Zak was more than happy to share with his friends what each should be doing and where they needed to be going. Trust me when I tell you that he let them know when they were 'off track'?but he also helped them with their assignments.
He reflected and adjusted. By the end of the game Zak did, in fact, become the 'Master of the Universe'. He was happy and satisfied that his plan had come together and almost immediately began thinking about what he needed to do the same and what he needed to do differently in the next 'universe'. No plan of action is ever complete unless you can reflect and assess on how to make it better in the future.
So if you would like to become master of your universe when it comes to time management, take a cue from this three-year old. You just never know what might happen.
Copyright 2004 Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.
Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer, consultant, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit corporations. She is President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational consulting firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help improve performance in the areas of time, information, space and electronic file management.
Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of International Society for Performance Improvement ? Kansas City chapter (ISPI-KC) and consultant to the American Coaching Association.
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..You can use the Power of 90 Seconds to transform... Read More
And when you finally sat down to eat breakfast, was... Read More
Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More
Get a grip. Is it possible to manage time? Can... Read More
This past Friday I was asked to speak with a... Read More
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times.... Read More
Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last... Read More
Do your dishes really need to be dried, or could... Read More
Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
Isn't it amazing that some people can produce huge results... Read More
There is an old way of goal setting and a... Read More
Looking out through my picture window during a recent winter... Read More
Recently I was working with a new client who had... Read More
Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More
Goal Planning-Achieving balance in a person's life requires assessment of... Read More
Time is inelastic. Despite what some of us persist in... Read More
According to a Miller Heiman 2003 Sales Effectiveness Study, over... Read More
Not 1 in 10 people can tell you where money... Read More
An appointment is simply a mutual agreement to meet with... Read More
Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More
"How do you DO it?!" If I had a dime... Read More
Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More
Whenever I've worked on 'de-cluttering' my living or working space,... Read More
We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes... Read More
What does it mean to practice self care? It's creating... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..If you feel like your life moves faster than a... Read More
Having a home based business can be overwhelming. When you... Read More
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times.... Read More
Once you have completed your day you can boost your... Read More
Goal Planning-Achieving balance in a person's life requires assessment of... Read More
One of the most common complaints that small business owners... Read More
Are you obsessed with getting everything just right? Do you... Read More
Whether you're a new business owner or if you have... Read More
What keeping time really means is...being on time!You know, there... Read More
People always seem to be in such a hurry, everywhere... Read More
We are all born equal! We all have the same... Read More
"You will never find time for anything. You must make... Read More
Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More
Choose to be HappyHappiness is a choice. You can choose... Read More
Do you believe that the best way to deal with... Read More
1. Do tasks less frequentlyClean house every 10 days rather... Read More
What would you say to me if I told you... Read More
"I never seem to have any time for myself. What... Read More
Many of us get so caught up in day-to-day pressures... Read More
If you can motivate yourself at will to get any... Read More
"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More
Frustration is when an obstacle blocks your ability to achieve... Read More
"Can you find four extra hours in your day?" a... Read More
Time is money in your online business, just as in... Read More
As the song goes, this is the time to relax,... Read More
Time Management |