I'm sure we've all had the experience of having a certain block of time available, and our to-do list tasks or goals that we want to accomplish in that time frame, only to turn around at the end of that period of time to have the frustrating experience of not getting nearly enough done that we thought we could. What happened? Where did all the time go? This can be in our personal / family lives, our jobs or our businesses.
Many of the frustrations of this are due to our expectations of what we can accomplish in that amount of time too high, and unrealistic. When we can look at it more objectively, it can reduce stress in our lives, and give more of a sense of accomplishment when we do reach our goals.
Say you have 6 hours available to do a certain project. Prioritize the tasks you want to tackle, with number one being the top priority. Now figure in your typical day, what percentage of that time is typically going to "putting out fires" If approximately 1/3 of your time is this type of work / situation, deduct that amount of time and your original 6 hours minus 2 hours of putting out fires, will give you 4 working hours.
Now, consider the average interruption will take about 8 minutes to deal with before mentally you're back where you were before the interruption. How many interruptions are typical in your day? Let's say you get 10 interruptions, 80 minutes. Now subtract those 80 minutes from your 4 hours, now you've got a little over 2 hours left to try to accomplish what you thought you actually had 6 hours to do. Is it any wonder why we didn't get as much done as we had hoped? I believe this will reduce frustration just knowing this, and will allow us to plan our day with much more realistic goals. If something is added to our to-do list, then something else must give to make room.
There are some things that can be done to help however. Just looking at this may help you pin point sources of time wasters. Is there anything that can be done to minimize the need to "put out the fires"? Are there any types of preventative actions that can be taken to at least reduce it?
What about interruptions? Can a phone voice mail be used instead of answering the phone? Then when you do need to return calls, do them as a group, one right after another. What about email? Do you have to respond to emails during this time frame? Again, try to lump like tasks together, when you do need to email, handle it all at once instead of the second they hit your inbox.
Then realize, what you thought was your 6 hours, in reality were perhaps a little over 2. Attack your to-do list with your highest priority, then give yourself a pat on the back for working your best with those 2 hours you had, and that in reality, you did fill 6 hours, and perhaps have a better understanding of where it went. Knowing this will help reduce the stress and frustration of trying to accomplish what may not be possible, and give your planning a more realistic approach.
By Valerie Garner-Mother, grandmother and candlemaker / owner of Joyful Designs in Soy. She loves to write on a variety of topics with a warm, and engaging style. http://www.joyfuldesignsinsoy.com
Lincoln Stretch rentals Alsip ..* If you were paying you to prioritise emails over... Read More
Many of you have expressed the challenge of not having... Read More
I would like to touch upon a subject that it... Read More
We are constantly inundated with routine (often boring!) tasks around... Read More
Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up... Read More
Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number... Read More
Women's health issues often are focused on goals to reach:... Read More
This is one more article on "Organizing and Enjoying Your... Read More
One of the issues most often raised by my clients... Read More
Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More
"Work smarter, not harder" is a clich? that has darted... Read More
Do your dishes really need to be dried, or could... Read More
Why Read?It's been said that there are three kinds of... Read More
Recently I've experienced a barrage of time wasters. Everything you... Read More
When you decide to become self-employed, you automatically become the... Read More
"Because there will always be something more to do, we... Read More
Here's a smart system for doubling or tripling your daily... Read More
Clarity brings accomplishmentOne of the most important things you can... Read More
There is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More
Everyday life can present us with opportunities to make us... Read More
Tring ? Tring the alarm rings?but did you fail to... Read More
Number Yourself: Count yourself as an important individual. You are... Read More
Time - it is the one thing that we are... Read More
A simple kitchen gadget is transforming my life. I don't... Read More
"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More
Western Springs shuttle limo ..Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up... Read More
All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount... Read More
A year and a half ago I was introduced to... Read More
Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More
How many times have you remarked to someone that there... Read More
Choose to be HappyHappiness is a choice. You can choose... Read More
Women's health issues often are focused on goals to reach:... Read More
Sometime ago, my lovely wife woke me up in the... Read More
Do you feel guilty about all the publications you purchase... Read More
If I had a dollar or even better a pound... Read More
"If you control your time, you control your life" -... Read More
All requests are not equal; all customers or clients are... Read More
Do you believe that the best way to deal with... Read More
Time, time, time. It seems there is never enough of... Read More
Balancing Your Work, Family and Social Life... Read More
1. Do tasks less frequentlyClean house every 10 days rather... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
Let's look at your time management skills. Most of us... Read More
An expert in time management was speaking to a group... Read More
There are two types of time killers in everyone's life.... Read More
Nowhere is the line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains'... Read More
How much time do you spend on Mastering Your Time?... Read More
A new client recently admitted to me sheepishly that she... Read More
Riding the subway home yesterday, my typically silent car was... Read More
"It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to... Read More
Time Management |