Many people want to be coached to manage their time better. I say NO! to that. You cannot manage time anyway; it just keeps ticking away no matter what you do.
What you can do is manage yourself based on the two concepts I keep mentioning: self-knowledge and self-acceptance. Following are four principles to maximize the time that you have. They take time to incorporate into your life at the habit level. Don't give up. Keep practicing.
1) GOOD ENOUGH
Accept that no human being is meant to do everything. We all have our uniqueness; things we do better than others and vice versa. Perfection is not a human condition. Cut yourself some slack and adopt the concept of "good enough". You can rework your resume 50 times. Is it really so much better than a much earlier draft? You can shop for the perfect dress endlessly? Wasn't the first one you tried and liked as good as the 15th? How much time did you spend past "good enough"? Demand higher standards of excellence where it really counts.
2) SPECIALNESS
Concentrate on excelling in what you do well, what you would enjoy doing better, and new areas you would like to learn. Delegate, hire, share, partner with people who complement you or can fill the needs you have in areas you don't enjoy or do not know that well. Don't ever berate yourself for not being able to do it all. Appreciate your talents and excellence and flaunt them. They are you, yours and very special. Let others have their specialness too. The results will not only save time but enrich and free you.
3) ENERGY AND TIME
Know and honor your energy levels. Are you a morning person, do you have an afternoon slump? Your time will be best used if you pace the tasks you have to do based on this knowledge. Do the most challenging at your peak energy time. Build in your Joy Breaks (see last month's newsletter) both as rewards for finishing a formidable task and to refresh yourself at low energy periods.
4) FOCUS IN THE MOMENT
Develop habits that help you focus on what you are doing in the moment. Do not allow yourself to think of what you have to do next while you are doing what you are doing. Put a "do not disturb" sign on your door and do not take phone calls. By putting everything else out of your mind while focusing on the task at hand, you will be using your time efficiently. If you get stuck on something, take a break. Move to something else, get the information you need to continue, change scenery, stretch, whatever it takes, but don't sit there stuck.
Note: The suggestions I make are not one dimensional or simple. The questions I suggest you ask yourself have multiple answers and may be different on different days. I suggest you keep them all in a file or notebook and refer back to them regularly. You will gain a lot if you do.
About The Author
Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Contact Dr. Lehavi at dl@coachingforyournextlevel.com or on the web at dl@coachingforyournextlevel.com Subscribe to Mastering Your Next Level monthly e-newsletter at dl@coachingforyournextlevel.com
post construction cleaning Deerfield ..Number Yourself: Count yourself as an important individual. You are... Read More
Time is inelastic. Despite what some of us persist in... Read More
It's been said, "That no one has enough time yet,... Read More
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is... Read More
"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More
I am an ordinary man - A middle class high... Read More
One of the most challenging situations people face when planning... Read More
Last week I had the privilege of spending some quality... Read More
Almost everyone in business knows the balancing act between the... Read More
When trying to achieve a quality education, everybody knows that... Read More
What keeping time really means is...being on time!You know, there... Read More
Get a grip. Is it possible to manage time? Can... Read More
I'm sure we've all had the experience of having a... Read More
Time management consultant Stephen Young claims that the average time... Read More
Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More
Here's some time management tips to try:1) Set strict office... Read More
An expert in time management was speaking to a group... Read More
According to a Miller Heiman 2003 Sales Effectiveness Study, over... Read More
Sometime ago, my lovely wife woke me up in the... Read More
Frustration is when an obstacle blocks your ability to achieve... Read More
I have worked with so many people over the years... Read More
In this fast and crazy world, we want to multi-task... Read More
As mothers we play so many different roles and most... Read More
"I find it interesting that the very cape I tried... Read More
A new client recently admitted to me sheepishly that she... Read More
Airbnb cleaning service Bannockburn ..This is one more article on "Organizing and Enjoying Your... Read More
Yesterday, I'd just gotten comfortable at my favorite table in... Read More
As I sit here in front of the computer... Read More
As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come... Read More
This past Friday I was asked to speak with a... Read More
When I sit down with a client to work on... Read More
Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More
Recently I've experienced a barrage of time wasters. Everything you... Read More
"Time is what we need the most and what we... Read More
Here's a smart system for doubling or tripling your daily... Read More
As the song goes, this is the time to relax,... Read More
If you can motivate yourself at will to get any... Read More
Whenever I've worked on 'de-cluttering' my living or working space,... Read More
Friends, colleagues, and clients are all telling me that one... Read More
All requests are not equal; all customers or clients are... Read More
How do you eat two elephants? The same way you... Read More
Too much to do, too little time, constant stress. Most... Read More
Nowhere is the line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains'... Read More
Are you drowning in a sea of unread papers? Do... Read More
Not 1 in 10 people can tell you where money... Read More
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times.... Read More
The most powerful resource that we have is time. Everything... Read More
Does it ever feel like there is never enough time... Read More
OK...let's assume that you're truly motivated to change. Great. But... Read More
Handle small emergencies fast: When a small emergency does pop... Read More
Time Management |