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If you’re like most people, you’ve probably convinced yourself that you just don’t have enough time.
Whether it’s time to work on your business, work on new fitness goals, learn a new skill, or just about anything…
People often give up before they even start because they believe it’s just not possible to fit it into their busy lives.
I often catch myself saying “If only I had more time!”
Be honest, how many times have you said that?
If you also catch yourself making that statement, that’s a red flag indicating that you are either not using time management strategies or the ones you are using are not working for you.
The truth is, we need to get control of how we use our time each day.
How Much Time Do You REALLY Have?
Time management is often thought of as a way to do more work in a given day.
It’s also your ally in arranging your life and work so that you can fulfill your dreams.
We all have the same 24 hours in the day. You may insist that you don’t waste time but take a serious look at how you use your time.
The interesting thing is, once I sat down and did the calculations, I was surprised at just how much time I really do have. 😮
To make it easier to figure out how much time you really have, create a time calculator like this. List your obligations and then see how much time you have left.
It’s a simple, but highly effective, spreadsheet that will reveal the extra time that you have to work on things.
And it will help you identify the time blocks you can use to your benefit each day.
Of course, this calculation is just the first step in getting more done with your time and reaching those big goals you never thought you had time for.
From here, use this information to align that time to the goals you want to achieve and create the life that you want.
Don’t spend your time reacting to others. When you fail to make a plan for how you use your time, then you’ll let other people or unimportant things fill your time.
You must be smart and create your own plan if you wish to have the ideal life of your dreams.
SMART Methodology For Time Management
Specific:
Your time management system must be able to record each task and have enough room to add necessary details. Those small, freebie calendars that you get from local businesses don’t have enough space to be specific about your tasks and what’s needed to accomplish them.
Read a blog post on how to use a planner here.
Manageable:
Some time management systems can be so detailed and complex that using them is a part-time job. That’s not helpful and can discourage you from doing any type of scheduling.
If one system doesn’t work for you, find a different one, but don’t give up. Be sure to choose a planner that’s comfortable to carry with you when you are out of the office.
Attainable:
You can get your chaotic life under control. In fact, you have to do it for your health as well as for your success.
Why add needless stress to your workday by trying to remember your schedule instead of planning it on your calendar? You can complete more work in less time if you have a big picture of the tasks and prioritize those tasks each day.
Realistic:
No matter how you try to stretch it, there’s still only 24 hours in a day. You can enjoy more variety in your personal time if you schedule special events on your calendar.
When you you have tickets for a play on Friday evening, you’ll avoid over-scheduling tasks so you can leave work on time and be ready when the curtain goes up.
Timely:
Time does not stop for any of us. If you wait for extra time to magically appear in your life, you’ll wait forever, and nothing changes.
By using time management to support your dreams, you get closer to what really matters to you. The purpose of time management is so that you can accomplish what you need to by investing time in planning and taking action toward your goals.
Conclusion
Choosing the right time management system for your work style allows you to simplify your life.
When you identify what really matters in the big picture, you find it easier to use time wisely today to set up your future goals.
You’ll gain a sense of mastery over your time so that you know what you can add to the day and when to say ‘yes’ to activities and requests.
You may not be able to convert to your ideal day immediately, but by having a plan, you can begin to make the changes needed to turn your ideal day plan into your every day plan.
When you think of time as something you can control and plan, then you become more likely to follow your ideal day plan and create more success in your life.
Please feel free to share your best time management tips and strategies either in the comments below or over at my Facebook page.