“Don’t count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count.” - Anonymous
"You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein."
So what are you doing with yours?
24 hours. It's not negotiable. But what we DO with those 24 hours is crucial. Gaining control of your time is one of the most empowering strategies for modern life. It will not only increase productivity but also reduce stress levels.
The bad news is, there’s no magic pill, no one-off action that allows us to regain control of our time. As most things in life it requires conscious action and maintenance. Start with these techniques:
De-clutter
Mentally and physically. It will not only save time, but also money, space and energy.
Being surrounded by piles of stuff, and unnecessary items causes visual distraction and takes your mind off the task at hand. Those piles, by the way, are often the result of delayed decisions.
Learn how to make decisions. Schedule decision-making time in if you have to, but don’t let delayed decisions suck your time.
De-clutter your diary. Learn how to say ‘No’. And when you do say 'Yes', make sure you schedule in at least 25% more than the anticipated time to do that activity. If you complete it in less time – you have just given yourself time to do another job, or to simply take time out.
TIP – Time Management is not about indiscriminately cramming more in – it’s about doing fewer things of greater importance.
Delegate with difference
For every task you ask someone to do, whether it’s your cleaner or your general manager, make sure you give them a deadline. Tell them when you need the job done. This is not micro-managing, it is using effective communication to be more organised. They are free to complete the task at their own pace in their own way, but there is no ambiguity about the timeline. Also saves you becoming frustrated or even resentfully thinking ‘they should have done that by now’.
Use this technique to complete your own tasks too. For example, when you have a document to write, avoid sitting at your computer ‘until it’s finished’. The more time you have the more you’ll use! Dedicate a start and finish time to the task, say one hour, Write down times and a short statement: ‘At 4pm I will have emailed the first draft to Bob’
Very powerful stuff. Try it!
Take a Break
How long has it been? We need regular breaks throughout the day to stay fresh and maintain productivity. We also need them through the week, month and year. Avoid falling into the trap of “I don’t have time for a holiday”. In reality, you don’t have time NOT to take a holiday. Just book it, whether it’s two weeks, a long weekend or a day trip. Pay for it. Give the tickets to your other half. Now you are committed. You have just created a ‘self imposed deadline’ and can now concentrate on the absolute priorities before departure. Come back feeling refreshed and tackle your next lot of goals…or start planning your next break!
Plan, Plan, Plan
I can’t say it often enough. The most efficient (and sane) people, plan their day, week, month and year. Think of it as a road map. You wouldn't go on a driving holiday without one, right? Well how can you achieve all your goals without planning for them? Some great practical planning techniques:
- Schedule in dedicated planning time
- Write your plan down in a dedicated planning book/or software
- Refer back to it often
- Congratulate yourself on achievements
Speak Easy
Have you noticed that the new reply to ‘Hi, how are you?’ is ‘Busy’.
How many times a day do you say ‘Oh, I am SO busy’? Or some other form of this 21st century catch cry. This makes you feel busier, more stressed and feeds the whole cycle. Yes, we know you are busy. We are all busy.
Changing your words won’t suddenly manifest extra time, but being conscious of what you say will have a huge impact on how you feel. Be aware of self-talk and the messages you’re giving yourself, and in turn the reality you are creating. What reality do you want to create?
* H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Roz Howland
Owner, InOrder Professional Organising Service
