Six Simple Solutions to Saving Time

Where does the time go?  How often do you think that?  If often, read on.  Time is like money if you don't have a plan for it, and, if you don't stay in close touch with where it went, you will run out of it. We all have the same amount of time every day.  How you manage it can make the difference in every aspect of your life from your health to your happiness.  From your work life to the most important relationship you cherish.  From achieving goals to staying stuck for way too long.

1.  Calendar - your calendar tells you where you need to be because you have entered every appointment you have in it with your pencil.  You need a system that houses your calendar.  I use a 7-ring notebook from Franklin-Covey that is in an 8 1/2 x 11 format.  In that notebook is my calendar and sections of other key dividers.  Dividers such as Meeting Notes, Coaching, Projects in Progress, etc.

I use my Outlook calendar to keep up with meetings I have arranged and it reflects appointments or out of office information of others.  But my true one and only calendar is the one in my system.  I check my Outlook calendar against my notebook calendar every day and "sync" them.  At the end of each month, I review my upcoming appointments in Outlook against my notebook calendar.

Your notebook goes where you go.  Never leave your home or office without it.

2.  Daily to-do list - make this life altering list the evening before or the morning of so you can think through what you have to do and what you want to do.   Your to-do list is much like your check register.  The entries are withdrawals of various amounts of time each and every day.  Your list is maintained in your notebook, in your system, so where you are supposed to be and what you need to get done match up. 

3.  Prioritize - now that you have reviewed your calendar and made your to-do list you have to plan the order of things on the list.  To the left of each item on your list mark it an A, B, C, or D.

A = must be done by noon

B = must be done by 6 PM

C = must be done by bedtime   

D = delegate it to someone else

Next, estimate how long the task will take and write the number of minutes to the right of the task.  Now you are building a picture of what and when.  

4.  Stay in the real world - you can't get any more time in a day but you can make the most of the time you have by staying in reality about how long things take.  Look over your calendar and to-do list again as you plan your day and make the necessary adjustments so you reduce your stress and ensure your priorities and commitments are met.  When you prioritize and list the order and the time it takes for each task you will see if you have to adjust the order or even move some tasks to the next day.

5.  Fuel - energy is the key to being productive.  Watch what you listen to, who you hang out with, what you eat and how much rest you get.  If you rely on caffeine for fuel it will become counterproductive.  It is an appetite stimulator and gives you a false sense of energy.  Protein, water and fruit are excellent sources to maintaining energy.  Walk, meditate and feed your mind positive reinforcement.  Routinely, look back over your calendar and to do list for habits and disciplines you can delete or add that will increase your energy level.

6.  Fun times - you need things to look forward to.  Add something fun to your calendar every day.  If you enjoy reading, then take a coffee break with your book.  If you have someone that makes you laugh make an appointment with them for a ten minute phone catch up.  If you enjoy a TV series you never get to watch then once a week watch it on your tablet or laptop for lunch.  Make a slide show of photos of your favorite people, put music to it and watch it once a month wishing life's greatest blessings are bestowed on those you love.

I love living a full life but I want it to be productive and as balanced as possible.  If that is what you want then incorporate these six solutions into your life’s savings plan!

Still learning,

Honey

On the Job is a Juggling Act

You know the challenges that come with juggling your time on the job!  Meetings here, there and everywhere, paperwork, phone calls, employees, customers, email…the list goes on and on.

Here’s a few time management tips that will help you to not drop the ball and decrease your stress level!

 ü  Everyday make a list of what is to be done

·         If you don’t know what you should be doing, how can you manage your time to get it done?

·         Plan for the unexpected

·         Some people like writing this list out by hand because it shows commitment to each item.

·         Others like software that helps to slice and dice their to-do list into manageable, relevant chunks.

·         What on the list needs to be done first?  Second, etc.?

·         Put a time estimate by each item

·         Do a reality check – where do you need to make adjustments?

ü  Retrieval is everything

·         Are you wasting time looking for items on your computer and your desk?

·         Organize a filing system and routinely file lower the stress of too much stuff not being where you can find it

·         Remember FDR  when you open a document on your computer or review paper on your desk

o   FILE or DISCARD or RESPOND

ü  One calendar – only one

·         More than one calendar in your life puts your reputation and your time at risk

·         Use a pencil if your one and only is a paper calendar

·         Key point – your to-do list is about what needs to get done, your calendar is about when it gets done

As a juggler learn how many balls you can keep in the air at one time.  Sometimes you have to say no or delegate.  Stay tuned on how to say no and how to delegate.

Still learning,

 Honey

The Power of Planning - Last in a Series of Five

Boundaries

As you gain muscle with planning you will find that the need to establish and respect healthy, flexible boundaries will be important to your overall success. 

It may be challenging to set boundaries with yourself and others.  Take responsibility for learning all you can about boundaries.  Research what they are and evaluate if they are missing in your life.  The less you know about them the less equipped you are to have them and to honor others' boundaries.  Learn what to do about establishing them, how to go about honoring them in yourself and others.  It will aid your professional maturity and protect your plans, relationships, self-esteem and goals from sabotage. 

There are fixed boundaries and there are times they are valid and imperative.  There are loose boundaries and sometimes they are the right fit.  The best personal boundaries are flexible.

Examples:

Fixed boundary - you never misuse your PC as spelled out by IT.

Loose boundary - within reason you can choose what is on your work station – photos of family, etc.

Flexible boundary - you choose who you eat lunch (you can say no) with but you cooperate and eat with a team when asked or required.

Three Tips for Setting Boundaries at Work

1.      Focus on how to fix what is broken versus how it got broken and who is to blame.  

2.   Swallow your pride, ask for help or delegate when managing overload.   As soon as you know you have over-committed go tell the truth, express regret and work on a realistic agreement.

3.      Handle your emotions with professional maturity - becoming known as a drama queens or hot tempered will harm your reputation.

Put planning to work for you and you will find it works! 

 

Still learning,

Honey

The Power of Planning Series - Fourth of Five

YOUR TO DO LIST

Make your initial draft of your to do list before you leave work each day so you can work on scheduling and juggling what you need to do.  The next morning you will finalize the list, look forward in your calendar and add what needs to be squeezed in.

Mastering this discipline will help you become a master of spending your time where it counts most.

Try this for 30 days.

List everything you have to do today.  In the beginning I want you to list everything, including your morning and evening routines, that includes meals, showering, praying/quiet time, getting dressed, driving to the day care, driving to work, going to the store or the cleaners plus work-related tasks…in other words if it takes time it belongs on the list.

Next examine everything on your list to see what you left out, and then look at your calendar for appointments or meetings for the next two weeks that you need to include or prepare for and add those.

Now, you determine when each item needs to be done.   Each item on your list will have an A, B, C, or D to the right of it 

A          before noon

B          afternoon

C          evening

D          delegate

Place a time estimate to the side of the alpha character you gave the task.  Now, calculate how realistic your plan (to do list) is for the day.  This discipline helps to eliminate over committing and underestimating your available time.

Now that you have the real picture on what you need/want to do and have set deadlines for each and calculated how much time it all will take you are ready to prioritize.  Your next step is to number in sequence what you will do first, second and so on.  And next, drumroll please, check off the item as you complete them.

Get real, stay real, reduce stress and accomplish what matters most.  Let me know how this works for you.  

Still learning,

Honey

The Power of Planning Series Second of Five

Where Does All That Time Go?
You choose how much time to make available every day.  I would encourage you to commit to the number of minutes you are going to use each day.  Commit to an average you can realistically live with.  Consider starting with a minimum average of 950 minutes a day.  If your work commitment is 8 to 5 and you allow an hour drive time each way your work time deduction is 660 minutes.  So you would have 290 minutes to spend in other areas of your life.  Your lunch hour is sometimes an ideal way to spend time on tasks or chores related to non-work concerns.

                                               Out of bed                               Go to sleep                     Daily

Monday – Friday                     6 AM                                       11 PM                          1020 minutes

Saturday - Sunday                   8 AM                                       11 PM                            900 minutes

Customers come in to banks everyday dismayed they are overdrawn.  Frequently they say “I just made a deposit yesterday, how could I be overdrawn?”  Deposits are important to the balance but logging the withdrawals keep it “real” and help you know your position at ALL times.   The tools utilized by the brave souls that embrace taking charge of their time are the same ones an accountant uses – a ledger, accurate entries, respect for deadlines and a calculator.

Want more time this year?  Email me for your free copy of  the Real Time Ledger.  You will use it for a week just like a check register to stay in the real world about how you spend your time.  It is the perfect tool for making the most of your time.  


Still learning,


Honey
honey@interaction-training.com
.

The Power of Planning Series - First of Five

There are several key pieces to becoming accomplished at planning.  Managing your time is the place to start.  Taking charge of your time is easier said than done.  Progress in this arena is what you’re after, not perfection.  It is vital for you to become well-acquainted with yourself and the real world you operate in so you can be realistic and objective when it comes to taking charge of your time. 

Some people, like an employer, pay for your time.   With others you may have responsibilities and commitments whether that is family or volunteerism.   Collectively these are called obligations. 

Where are you now?  Never having enough time?   Are you carrying guilt for what you’re not getting done?    Your conscience will trouble you if you have obligations, commitments or responsibilities that you can’t meet.  So clear up your conscience and take a hard look at your time and how you want to commit to spending it!

The best place to start is to treat time like a checking account.  Each day the hours you make available are deposited into your account and every minute is a withdrawal.  Unlike money you can’t get overdrawn but you can get over obligated.  Time like money can be invested, neglected or wasted.  

How would your life be better if you could improve your skills as a planner and manager of time?

Where are you now?  Never having enough time?   Are you carrying guilt for what you’re not getting done?   

Still learning,

Honey

Coaching Yourself & Others - The Beginning

Having a personal development coach was one of the best investments I ever made of my time and money. For over three years, several times a month, my coach taught me key factors to put to use in all kinds of situations.  I had someone encouraging me, gently confronting me and teaching me the importance of planning, evaluating and progress.

I think coaching done well is life enhancing, if not life altering.  Today I coach myself and others.  I work passionately at teaching others how to coach themselves.  I've learned first hand you can coach yourself. It's not magic. It's not quick. It works. It helps create an awakening, accountability, compassion and the importance of self-evaluation.

Coaching Choices is a method I've developed and utilize myself. The method incorporates the teachings of William Glasser, MD who authored a theory on motivation called "Choice Theory."

Here is the beginning of the first of 5 steps to take to get Coaching Choices working for you:

Step 1. Wanting

This step is about learning what you want, what you want to have happen. Purchase a spiral notebook with five sections. The first section is about Wanting. List everything you want to have happen. Look at what you wish was different, look at what you have you want to keep, look at how you want to be perceived. Write all that down. Focus on your Wanting. Dig for what you've wished was different, examine what you frustrate over and about.  Ask yourself, "what have I wanted for a long time? What have I put off wanting?" Write everything down on your mind that comes up.  No rush, but do it.  Maybe do this for ten days.

Review what you've written. Maybe you have a relationship in jeopardy, maybe you want to quit smoking, maybe you want to go back to school or obtain a promotion. Maybe you want to quit worrying, maybe you want to lose weight or change jobs.

When you think you've listed your hopes, dreams, wants, frustrations, fears and ambitions, it's time prioritize what you want. Now create your Want list and begin to number them by priority, immediacy, need and your desire to achieve them. Your list could also include important facets of your life that you think are going well and that you want to keep doing well.

Coaching yourself begins with identifying what you want to have in your life, keep in your life, work for in your life, and discovering what you have that needs attention and what you might need to give up.

Coaching Choices continues...tune in to tomorrow's blog as we work on helping you get what you want through coaching yourself.

Still learning,


Honey