Tips For Taming The Time Trap! 9 Steps Towards Spending Time Wisely

TIME CAN NOT BE MANAGED!!! SPENDING TIME WISELY Time is a perishable resource. Everyone has the same amount of time.

TIME CAN NOT BE MANAGED!!! “There is nothing worth more than this day.” Spending time wisely means using the time we have in the most effective ways to accomplish our desired results.

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TAKE STOCK… Do you feel like you fail to accomplish your personal and professional goals? Do you feel like you fail to accomplish your personal and professional goals? Do you make an appointment with yourself to go over and prioritize the things on your To Do list? Do you make an appointment with yourself to go over and prioritize the things on your To Do list? Do you know how to effectively reduce and handle interruptions? Do you know how to effectively reduce and handle interruptions? Do you delegate both authority and responsibility well? Do you delegate both authority and responsibility well?

TAKE STOCK… Do you prioritize the things on your list? Do you prioritize the things on your list? Do you know how to effectively reduce and handle interruptions? Do you know how to effectively reduce and handle interruptions? Do you delegate both authority and responsibility well? Do you delegate both authority and responsibility well?

TAKE STOCK… ClarityOrganizationSystems

Step 1: CLARITY…

Where should we be focusing?

First Things First Effective time management comes down to choices Effective time management comes down to choices Making conscious choices Making conscious choices Being proactive – important areas of life in first place Being proactive – important areas of life in first place

First Things First To be your most productive you… Clarify your priorities Clarify your priorities Identify the first things in your life Identify the first things in your life Honor the important things Honor the important things Put the first things first! Put the first things first!

Beginning With The End In Mind

Define Your Major Definite Purpose Successful people know… Successful people know… Where they want to go Where they want to go What they are doing to get there What they are doing to get there Goals and Values must be aligned! Goals and Values must be aligned!

Do you know how you really spend your time? “Awareness is curative.” “You can’t manage what you can’t measure!” … for a more productive use of time, we must gain knowledge about ourselves.

Step 2: Become a Time Detective! Activity Log Activity Log

Step 3: Do an Activity Audit: 1. Where are you spending your time? Break it down into categories regarding various activities Break it down into categories regarding various activities 2. Which parts of the day are your most productive… least productive?

Step 4: Determine your hourly worth: How valuable is your time? How valuable is your time? Activity Audit: how much time… Activity Audit: how much time… On menial tasks? On menial tasks? On low-yield jobs? On low-yield jobs?

The Pareto Principle… 80/20 Rule 80 percent of the total value is typically contained in only 20 percent of the items. 80 percent of the total value is typically contained in only 20 percent of the items. some tasks give you a much higher return on your investment than others some tasks give you a much higher return on your investment than others discover the 20 to 30 percent of your projects and tasks that will give you the greatest return discover the 20 to 30 percent of your projects and tasks that will give you the greatest return Which of your projects give you the greatest return on your effort?

Step 5: Leverage yourself Necessary, low-yield jobs can be delegated or outsourced Necessary, low-yield jobs can be delegated or outsourced Define these recurring tasks Define these recurring tasks Task notebook Task notebook *Reap the rewards of time profitably!

Step 6: Write your “Change” Plan Activity Audit and Calendar Activity Audit and Calendar Make a list of everything you’d like to change Make a list of everything you’d like to change “eliminate” or “delegate” “eliminate” or “delegate” What do you need to do to eliminate or delegate What do you need to do to eliminate or delegate Note other changes Note other changes Change of venue for certain tasks? Change of venue for certain tasks?

Step 7: Implement Tools & Techniques Master Project List or Project Plan Master Project List or Project Plan Prioritization System – ABDFM Prioritization System – ABDFM

SCHEDULING & TO-DO LISTS Weekly Planning Session Weekly Planning Session Daily Planning Daily Planning

Weekly To-Do Planning Weekly Goals Today’s Priorities & Appointments

SCHEDULING & TO-DO LISTS Calendar Calendar Parkinson’s Law of Time Management – the task will fit the time Parkinson’s Law of Time Management – the task will fit the time Assign start/stop Assign start/stop

SCHEDULING & TO-DO LISTS Calendar Calendar Time/Project Blocks Time/Project Blocks … … Unscheduled time Unscheduled time

Overcoming Procrastination Mini-deadlines rather than the actual deadline of a large goal Mini-deadlines rather than the actual deadline of a large goal Use a timer Use a timer Use a project plan with action steps Use a project plan with action steps Determine why you are procrastinating Determine why you are procrastinating Give yourself permission to work on it for just 30 minutes Give yourself permission to work on it for just 30 minutes

Step 8: Begin! Get to it! Nothing happens without action! Nothing happens without action! Awareness is curative IF we take actions to “cure” our problems Awareness is curative IF we take actions to “cure” our problems Audit time Audit time Eliminate or delegate low-yield or non-productive jobs Eliminate or delegate low-yield or non-productive jobs Write and implement change plans Write and implement change plans Clarify Clarify Organize Organize Sytemize Sytemize

Step 9: Dance Close To The Revenue Line! Constantly check self! Constantly check self! “Is this task close to my revenue line?” “Is this task close to my revenue line?”

Thanks for sharing your TIME with me!