Because our lives are never static, we need to re-evaluate periodically just where our time is spent.  Nature provides us with a guideline through seasonal changes.  Each season brings with it it’s own expectations and plans and is a good time to sit down and evaluate how we manage our time.  By sitting down and evaluating our commitments we are able to see imbalance in our lives.  Work, family, friends, and play all vi for our time.

The income we earn enables us to afford the lifestyle choices we make.  The home we live in, the car we own, that new outfit for the kids, school activities, and the list goes on.  Today, often we find that people are over-stressed with working for a lifestyle that demands a higher and higher income to maintain.   With those choices come long hours and often extended commute times.  When the time is added up, you find there is often no time left over to enjoy the lifestyle you are working to maintain.

We have to ask ourselves if it is really worth it.  Is it short term or is it long term?  What are we missing out on while we are working those long hours?  More importantly, who is missing us.   When work becomes all consuming of our time, we need to step back and honestly ask ourselves if it is worth the cost of what we are giving up.

Often that cost is intangible.  It is the time spent with those we care about that never comes again. Seeing Billy’s home run. Watching Sara’s first dance recital. The time to just sit and unwind at the end of a day and enjoy what is yours.

Family is an area, which requires constant attention. I see you nodding in agreement.   But I don’t mean the laundry, or the cooking or the cleaning.  It is the time spent reading a book, taking a walk, listening to someone’s day, and giving a hug.  Those times are what matter in the long run. Laughter, tears, sharing in each others achievements and disappointments.  Make time in your day to truly connect with your family.

They say you know someone is a friend when you know you can count on them in the bad times as well as the good ones.  Take the time to get to know your friends and be a friend.  There are always rocky times ahead to get through and there is nothing like knowing you have a friend you can count on in your corner.

Pencil time to play into your time management schedule.   This means different things to different people.  For some it is tending a garden.   For others it may mean building or creating something.   Play comes in all forms, but it is always something you look forward to and not one of those “I have to” experiences.  The old adage is true, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

There are always going to be times in life where one area dominates the others.  Special work projects, a sickness of a family member or friend, or even a vacation.  But by taking time at regular intervals to evaluate where our time is spent, we are able to identify where we lack balance before we lose out in the remaining areas.  Time is one thing we are never able to get back. Use your time management schedule to ensure you don’t miss out on what is important in life.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

Often though, it is just a matter of setting priorities.

Set up a time management strategy to help keep you on track. The best way to do this is to itemize tasks, which you feel need to be accomplished the night before.  Then list those items in the order of their importance. The morning doesn’t seem to work as well for doing this.

With a list of tasks at hand to begin the day, it is easy to begin one and follow it through to completion.  A sense of satisfaction is gained when each item is crossed off as completed and if something is left undone, you know those items of the most importance were completed.

We might need to map out a schedule to follow.  A simple spreadsheet can be used to accomplish this or a daily planner.  Ongoing or daily tasks can then be assigned a time frame to be worked on.  When the time is up, you move on to the next task.  People overall tend to work more efficiently on a set schedule.

Be on the lookout for time thieves.  Sometimes we are diverted from what needs to be done by things that just take up time.  Like that phone call from the friend who seems to have all day to chat.  Make a time slot available to go out for coffee with that friend instead.  More can be covered in person and you’ll have a happy friend who feels valued as well.

Email is another item, which seems to steal time.  Use time in between tasks to spend a few minutes sorting through email.  Strictly monitor that time.  Sometimes, we just have to close our eyes and hit the delete button.  While inspiring curiosity, there are emails we come to know of as time stealers.  We read them even though we know we won’t benefit from them or act on their content.  I’ve been guilty of that myself far too often.

As you grow in your business, you will find areas that you seem to be able to do better than others.  As part of your time management strategy, and if financing permits, this would then be a good time to look at outsourcing or delegating some of the areas that you are not a good fit for.

Schedule in family time.  Too often it is easy to get caught up in the building of a business and forget about why and for whom we are doing it.  You will find the people who share your life to be much more supportive of the time you take to work, if they know that there is also time in your schedule where they are made the top priority.

Setup a system to keep track.  How much time do you spend looking for information on what you’ve signed up for or looking around your hard drive for where you put a file.  Simple spreadsheets that keep a list of memberships and files related to your business will save you a lot of time.  A spreadsheet tracking expenses for the month will save you additional time when it comes time to match those vague charges on a bank statement to your memory of what it was for.  I find printing off a copy of the receipt and putting it in a monthly folder is also helpful.

Realize when you’ve taken on too much. As part of your time management strategy, give yourself permission to say no.  There are many courses, lessons and opportunities available to a new entrepreneur.  But, realistically, how much of it are you able to accomplish in a given stretch.  Too often you end up buying into one thing, and then that is left uncompleted as the next comes along.  You tend to never get back to the one first started.  This is a waste of both time and money.  Learn to say no.  Even if it is the latest, greatest, never to be repeated, once in a lifetime opportunity.

Reward yourself.  When you meet a deadline, accomplish a difficult task, or make your first sale, set aside some time aside to reward yourself.  Yes that is allowed.  This practice will help you in the long run.  If you’ve a reward to look forward to, you will be less likely to procrastinate about doing what needs to be done, and you will recognize that your time management strategies are paying off.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com