3 Secrets To Creating More Time

As we know all too well, in our line of work, every minute counts. But with so many competing priorities vying for our attention, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and bogged down by the sheer volume of work on our plates.

That’s where effective time management strategies come into play.

But here’s the hard truth: time management is NOT taught correctly to accountants.? In fact, we’re typically given work to do, maybe a budgeted amount of time to do it, but not shown how to actually manage our time.

The reason I think effective time management is so important is because in the fast-paced world of accounting, time is truly our most valuable asset. Unfortunately, it seems impossible to create more of it, but hopefully, you’ll see that it doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might assume.

Secret #1: Your Time Management BFF

Time management is often misunderstood, especially for accountants. Why?? Because no one ever teaches us that brain management is the key to time management.

To simplify brain management, it’s important to understand that your brain has two parts: the "Toddler" brain, which seeks pleasure and avoids pain, and the "Supervising Parent" brain, which helps you plan and make decisions.

The Toddler brain is automatically in charge 80 - 90% of the time, but that’s a problem for accountants.? Why?? Because the Toddler brain does NOT like accounting work because it takes so much mental effort.

To manage time effectively, you need to tap into your Supervising Parent brain more often.

In fact, planning your time is a superpower of your human brain, making it possible to be much more productive and efficient.

Secret #2: Stick to Your Plan

Once you’ve planned your time, the next step is sticking to that plan. But, that’s easier said than done.

Again, your Toddler brain would rather do anything else than call the difficult client, work on that audit, or finish reviewing that complicated tax return.? So what can you do?

Treat your calendar like a promise to yourself. Your Toddler brain might try to convince you to procrastinate, but pushing through is key.

For example, let’s say you’ve scheduled time to complete a complex tax return from 9 AM to 11 AM. If you don't manage your brain and you let the Toddler be in charge, you’ll start the task but then get distracted by emails or other easier tasks.

You’ll end up wasting the two hours and still have the tax return to finish.

But if you use the Supervising Parent part of your brain, you would set your schedule, close your email, silence your phone, and commit to focusing solely on the tax return for those two hours. When distractions pop up, you push through and stay focused on your task.

Secret #3: The Power of Focus

With so much on our plates, it's easy to fall into the trap of distractions. From emails and phone calls to social media and news updates, the constant barrage of information can pull us away from our priorities and affect our productivity.

But there's a simple yet powerful strategy that can help you navigate this sea of distractions – the power of focus. By honing in on one task at a time and seeing it through to completion, you can improve your efficiency and get more done in less time.

By prioritizing focus and dedicating uninterrupted time to each task, you can overcome distractions and optimize your productivity.

Bottom line: Creating more time is about managing your brain and your schedule. With the right strategies, you can take control of your time and make space for what matters most.?

Remember, the keys are to plan, stick to your plan, and stay focused.

If you’re interested in becoming a Smarter Accountant, you can take The Smarter Accountant Quiz at www.thesmarteraccountant.com .??

If you want to learn more about the 3 secrets to creating more time, check out this episode of The Smarter Accountant Podcast ?? https://thesmarteraccountant.com/3-secrets-to-creating-more-time/

You can also download The Smarter Accountant Podcast Guide at https://thesmarteraccountant.com/podcast-guide/