Find More Time

Master Eight Areas to Control Your Time

Eight “pillars” provide the infrastructure you need to make your life work. If one or more of these pillars needs attention, your “house” is in danger of falling down.

“First Pillar: Plans”

To begin planning your new approach, create an individual “mission statement.” Write what you hope to accomplish each day. To help you clarify how you measure success, identify your most important values and write a paragraph about each one. Develop three specific goals in each area. Assign every goal a date so you can check your progress. Reward yourself when you reach it.

“What might happen if you refocus your attention to positive, proactive experiences and open your thoughts to opportunities instead of problems? You are where your attention is.”

Think about the ways you can add flexibility to your schedule – perhaps telecommuting, compressing your workweek or job sharing. Consult with your boss to ensure that the company measures your contribution by what you accomplish, not the amount of time you spend at your desk. Consider the results you want at the end of every day.

“Be flexible and willing to change aspects of your life that aren’t working.”

Use “to do” lists to stay organized. Work from a “master list” that includes all the things you need to get done; keep one list for work and another one for home. These lists should be dynamic; add things as you think of them. Create a “daily” list for regular activities. At the end of the day, carry anything that is still on the list forward to the next day. Keep lists for your projects, and transfer tasks to your daily list to ensure steady progress. Break projects into their individual steps. Take a moment to jot down where you are in your project at quitting time, so you can pick it back up easily next time. Create lists to keep track of things like phone numbers or tasks for other family members. Set up routines to help you and your family through rough daily “transition” periods, such as bedtime. Post “checklists” to remind kids of their responsibilities. Organize the night before for the next day. On a larger scale, anticipate seasonal changes and set aside time to prepare.

“Second Pillar: Priorities”

Plowing ahead on the “fast track” may cause you to miss important things, such as sharing milestones in your child’s life or spending time with a sick relative. Create room for the relationships that matter most. Volunteer work can be fulfilling but it has to fit into your general life purpose. Internet surfing, text messaging, TV watching and video games are all addictive drains on your time. Instantly increase your productivity potential by cutting down on the hours you spend in these activities. Instead of scheduling many activities for your kids, concentrate on one or two.

“Discover how delegating can solve dozens of your productivity problems.”

Health is often a low priority for busy professionals and parents. Schedule routine check-ups for both you and your children. Stay hydrated for peak functioning and stop smoking. If you devote 15 minutes each day to exercise, you will live longer and sleep better at night. Increase your activity level painlessly by walking to appointments and using the stairs. Park farther away from your destination and do “laps” around your office on breaks. Similarly, eating and sleeping well (at least seven and a half hours) keep you mentally sharp, more effective and resistant to illness.

“By insisting on doing chores and hanging on to responsibilities that could easily be done by someone else, you sabotage your own time.”

What satisfaction do you derive from your work? Would you continue working if money was not an issue? Work won’t make you happy unless it fits your values and isn’t at odds with your goals. Continue to learn and grow in your work and in your life, and keep reading.

“Third Pillar: Personality”

Are you a procrastinator or a perfectionist? Sometimes perfectionists put off tasks because they fear they can’t be done ideally. Realize that not everything needs to be perfect and recognize that people have different approaches. Give some thought to your “standards,” not just for the quality of your achievements, but also for the minimum level of accomplishment you will accept from others.

“Designate one place in your home as ‘command central’ for your family.”

If you’re a “morning person,” schedule the hard stuff first. When you hit a slump, don’t drink more coffee. Instead, try a stroll, a stretch or a music break. Keep your energy levels steady by eating smaller, more frequent meals. Try green tea instead of coffee, splash your face with water or pop a peppermint. Act to replenish your energy level before it tanks. One of the best gifts you can give yourself is help. First, of course, you have to ask. Let others know you appreciate their contributions and they’ll be happy to lend a hand. Acknowledging their work lets them know how appreciative you are. Let your kids help themselves and let your employees do their jobs.

“Say ‘no’ to some things in your life if you want to be able to say ‘yes’ to others.”

Good communication is a time saver. Communicate what you expect from others and clarify what they expect from you. If you’re angry, give yourself a cooling-down period before responding to the person who irked you. Anticipate deadlines. Being early instead of late yields the best opportunities, the least stress and often is more cost effective. “Multitasking” might be killing your productivity. Instead, concentrate on the task at hand before moving on to the next one. If you remember something else you need to do, don’t let it distract you. Write it down, so you can do it later.

“What is the single next step you would have to take to see forward progress on the task?”

Sometimes a negative attitude keeps you from racking up results. Stop trying to make everyone around you happy. If you’re too eager to please other people, you’ll have little energy left for yourself and your goals. Get out of the habit of “fixing” everyone else’s problems; that’s not your job nor is it possible. Realize that you can’t “fix” other people.

“Fourth Pillar: Pests”

Try to make decisions quickly and deal with pesky problems as they arise, without getting stuck in analysis. Delaying only adds to your stress and your “to do” list. Sometimes it helps to eliminate choices so your options are clearer. Be realistic about your time and your goals. Limit interruptions during the day, especially if you work at home. Get caller ID so you can decide whether to answer the phone. Combine tasks – clean the tub when you take a shower. “Family walks” give you time together while exercising. If you see something in July that’d make a perfect Christmas gift, pick it up and stash it. Process bills and files together once a week.

“Avoid the tendency to multitask at home...On weekends, turn off the technology completely. Resist the urge to sneak back into your office to check e-mail.”

Prepare for “down time” in your schedule. When you’re waiting in a doctor’s office or get placed on hold during a phone call, be productive: make an appointment, or send out bills or a thank-you note. During TV ads, fold a load of clothes from the dryer. Listen to audio recordings while exercising or cooking. Use drive time by recording letters into a voice recorder, or listen to audio books. But also schedule true “down time” sans technology – no phone, no TV – and really take time to relax. Become aware of time stealers, such as checking e-mail, cleaning the house when you should be working and the like. Lay down your personal law on how and when you allow yourself to get distracted.

“Save it only when it is (1) the only copy, (2) you will need to refer to the information in the near future, (3) you are required by law to keep it, or (4) it is a necessary part of a project file you’re working on.”

When you are traveling, use checklists to stay organized. Put your outfits together ahead of time – sticking to one color allows you to streamline – and then pack the night before travel. Forgetting something is too easy amid the panic of a travel day. Avoid checking your bags in, if possible. Bring reading or work material to put travel time to good use.

“Fifth Pillar: Possessions”

When cleaning up clutter, the golden rule is to stick with a task until it’s completed. Plan to organize your house over a series of weekends. Address closets first. Get rid of what you use less than other people might. Dump anything that no longer adds to your happiness. Schedule weekends to deal with other large jobs like organizing your papers or setting up storage solutions. Tackle clutter by breaking projects into less daunting pieces. For instance, don’t try to organize your bedroom; instead sort your dresser. Cut down your stuff by 25%. Don’t buy something because it’s a bargain. If you don’t use it, you’ve paid for junk.

“The more indispensable you become and the more you can distinguish yourself as a talented contributor, the more likely it is you can gain some flexibility.”

How do you sort clothing? Tag everything with a date, remove the tag when you wear it, and at the end of the year, toss every item with a tag on it. With every purchase, give away a similar item. Store out of season clothes and use your closet for things that are in season.

Return items to the same place. You won’t have to search for your keys if you always put them in your purse. Keep the family’s library books together in a canvas bag, so you’re not scrounging around for them when they’re due. Don’t store seasonal or rarely used items on countertops. Put frequently used tools in a container, and get rid of tools you don’t use. Store the year’s photos by month in boxes. Try to pick up a little daily.

“Sixth Pillar: Paper”

The “paperless office” may be a myth, but you can cut down on unnecessary or outdated paper with a periodic “purge.” Remove tax-relevant yearly files and store them separately. Toss old papers and magazines, and enter business-card data into contact software. Organize papers you will need on a particular day, papers that relate to current work and papers you’ll refer to occasionally. Track your personal and professional projects and obligations with a “tickler” file system: set up folders for each month, and put in folders for each day as the month draws near. If you book travel for June 15, place your itinerary in the “June” folder. It’ll be there for you when June arrives and you can then file it in the “14” folder that will by then be behind “June.” If you can’t return a blouse until next Friday, put the receipt in next Friday’s folder. File active project folders in a “step file” unit at your fingertips on your desk. Keep big projects together in a binder. Process paper as close to daily as possible so it doesn’t accumulate.

“Why is it that things stall partway through completion? Because at some point, you stopped asking the question, ‘What’s next?’”

The “6 D’s” offer guidance about avoiding paper clutter: 1) “Discard” junk; 2) “Delegate” where appropriate; set up a folder system for other household members; 3) “Do” what needs to be done immediately if it will take less than three minutes; 4) “Date” and file papers so they’re ready when you need to them; 5) “Drawer,” that is, file things away; and 6) “Deter” future clutter by asking to be removed from mailing lists. Use the “6 Ds” to deal with e-mails too – just drag “action” e-mails into “task,” “calendar” or project folders.

“I always encourage people to vacation longer than an extended weekend.”

Instead of trying to find more time to read, get your information via CD or even mp3. Listen while you drive, work out or wash dishes. Get e-mail updates for information that interests you. Collect your reading in a basket with handles so you can easily move it.

“Seventh Pillar: Post”

“Outsource” tasks that require special knowledge or that are time drains for you. For instance, if you are living in a two-income family with kids and investments, you need an accountant. Pay others to do household chores you hate: laundry, lawn care or errands. Use your money to save time – it might even be most cost effective. Plan your errands efficiently to make the most of your time. Keep items that relate to errands in one spot so you’re prepared. Plan grocery shopping for non-peak hours or, better yet, have staples delivered regularly. Use a wireless phone headset to catch up with friends, thus leaving your hands free to clean out the fridge. Do a little each day to keep up with your routine, so you can enjoy your weekends. Coordinate family schedules weekly. If appropriate, use an online calendar so everyone knows who needs to do what when.

“If you’re only gone one week, your colleagues will ‘hold your work for you until you get back.’ If you’re gone a couple of weeks, you will probably have someone covering for you and less will be piled up for you to deal with when you return.”

Don’t waste time running from room to room when cleaning; keep supplies in the room where they’re needed. Toss kids’ toys in a bin and put it in the play area for your children to put away. Place toys and other items on the bottom stair to get picked up next time someone takes the steps. Keeping the house tidy and running smoothly is everyone’s responsibility. Divide tasks fairly.

Save time and aggravation by planning a week’s worth of meals in advance with your family’s input. Make a “store map” of where items are in your supermarket, and circle what you need rather than writing the same things out over and over. Cost-efficient meal clubs offer an easy way to get nutritious meals for your family.

“Eighth Pillar: Play”

If you can’t find time to relax or pursue a hobby, you may be a “workaholic.” Remind yourself of the things that are important to you. Leave work behind at the end of the day, especially if you work at home. Many worry that if they aren’t killing themselves at work they won’t advance in their careers. But executives are now realizing that satisfying both personal and professional needs leads to greater fulfillment and less stress.

Perhaps the most crucial thing to remember is to slow down. Life is going to keep getting quicker, but there will still be laundry and letters to write tomorrow. So stop to think about what’s most important to you and make sure you spend your time doing that.