To be great at controlling time do 8 things to help create more freedom.

One of the biggest challenges people confront is the perception of having limited time to concentrate on what matters most.

It’s easy to get stuck in the proverbial grind and lose sight of the essential features of life that make it worth living.

In our hustle culture the emphasis is often on having more money, status, fame and power. However, we often measure success based on things that don't sustain happiness.

Unfortunately, many people advocating acquisition and position as the ultimate aphrodisiac lack evidence of life satisfaction.?Their health, their relationships and their ability to own their time often suffer.

At Anatomy of Success, I encourage people to define success on their terms, and that definition must include working toward controlling our time.

Without the ability to regulate our schedule, we are subservient to a professional kabuki dance that surrenders control of our freedom to outside obligations that create stress, time limitations and the perception of urgency.

I realize not everyone has the good fortune of being a successful entrepreneur.?However, we can still harness the power of establishing control over our schedule by learning to set boundaries and resist the traps that consume precious time.

The goal isn't to "manage" our time, it's to make time work to our advantage.

“We all make time for what we believe is important in our lives.”

To be great at controlling time do 8 things to help create more freedom:

Rise and shine.

Anyone that follows my work understands the importance of a morning routine.?Getting up early allows us to make time for exercise, meditation, stretching, writing, prayer, reading, healthy eating or whatever else is high on your list of essential mental and physical health objectives.?Rising before the sun allows us to avoid all the distractions that "come alive" as the day progresses.

Get it done.

Understanding what requires our immediate attention and things that are less relevant is critical.?Get in the habit of getting things done.?Cross things off your list that require attention and become well versed at avoiding “putting things off”.?Procrastination isn’t fatal but learning to be punctual is ideal.??Developing successful “habits” consistent with success will improve your relationship with time.?

Reminders.

Use reminders to ensure we stay focused on what demands our attention.?Important sales calls, workouts, family functions, to do lists.?Write down your daily goals and scratch off your accomplishments.?Each day you'll experience a sense of satisfaction that will create momentum consistent with success.?

Track progress.

When you’re first starting to control your time more efficiently, track your progress.?Document your journey and journal about your daily activities.?This allows us to measure our progress and identify room for improvement.?It’s a great way to create some structure around developing more productive habits.??

Adhere to a schedule.

Having a schedule and systems in place that ensure we “get things done” will make controlling time more efficient.?I use my phone to document my daily obligations but use my mind as a weapon for adhering to my top priorities.?Exercise,?health, reading, meditation, writing, walking and health care doesn’t require “adding to my calendar”.?These are nonnegotiable priorities that take precedence on my schedule. I work around what matters most and make time for everything else that “deserves” my attention.????????

“There’s only one thing more precious than our time and that’s what we spend it on.”

Priorities.

Focus on setting time aside for things that matter most, and that includes saying no to everything else that competes with those priorities.?Health and family are top priorities, so is my mental and physical health.?I allocate most of my energy to work that produces the greatest benefit.?The 80/20 rule is nothing new, but it works.?As a salesperson, I’ve learned to identify the best prospects early in the process and avoid wasting time on prospects that aren’t likely to form a partnership.?Prioritizing our time is essential for freeing up more time for things that pay the biggest dividends.

Set boundaries.

Developing great habits is imperative for success, and so is eliminating bad habits.?We can develop great habits and still make little progress because bad habits nullify our efforts.?Take inventory of how we spend our time and eliminate things that aren’t REALLY resulting in positive improvements.?That social app you’re convinced is going to make you rich,?often requires 5 hours a day. Is it truly a good investment of our time????

Delegate.

Business owners and entrepreneurs are especially guilty of not being able to delegate.?Once we embrace real leadership, we let go of the need to be in control of everything.?It’s liberating and frees up more time to focus on truly important things.??At home we can make similar discussions.?What tasks can we delegate in order to gain more freedom? Maybe hire someone to mow the lawn or have groceries delivered.

“Time has a wonderful way of showing?us what really matters.”

Sum it up

Any tips for managing time wisely??Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.??Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.?Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.?Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.?Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!