Time Management and Life Balance Tips: ORGANIZE or AGONIZE!

???????Time management? You've got to be kidding!?

???????The actual concept originated in the 50's. Back then, time management gurus taught people methods and techniques to help them to maximize their productivity. Today, most of what they taught us is outdated. In our highly competitive, fast-paced, changing world, much more is expected from us. You are probably working well over 110% capacity and feeling the pressure to perform.??We also have far more work than we did back then, and information comes to us faster than ever.

???????To survive in today's fast-paced work environment, it’s a given that you have too much to do and too little time. You'd probably like to take life a little easier and work at a slower pace. You’d like to have a little more time to do the things you enjoy. The reality is that right now, your time is already taken with business and personal responsibilities—tasks, meetings, employee issues, appointments, kids’ schedules, chores, and more. You are likely feeling you don't have a minute to spare.?

???????How do you "steal" back a little time for yourself? Get?organized!?Your alternative is to agonize over the fact that there will never be enough time in a day to do all you need and want to do. Highly productive and successful people are well-organized, are masters at the art of staying focused, and handle details without letting anything slip through the cracks. They also learn how to obtain a sense of balance in their business life and personal life. If you want to improve your productivity, maximize the use of the resource time, and avoid job burnout, take control of these three areas: your mind, your work, and your life. Here are a few simple tips that can make a big difference in how you think, work, and live.?

Take Control of Your Mind?

Accept the things you cannot change.??The longer it takes you to accept the things you have no control over, the longer you will continue to fret!?

Learn to deal with the difficult people that drain your energy.?If you can't change the person, change yourself. Learn to deal with difficult situations. If you can’t people or situations, change your approach to them.?

Discipline?is critical. Your daily discipline determines your success! Develop good habits and rituals that will help you manage your time and reduce stress.??

Write things down?or enter information in your electronic device moment the thought interrupts your mind, or you become aware of a "to-do." This will help you to reduce "mind traffic -- all those things you need to do that pop into your mind throughout the day.

Master the art of?staying focused.??When working on projects/tasks that require concentration, block out other thoughts.?

Avoid unnecessary worry and fretting?about all you have to do. If you feel overwhelmed, remember that there is a “rhythm” to productivity. Get that rhythm going by rolling up your sleeves, and getting started.?

Develop?"emotional toughness."?Keep things in proper perspective. Don’t sweat the small stuff. If someone says or does something that aggravates you, take the advice of Eckhart Tolle, author of?The Power of Now:?“Just let it pass right through you.” Ask yourself if whatever is

bothering you if it’s worth getting you aggravated. Usually, it’s not. i.e. – Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Make tough decisions?when your mind is relaxed. Many executives say they make their best decisions when they're on the golf course!??Why? Their mind is relaxed, but their subconscious mind is working on the problem. Often the best decisions are made by taking a long walk, riding a bike, exercising, or doing anything that will help put the problem aside to let your subconscious mind work on it. When you least?expect it, the solution will come to you. OR, put the problem aside and plan to make the decision on a certain day.?You'll be surprised how the answer or solution will come to you.??

Take?time for quiet contemplation and creative thinking.??It’s necessary for self-renewal and it's critical to your success.

Love what you do.??If you don't have a position or a job that you love, LEARN to love it. It may not be easy, but if you can learn to love what you do, you will be more creative, more productive, and definitely make things better for everyone around you.?At the end of every day, think of three good things that happened and why they happened. Then smile.?

Take Control of Your Work?

?Return or make urgent calls?in the morning and those that are less important in the afternoon or at the end of the day.?

Skim your E-mail?in the morning and respond only to critical communication. Delete as you read it.?

Check it three or four times a day.?Unless your job role makes it necessary to be on top of every e-mail, resist the temptation to keep checking it every ten minutes.?

Prioritize.?For most busy professionals, this is a no-brainer, but it’s tough to do. Just ask yourself this question. "What's the most critical'??task or highest value activity, I need to tackle right now?" Your answer will be your guide. And, as your day goes on, your?priorities will shift, and you will have to take care of an urgent customer need, or put out a fire immediately. Prioritize your daily?activities by doing the most important things first, but learn to distinguish between low-payoff activities and high-payoff activities. This is?especially true if you are in sales. Low payoffs involve any time spent doing things that will not result in sales.?

When you get side-tracked with?interruptions?from phone calls, as we all do, regain your focus.?

Develop the habit of asking yourself this question, “What's the most important thing I need to do and what can I accomplish in the block of time I have?" Then readjust and take?control. Strive to control interruptions as much as you can.?

Don’t procrastinate. Big projects and large tasks can overwhelm you. Envision a project/task done before you start. Break big tasks into small tasks, and do them in increments. If you think you work best under pressure and are one of those people who need to have an "adrenalin rush" to motivate you, set an earlier deadline and discipline yourself to meet it. Write the deadline on your calendar or Outlook in red so that it's prominent. When you?complete a task that is difficult or that you don’t like doing, reward yourself with a coffee break or a "stretch break."?

Maximize your peak productivity time.??Work late if that's your best time. Go to bed early and get up early to accomplish tasks more efficiently.??

If you are in?sales,?focus on sales-related activities: prospecting, face-to-face visits with customers, territory management and asking for referrals. These activities will get you the results you want…increased sales. Do your paperwork and obtain industry knowledge in off hours.?

Hone your selling skills on the weekends.?

Practice effective listening and communication skills.??Misunderstandings can waste a lot of time. Make sure people have facts, details, and clear information. Learn to deal with difficult problems or people at once. Problems that are not handled quickly rarely go away. They fester.?

Record all activities, follow-ups, errands, or projects on a daily to-do list.?Bring it with you everywhere.?

Review your schedule and list whenever you have the time. At the end of each day, or the next morning, make a new list for the next day’s goals - rolling over whatever you didn’t accomplish on the previous day.?

Record time-management tips?in your computer in a "Productivity" document and keep it handy. Also record new ideas on?personal productivity, organizational skills, and life balance as you discover what works for you. Review them often to stay on track.

Delegate effectively.?Make sure others have a clear picture of the purpose of any delegated work, when you need it, and what results you expect. Ask them if they are clear and if they'll need any help. Set a realistic deadline that's agreeable and workable for both of you.?If it's a big project, check frequently on the status. Remember, if you're in a leadership position, it's up to you to sustain the motivation. Only when the person proves he/she can deliver, and deliver on time, can you relax. If you feel the job is being done poorly or incorrectly, ask how you can help and give the person a second chance. When the project has been completed, give praise and credit for a job well done.

Set an “End-Time” for all appointments, lunches, and meetings.

Hire the RIGHT people?– Hire high contributors and people you can depend upon. If you don’t, you have wasted precious time and money and will have to train someone else to do their job.?

Take Control of Your Personal Life?

On Sunday, pick one household task and make a promise to finish it by Friday.?Then you won’t have to spend your weekend doing chores.

Avoid procrastination?in your personal life. What is it that you want to do, learn, go, start, or finish that will bring you a sense of happiness and accomplishment in your personal life? Leroy Brownlow states, "Procrastination is the art of putting off what you should get done. Today is the golden opportunity, tomorrow the silvery chance, and the next day the brazen improbability, and the day beyond that the?iron impossibility. All such put-off days quickly turn into yesterdays, while immobile people stand on feet of clay that soon turn to dust."?

Plan leisure time in advance to avoid job burnout.??Plan time to take care of your physical well-being—exercise, walk, or go to the health?club. Develop rituals in these areas as well. Studies have proven that people who are physically active are more productive on the job. I?know an executive of a Fortune 50 company who often has people meet him at the health club in the early morning hours to discuss business issues while he's on the treadmill. I know another executive who likes to golf. He lets his kids drive the cart, and talks to them about their week. Remember, for every problem, there's a solution. Find your solution.?

Weed your garden.?Eliminate spending time with people who do not add real value to your life. Sometimes we spend our valuable time and energy on people whose interests have grown apart from ours. Spend time with people who give you energy, ideas and reaffirm your efforts. Eliminate relationships with negative people - they are toxic to you. Seek to develop and build relationships with positive people who?reinforce you.?

"Just say no"?to volunteer activities or social functions if you already have too much on your plate. Do not let others manipulate you through flattery, guilt, or obligation. Learn to say no to activities that steal your energy, but do not help your business or family life.?

Give yourself permission to be a couch potato?when you need to recharge your batteries. Watch movies and "veg!" You'll be twice as?productive the next day. Another way to recharge your batteries is when you have a day off, get out and go somewhere or do something you've never done before. Go hiking, visit an auction, or rollerblade!?

Empower yourself with education.?Make time to read. Clip articles, and save them to read later. Use your car as a learning vehicle. Listen?to educational or motivational tapes while you drive.?

Plan family time. Examples: Set up a day where everyone gets together in the kitchen to help prepare dinner.

Set up an “End Time”?for social functions before you get together with friends or family. Be clear about what you need?from your family.??

Delegate and reward?for chores and good behavior from your children.?

Be organized?in your personal life.?

Keep dry cleaning and things to be repaired in your car. Keep personal files well organized. Keep your pantry well-stocked. Shop at non-peak hours. Shop doubles, if you can afford to do so, to prevent running out of important food items. Be proactive by taking good care of your car and appliances so that they don’t break down - same with you! Throw or give away things you don’t need. Clean out those closets and drawers too! Do one a day. You'll feel great when you do.?Lose yourself in a creative activity to manage your stress.?

Establish priorities. What is really important to you in life? For most people, their priorities are usually health, family, relationships, fun, financial stability, spirituality, continuous education, personal growth, and professional success. You need all of these in balance. Then you will feel your life has more meaning and purpose.?

TAKE TIME TO DREAM, TO RELAX, TO LIVE, AND ENJOY YOUR LIFE

ENJOY YOUR LIFE, AND LIVE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME.??Balancing business life and personal life can be a tightrope act. Don’t assume that you can achieve perfect balance in everything. But with a healthy body and “can-do” attitude, you can become more well-rounded and find fulfillment in all you do.?

I hope you found a few tips that you can apply to help you maximize your use of the resource time, which may be the most precious resource you have!??

Christine Corelli - https://christinespeaks.com

847 477 7376