The time we have

Ask yourself:

Am I clear about my purpose?

Is my time spent in alignment with my purpose?

Am I organized and methodical?

Do I have effective systems in place?

Do I manage time or does time manage me?

Do I plan and use my most productive time to do the most productive work?

Our life is made up of the time we have. It is our most precious commodity – once gone it’s never to return. Time cannot be banked – once Apr 26, 2018, is gone, it is gone forever!

How do we best manage this most precious commodity?

The first step is to have clarity about your purpose, goal, and role. Next, commit to spending time on your most important activities that achieve your purpose and goals. The more you involve yourself in activities that carry the greatest meaning and value, the greater your chances of experiencing real growth. This may mean giving up some things you are habitually involved in. By doing fewer nonessential activities, you free up more time for the essentials. You can thus increasingly focus on areas that are consistent with your goals, objectives, and purpose.

If you have too many priorities, you have no priorities!

Here are some practical tips to inspire you to manage your time well:

? Do your most important work first thing in the morning – as the first hour goes, so goes the day!

? Don’t shuffle papers; make quick decisions. Some people look at the same sheet several times because they are not decisive.

? Avoid too many interruptions. Some interruptions are necessary for business, but you also need to carve out some uninterrupted time to get important work done.

? Delegate effectively. And be clear in your instructions upon delegating.

? Use deadlines to achieve results. By establishing timelines, you can increase your productivity levels.

? Do just one thing at a time. Finish the first item before you move to the next (as much as possible). Jumping from task to task makes you lose momentum and focus.

? Be decisive. “Sit, walk, or run. Just don’t wobble.” Goes an old Zen saying. That’s another way of saying. “Don’t waffle; be decisive.”

? Break large tasks into smaller steps. Breaking big tasks into smaller chunks makes the task more manageable and allows you to get going. Remember, you chew an apple one bite at a time.

? Make waiting-time more productive. A lot of time during the day gets wasted in ‘pause’. Make good use of waiting time by spending it planning or reading the important material.

? Write down your goals every morning. Writing brings clarity, and clarity helps focus. By writing your goals each morning you become very clear about where your focus should be.

? Eliminate clutter. Too much clutter results in a lot of wasted time looking for things. A clean desk with a good filing system, not only saves time but increases effectiveness.

? Emphasize results, not activities. Just because you are busy does not mean you are effective. It is not how much time you put in, but what you achieve that matters.

?Prepare a time spending budget. Keep track of where your time goes. This will not only help you understand your habits but most importantly, help you manage your time allocation.