Time management means making time for what's important.
By Clay S. Nelson
When most of us hear the phrase “time management” our minds automatically click to the various ways of scheduling our time. Yes, we need these tools to keep us on track, but I'm going to challenge you to add another way of thinking to your time management arsenal, and it goes against the way most of us are wired to think about our time.
What if I told you that if you used whatever scheduling techniques you have at your disposal to schedule time for your life—your family, your community, your spirituality, your fun, and yourself—and you actually did what you scheduled, you would go to work happier, your business would run smoother, and you would actually have room at the end of the day to put your feet up, if you chose to?
Call the life-balance concept crazy, but it works. Think about it. We are wired to focus continually on “our job”—to work, work, and work some more. Some of us even schedule how we are going to spend our working hours down to the minute. And most of us are completely worn out at the end of the day. Now that's working out really well … I don't think so. So, why not make yourself a priority?
Clearly, I am not suggesting that you push your business obligations aside. I am telling you that if you will create a plan for managing the time you have for your life, a plan that balances your personal life and work life and takes care of you first, and integrate it with your business commitments and aspirations, your life will energize your business.
Taking care of you. Every day we receive new information that our brains somehow categorize and store, and with each new entry what was put there previously gets covered up. Now in the category of “things to do,” which things do you think you are actually going to remember to do?
Unfortunately, taking care of ourselves first is not something we do automatically. Unless you have a written plan for living a balanced life, are committed to the plan, and ask someone to hold you accountable for following the plan, chances are taking care of yourself will get pushed to the bottom of the pile every time.
A written plan for taking care of yourself is very simple to create. Each month make a list of 10 things you love to do (things that have nothing to do with work, making money, or networking to work or make money), a date when you will do whatever you have listed, and then follow your plan. It is called a personal plan. An item on your list can be as simple as taking 10 minutes to do absolutely nothing. The point here is to get in the habit of doing things that you love—things that will light you up and recharge your battery—which will ultimately provide you with the juice to get through the day with a smile and a greater sense of well-being.
Since taking care of ourselves first goes against our normal way of thinking, it is wise to ask someone you trust to hold you accountable for actually doing what your personal plan says. Why? Because even the best of plans are flawed if they don't include accountability to back them up. You have to build a team around you that holds you accountable in order to keep you from slipping back into your old habits that use you up and leave you worn out.
Provide your accountability team with a copy of your plan and simply request that they check in with you periodically to ask if you are doing the items listed on your plan. Just knowing that you've given someone permission to hold you accountable for what your personal plan says is often the only push you'll need to actually do what you plan.
You may be wondering what in the world does a personal plan have to do with time management? My answer is, “Balance!” The circumstances of life so easily overtake us that the intention to simply have 15 minutes to enjoy a cup of coffee at sunrise, for example, will get overrun with other things like a job gone awry, a problem employee, or cash-flow shortages, to name a few. Yet what if, in spite of your circumstances, you actually follow your written personal plan? How much more effectively and efficiently might you deal with “other things” if you are balanced in your energy and happy in your life?
