Do you know people that have become obsessed with time management? Today I watched my youngest daughter play a soccer game at the Wrangler/McDonalds soccer tournament. As we were leaving the neighborhood I realized I had left my cell phone at home. I’m thrilled I did because it forced me to be completely focused on the game and I was able to socialize more with the parents before and after the game. I did not have the temptation to check emails/voicemails/facebook, etc.
How to be more effective with time 24/7 plagues most busy professionals. Jenny Blake in a Forbes article recommends managing your energy not your time. Stephen Covey devised the four quadrants reminding us to keep the “urgent” at bay.
Dale Carnegie recommends these seven tips for effective time management:
Tip #1. Set Your Priorities
Tip #2. Set Tangible Goals
Tip #3. Establish Routines
Tip #4. Focus On The Task At Hand
Tip #5. Delegate Or Outsource When Possible
Tip #6. Organize Your Workspace
Tip #7. Use Wait Time Effectively
Shift your thinking from time management to self management. What you focus on today will generate your tomorrow? When you are with your family, be 100% with your family? When you are at work, be 100% at work. It’s the power of FOCUS and being present that will make a difference in relationships and business results. There’s really no secret formula to time management.
Setting and keeping priorities is step one, knowing that family, friends, and the traffic with 250 soccer teams playing in the triad may require you to bend your own rules. Many times as a coach, I can help people set those priorities and act as an accountability partner. Call me to learn how at 336.255.3273.
