We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Yet some people can knock out what seems like 14 different jobs, 8 different volunteer positions, and STILL have time for their friends, family, and their own personal time. How the heck do they do it?
Well, it’s not a matter of time management, but of self-management in that time. What you choose to do each hour of the day determines your outcome and success. If you choose to work on things that don’t truly bring you towards a goal, whether it’s in your personal or in your work life, you will always wonder where your time went.
Starting today, you have the ability to use your awareness and decision making to choose to spend your time wisely. But how do you determine where that time is needed? We have two questions you should ask yourself when trying to determine where to spend your time: “Is it urgent?” and “Is it important?”
Distraction
A true distraction is something that is not urgent and not important. This is the mindless scrolling through social media, the phone call from friend who’s secretly soap opera star and just wants to share useless gossip, the ad that pulled you to the latest home technology because you made a comment about how cool it would be and now you see it everywhere and can’t help but click. None of that was on your to-do list and none of it helped you be a better you. So… knock those out of the way right now!
Delusion
Delusion may be the sneakiest kind of task when it comes to self-management… Delusion is the type of task that feels urgent, but is not important. We have become victim to the little red circle we call “a notification”. Whether it’s a message on social media, a new text chiming in, or an email that popped up in the corner of your screen, we are so guilty of letting ourselves be pulled away from the focused work we’re doing because something else needs out attention right now. And how shameful of us to let everyone else determine what is important in our day. This is where the ultimate test of discipline, self-control, and self-management come into play. I dare you to set aside all delusions the rest of the week. If you can do a full day without reaching for your phone every time it dings, opening your inbox, or checking your smart watch, shoot me an email telling me how it changed your success. I kid you not, I’ll give you a prize.
Demand
Now this… this is a good place to spend your time. The area of demand is for work that is urgent and important. This is the work that truly needs your time, dedication, and focus. Without this time, your business would not move forward. Whether it’s fulfilling orders, a meeting with a client, or preparing a vendor invoice, this work has to happen in order for your business to make money and grow. Overall, this section should count for the majority of your time.
The Zone
Now The Zone is place where we spend the least amount of time, but it is the most valuable time. This is the place where we work on things that are not urgent, but important. This is where we invest our time. Although it may not feel like it has immediate return, by working on something that is important, your business benefits in the long run. This may a team outing, taking time to write out a new standard operating procedure document, or investing some personal development. These are the items that truly only you can do, that will make a lasting impact in your business, and in honestly, this is this work that is so necessary in order for your business to be the best. While it may not be a large part of your schedule, it should be a consistent part of your week.
If you feel like you’re not spending and investing time where you should, you’re wondering how to make more time in your schedule, or you want to manage yourself better in the time that you have, reach out to your local ActionCOACH to make the most of the time you have. After all, time is going to come and go. It’s what you choose to do with that time that matters!
Author: Kyleigh Mazer, Business Coach in New Albany, IN