Time Is On Your SideBy
Diane Helbig
Time management is a HUGE topic these days. Just about everyone struggles with it. I submit that the problem starts with how we view our responsibilities. I think we see the things we are hoping to accomplish as so big we are instantly overwhelmed. Okay, that's how we see things. The good news is that this is easy to change.
Seeing things large? Break them down. Let's explore 3 aspects of time management.
1. Priorities:
Everything can't be a priority. Or should I say, urgent. While there may be a lot of things that you want to accomplish, you can't do them all at once. And, trying to tackle them all at once contributes to your feelings of overwhelm.
a. Pick 3 (at most)
Look at all of the things you want to get done and pick 3 of them. Put the rest in the 'parking lot,' to be tackled later.
b. Break each priority into smaller steps. The smaller you can make the steps, the easier they are to accomplish. Get to start and go from there. Don't focus on the end.
c. Eliminate time suckers. Take a look at how you spend your time. Are there tasks you do that take up a lot of time; possibly more time than necessary. An example of this would be email. You don't have to check your email all day long. You don't even have to check it first thing in the day. Pick a time to check it around mid-morning, and another late afternoon.
2. Schedule
a. Put those small steps on your calendar. Stick them into open space in 30 minute increments. Just as smaller steps are easier, shorter periods of time are usually easier.
b. Create a visual representation of your progress and post it on the wall. Being able to see your progress in color makes it more real and compelling.
3. Communicate
a. One of the most important points of time management is having a monitoring system. This system keeps track of what is working, what isn't, and whether progress is being made. The answers are then communicated to all interested parties. Anyone who has an impact on the success of a company's priorities must be kept in the loop.
b. As speaking of keeping people in the loop, communicating outcomes and ideas is equally important. Even if you are a solopreneur you should be engaging in communication of these important aspects of business growth. Find someone - a coach, an accountability partner, a colleague, a friend - and have conversations with them about how things are going.
All of these ideas can keep you on track toward your business goals. They work together. Implement them and then keep track of them. Don't be afraid to tweak them if you find something that works really well or things that don't work at all. Figure out what works for you, your personality, and your business. You'll find that time really is on your side.
Diane Helbig is a Professional Coach, and the president of Seize This Day Coaching. She works one-on-one and in groups with small business owners, entrepreneurs, and salespeople to help them create successful business development strategies. As a team, they embrace the possibilities. Diane is the author of Lemonade Stand Selling - a straightforward, common sense guide to sales for small business, and a contributing author to several Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Diane is also the host of Accelerate Your Business Growth Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio. Diane's website is Seize This Day Coaching and you can find her book at Lemonadestandselling.
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Copyright © 2014 Diane Helbig All Rights Reserved
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