Monday, January 13, 2014
Good morning,
People often ask me how I manage to do so many things. I run, bike, yoga, constantly continuing my education, run a business, coach professionals, consult companies, speak regularly, travel, socialize, connect people, help friends, get involved in charitable events, sleep six to seven hours a night, have date nights with my husband, spend time with family and friends, worship, and love on my two sweet dogs, Abby and Lily.
Now, I have the same 24 hours in a day that you do, but I have made specific choices which allow me to make the most of every day. Let me share with you six quick tips that may help you make the most of your time, be productive, and help you make the most of the days ahead.
- Pick Your Priorities – Make choices about the activities in your life. Focus on spending time that is fun and productive for you. Make choices based on the lifestyle you want.
- Go For Efficiency – You don’t do everything well. The things you do well usually give you greater joy and require less time. Don’t take on something with a steep learning curve if you don’t have the available bandwidth. Design your life to meet your wants, and recognize when to say no to opportunities that are outside the scope of your desires. Live your life by design, not by default.
- Integrate Your Activities – Many people go crazy trying to figure out how to spend time with friends, family, work, play, etc. Stop trying to balance time between them all. Find ways to enjoy them in a combined manner. I always say, “find a blended life and it will be balanced.”
- Actively Manage Time Wasters – Social media, family, friends, employees, co-workers and general whiners, all under certain circumstances, can suck precious time from you if you let them. Budget your time for necessary activities. Make a choice to limit non-supportive interactions that don’t energize you. Social media can easily be a black hole for time and productivity. Use it appropriately and sparingly as a tool to support your endeavors and social needs.
- Be an Active Leader – You would think learning takes more time for you, but actually there are always new tools and new ways of doing things which can save you time on mundane tasks freeing you up for your priorities. Always be looking for a new way to gain back an hour here or there. Just try it and dump it quick it if starts to drag on you.
- Lighten Up – No need to beat yourself up if you can’t do all the things you want because you are handling other stuff that needs attention. It happens. And don’t think you need to be all things to all people either. The world won’t come to an end. Really, it won’t.
Don’t forget to celebrate progress and keep refining toward a happy productive existence. This is why making lists and crossing off items is a staple in any productivity handbook. Every completion is a small victory that adds up in a big way.