Maximize Your Time

“Time management is an oxymoron. Time is beyond our control, and the clock keeps ticking regardless of how we lead our lives. Priority management is the answer to maximizing the time we have.” ~ John C. Maxwell

According to Tony Robbins, we have “Time Targets.” These are pockets of time in which we must organize our priorities in order to find fulfillment. However, the way our lives are structured, and the things to which we actually give our attention, can result in less than ideal scenarios in which we feel compelled to respond to the demands of technology, our enormous agendas, or day-to-day tasks that we haven’t streamlined.

Many people just don’t have an inclination toward introspection. This is one of the better ways to see what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how you can improve on your time habits. Consider the ways you unwittingly sacrifice your time, and then consider how to change your habits through greater awareness:

Contemplate your most treasured activities. What do you wish you had more time to do? These are not merely indulgences. These are the aspects of your life to which you must delegate as much time as possible if you want to feel content. To have more time for what you love, delegate more of what you don’t enjoy to someone who does. At a minimum, find a way to get those less-desirable tasks done more efficiently.

Learn to mitigate problems before they become emergencies. When you become slightly uncomfortable about some situation, that is the time to find a way to get comfortable again by figuring out a solution. Keeping a problem small keeps it controllable.

Although you may feel most productive when you can organize all of your tasks into lists or calendar displays, consider the time it takes to prepare these things. If you are the type to make lists no human could ever hope to conquer, perhaps you could give yourself permission to spend your time on more fulfilling endeavors. All it would take is prioritization. Put an A (top priority) a B (medium priority) or a C (in front of every item on your huge list. Just do the As. It’s amazing how the Bs begin to take care of them selves and the Cs disappear as unimportant.

Schedule time for being interrupted. No one can work 24/7 without some form of interruption. Some interruptions – such as a short walk, some deep breathing, getting a fresh drink of water – are beneficial and boost success-behaviors.

On the other hand, beware the dreaded autopilot. Consider a plan of action for your downtime so that you have a flexible array of options that make you feel accomplished or refreshed. Social media, soap operas, tabloid magazines, and compulsive message-checking are sneaky time-sappers that kill your productivity and your chance at meaningful interactions. If you like to read, choose a work-related topic. If you like to be social, organize a get-together. Consider an alte
ative to television so that your kids can participate with you. Be creative even with the five minutes you get here and there so you can constantly reinforce your sense of fulfillment.

Each of us has the same 24 hours every day. Give yourself permission to explore the options each hour of your day holds. Effective time management takes thoughtful consideration to boost your daily existence.
“At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets.” ~ Steve Maraboli