Time Management Self Improvement

1. Make sure everyone else does their share.

2. Have chores shared out fairly.

3. When others do chores, allow them to do so in their own way. Don’t be tempted to do things again in your way.

4. Prioritise

5. Plan ahead. This can be useful in terms of shopping, batch cooking and freezing.

6. Weigh up the personal benefits of putting some tasks out to tender, i.e. ironing, cleaning. It may be worth the money.

7. Can you use the time when you are exercising to do some mental planning.

8. Commuting time may be right for you to catch up on your reading, or doing some work related task you would otherwise do at home.

9. Only watch television programmes that really interest you. It can be useful to code in what you want to watch and otherwise keep the box switched off. This will give you time to go for a walk, do gardening or even COMMUNICATE.

10. De clutter and housework will be minimal. It will also take less time to find things you need. This can be applied to your wardrobe too so that you do not waste time on trying to decide what to wear. What is in your wardrobe should be ready to wear, be items you feel and look good in and not so abundant that you are spoiled for choice.

This article was submitted by Mary Lennox an experienced counsellor and intuitive life coach. The combination of her education, career background and life experiences enable her to have an empathic understanding across abroad spectrum of circumstances.

Visit her website http://www.lifecoachinggym.com for more free articles or to subscribe to her free bi monthly newsletter “WORKOUT.”

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Many people think that they could improve their life if only they could find the time. They desperately want to change, to realize their dreams, whether that is gaining self-confidence, dealing with anxiety, having better relationships or acquiring money. They think that, when they find the time, they will make the changes they have promised themselves. The truth is they will never deliver on those promises because they never will find the time.

We all have busy lives. We have commitments to work and family. We leave early in the morning and go to work, work hard all day with no time to think, and then, when we get home tired, we have other commitments thrust upon us. We’re not happy. There’s never enough time for your self. Your job may be fantastic, your finances secure and your family loving, but there’s a hole in your life. But, you keep saying to your self: I’ll make the effort as soon as I find the time.

I’ll let you into a secret: you will never find the time. With the lifestyles we live today, time is not something we ever find. We must MAKE the time! It’s not always easy, but it is possible to make a little time each day just for your self.

First you need to sit down with pen a paper and write down your schedule. Don’t leave anything out; be honest. You probably already know what it is you’d like to do if you had the time, so write down how long each day you would like to have. Now, go back to your written schedule and start to analyze it to find out where you can make time. You can begin with looking at how you begin your day. You may yearn to meditate, or practise yoga, or write or find time to contemplate. Well, could you get up a half hour earlier? Most of us can make the effort the get up that little bit earlier. If you do, you could make the time to spend on yourself.

How do you spend your lunch hour at work? Most people tend to chat with their colleagues, go shopping, and do errands or simply zone out. Could you cut down on these? Perhaps not every day but on your schedule, write down when you could make the time, even if it’s only two times a week.

What about travelling to and from work? Maybe you could make the time there. Read the books you’re always promising your self you’ll read one day. Listen to the self-improvement CDs you’ve bought but never had the time to listen to. If you planning on getting fit or doing some exercise, ask your self if you could run or walk to work - at least part of the way - rather than driving or taking the bus.

Evenings can be a problem when it comes to making time. Most people are pretty tired when the get home from work. Then there’s preparing meals and spending time with your family and friends. But again, you could possibly make time here. How much time spent at home in the evening is quality time? Do you tend to zone out in front of the TV? If you do, you can stop watching the TV and make the time for your self.

Weekends are by far the best place to look when making time for your self. Start by looking at the schedule you’ve written down and again be honest. Do you tend to sleep, spend hours window-shopping or just potter about the house for hours on end? We are all guilty of wasting some of our time, especially at weekends. Write down some time on the schedule of yours when you can spend time just on yourself.

Finally, talk to those around you. Explain to them you desire to spend time in improving your self. If you’re honest and show them you’re committed, you’ll be surprised how much support you receive. After all, become a better you is going to improve their lives too.

Making time is hard work but making it is worth the effort. Once you begin to spend time doing the things you’ve been promising your self, you’ll feel so much better. Don’t worry if you sometimes don’t stick to it. Schedules can be re-arranged: after all, our lives are ever changing. So, what are you waiting for? Go and start making the time.

About the author: Robin O’brien is founder and editor of selfimprovementtechniques.com. You can find many more time management tips by visiting his site.

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I know it’s a radical idea, the death of your to-do list so bear with me while I explain. Think about it, a long to-do list is a giant energy drain and waste of time. Have you ever noticed how the list keeps growing instead of disappearing?

Imagine waking up every morning feeling confident that you have enough time to accomplish the goals you have set for the day. Picture yourself wrapping things up at the end of the day knowing that you have not wasted your time or energy and that the actions you completed are supporting you in creating a profitable business.

Intrigued? The great news is that it is simple to kill your to-do list. Here’s how. First, take a long hard look at your massive to-do list and put a number one next to the actions that are high priority (I know, I hear you shouting they are all high priority, trust me they aren’t). Go through the list again and rank the medium priority actions with a number two and low priority actions with a number three.

Now, get out your calendar and take each high priority action and place it into your schedule. Choose a date that it will be completed as well as a realistic block of time for completion (start and finish time). Continue doing this with the medium priority actions and finish with the low priority actions.

This will work for you no matter what kind of calendar you use. Choose a system that works for you. The concept of integrating your actions into your planning is much more important than the type of calendar you use.

New opportunities do come up and you can update and adjust your planning as needed. The difference is that now the things you have planned are already prioritized so if something new comes up, you will be able to consider its importance in relation to existing priorities. This is much more effective than simply adding another action to the bottom of a list.

Also, make sure you schedule in some free time each day for unplanned things that come up. If you can’t find a place for some of the low priority actions don’t worry, I have a solution for you below (see benefit number three).

Let me confess something, I know to-do lists don’t work because I am a former owner of a long to-do list (that never got done). Since I killed my to-do list and consciously thought about what I really want to get done, I am much more productive and feel confident about the direction of my business.

Benefits for you:

1. Doing this forces you to reconsider what you are doing with your time and this allows you to get clear about what your real priorities are.

2. You will have a realistic picture of what you can really accomplish in a certain time period (each day, week, month, etc.).

3. There will probably be some things that won’t fit into your schedule and this gives you a chance to consider dropping them or delegating them. I like to call this your “to-don’t” list. If you are a solopreneur and don’t have employees who can pick up the slack, you can always outsource.

4. You will reduce overwhelm and stress because you will no longer be confronted daily with a giant list of things you know you won’t get done that day. This way you will get more accomplished, stay on track, and remain focused.

5. You will feel great about the actions you plan to take each day because you know they are aligned with your long term goals and that doing them will move you forward toward reaching them.

Anyone who is serious about building a sustainable and profitable business needs to be sure they are spending their time and energy on the right things. Are you are beginning to see that a long to-do list that isn’t prioritized with actions that aren’t connected to a actual dates for completion isn’t efficient?

It can be scary to integrate your to-do list into your calendar and I promise, it is worth it. What do you have to lose? Try it and if it doesn’t work you can always go back to the never-ending list of things that never get done. Stop living in denial about what you can realistically get done and choose to plan and execute profitable actions that will grow your business!

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