Time Management Self Improvement

As a psychologist and life coach, I often find myself discussing the importance of saying “no” with busy, stressed out professionals. Everyone likes the idea of saying “no” more often, at least in theory. But, when it comes to actually doing it, I hear a lot of “yes, buts.” In other words, “yes, I could say no to that, but then who would do it?” or “yes, I could say no to that, but then my boss would be upset with me and I might not get a promotion.” Why is it so hard to say “no” to others?

Most of us experiencing success in our careers have learned one lesson really well: if you want to advance, you have to be willing to do the work. Translation, say “yes” to opportunities that come your way because you never know where it will lead. Well, look where that has led you. . . right to reading this article, looking for a solution to managing your busy life!

The truth is, we are much better at saying “yes” than we are at saying “no.” Saying “yes” is easy, even if it means more stress and frustration down the road. When you say “yes,” the other person smiles, thanks you, and you are left feeling as though you have pleased someone. There’s a lot of emotional payoff in that. Saying “no” is not immediately gratifying to us. Although rationally we know that saying “no” will mean we will feel less stressed in the future, when we say “no,” we may feel guilty about disappointing the person who has made a request of us. Or, we may fear the consequences of saying “no.” What’s so good about that? Not much. That’s why simply telling yourself to say “no” more often is not a very effective means of managing your busy life and career.

So, what’s the alternative? Contemplate saying “yes” with awareness of what the “no” is in every “yes.” For every task or project we agree to do, we are saying “no” to something else. If I agree to take emergency on-call tonight at work, I am saying “yes” to being a team player and helping out in a pinch. But, chances are I will get called to handle an emergency and I am saying “no” to going to the gym after work, time with my husband, an uninterrupted dinner, and a good night’s sleep. I also am saying “no” to being alert and productive tomorrow at work. I will make it through the next day, but I won’t be as
effective as I could be with my clients. And, I won’t have
much energy for my friends or family the next evening after
work. Having awareness of what is really at stake when I say “yes” makes it much easier to make selective, thoughtful decisions to say “no.”

By the way, saying “no” selectively does not make you a poor team player. There’s more than one way to be a good team player! In the example I shared, if I say “no” to on-call that night, the next day I am more present and effective with my clients and colleagues. This also is a quality of a good team player. There will be other times when I say “yes” to taking on-call in a pinch, but the circumstances in my life may be different. Perhaps at that time, I am well-rested, have been to the gym the day before, and had some quality time with my husband recently. So saying “yes” to this additional responsibility does not mean I will lose out in other important areas of my life.

Try this over the coming week: Each time you are presented with a new opportunity, project, or task, ask yourself, “what am I saying ‘no’ to by saying ‘yes’ in this situation?” Write this question on a sticky note and put it where you will see it often. You will be surprised at how much more time you have for what is important to you!

Being fully aware of our choices allows us to make choices congruent with our goals, values, and life purpose. This
brings us closer to a sense of balance.

Want more time for what’s important to you?
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When it comes to good time management most people automatically think of their work and their professional life, but studies show that many people waste a tremendous amount of time in their personal life. By identifying and dealing with the time wasters in your personal life you can help manage your time better in your professional life.

Most of us can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the pressures and demands of work and home. After you tend to your spouse, children, pets, housework, lawn maintenance, presentations, and reports, what little leftover time you find is usually reserved for friends. Time alone is practically nonexistent.

Because there are only 24 hours in a day, many of us need a little help in determining how to manage our responsibilities within that infinite time frame. According to many time-management experts, it’s not the vast amount of activities we have that keeps us running perpetually behind; it’s the small chunks of wasted time that gobble up the day.

The first thing to remember when it comes to good time management is that you are the only person who can decide when you’re not using your time effectively. Sometimes you don’t consciously make that decision; it’s made for you by your tired body. If that is the case, heed the call. Your body is probably telling you to slow down.

Realistic goals are vital to good time management. Expectations are a time management killer. Your aim should be to feel good, not to do more. For example, sometimes you expect to get a lot done on the weekend, but when you don’t accomplish everything you set out to do, you feel frustrated. Instead of trying to do it all, try to do one thing. Make that your goal.

Another way to start gaining control of your time is to become aware of how you currently spend it. A good first step in learning how to manage your time is to start keeping a log of daily activities. Use a calendar for this purpose, so you can get an idea of how you typically let time get away from you. This will give you a solid basis upon which to formulate strategies to spend your time more effectively.

Through my seminars and consulting over the years I have dealt with thousands of people. My experiences with people have allowed me to identify some of the common time wasters that many people deal with in their personal life. While, realistically, we can’t avoid these things, we can reduce their impact on our lives.

The telephone acts as lifeline to the world, but its presence can also be disruptive. Learn to cut back on your use of the phone. Answer it if you want to talk, but don’t answer out of obligation. If you do take a call, limit it to 15 minutes or less. Another way to reduce telephone time is to use it as an answering machine. If the telephone continues to be a problem, unplug it or if it’s your cell phone, turn it off. Just don’t forget to reconnect it or turn it back on when you’re ready to talk to the world again.

The television is a big source of wasted time. If you have children, the concept of television rationing is probably not unfamiliar to you. Practice what you preach, turn off the television if you can’t afford distractions. Physically remove yourself from the room if you have to. Or, if you do decide to watch, try to do something else at the same time, such as paying a bill or letter writing. Remember, when you are watching television to avoid doing something else, it has become a time waster for you.

Next, examine how much time you spend in the car. Can you cut down that time by using alternative means of transportation? Limiting your use of the car is not only a time saver; it also makes sense economically and environmentally. Join a car pool, or take public transportation. You can read or listen to the radio while you’re taking a bus or subway to work, turning time previously spent on driving into precious free time.

Another big time waster that you have to get control over is trivia. This includes the time you spend doing housework, and running errands. If you can learn to streamline these activities, you can make your time much more effective.

To gain control over the time you spend doing housework and general property maintenance I suggest that you use a cleaning and maintenance schedule. You should reserve certain activities for a particular day of the week. For example, clean the bathroom on Saturdays, but do the not-so-critical items every other week. Also, limit the amount of time you spend running errands.

Shopping can also be a big drain on your time. First of all, you have to get in the habit of making shopping lists for grocery and other items. Lists will help you to avoid last-minute, emergency runs to the store. Then plan to shop during a convenient, hassle-free time in your day.

For example, try to avoid supermarkets during the weekends when they’re the most crowed and instead pick an evening during the week to shop when it’s less crowed. If you have trouble finding time for grocery shopping then try buying in bulk

Anticipating the gifts you will need to purchase for different events during the year instead of waiting until just before a holiday or birthday can save you a lot of time shopping. For example, buy presents and cards for friends and relatives whenever you happen to come across something that is appropriate.

I cannot emphasize strong enough how important list-making is as a time-management tool. Lists are an invaluable aid in reducing mental clutter. A list not only reminds you of what you need to do, but it also helps you to prioritize the day. If you’re serious about saving time you must get in the habit of making lists.

Everyone enjoys a surprise visit from a friend, but if these visits cease to be pleasurable and venture toward annoying, you have to learn to be direct. Tell your friend that he or she has come at a bad time. You can often soften your words a little and invite him or her in for a few minutes, but make it clear that you aren’t available for a long visit. If your friends have resorted to drop-by visits because they never see you, work them into your schedule. Plan to meet for lunch or play tennis during the weekend.

Waiting is an area where many people feel that they waste the most time. There’s not a whole lot you can do to reduce waiting time. Perhaps the best method of passing empty moments is to enjoy them. Get in the habit of carrying reading material or a portable CD player with you. When you read or listen to something educational that will help you improve your life in some way it is always time well spent.

Difficult tasks and assignments create mental blocks for many people. To unlock mental blocks you should break down the project into smaller, more manageable parts. Then start working on it, piece by piece.

You can learn to manage your time so life is more than a race to finish your tasks and meet obligations before the end of the day. Take the time to sit down and analyze your typical day, then make a list of your time wasters. Concentrate on one or two items, and see if you can create more time to do the things you enjoy. By wasting less time, you’ll feel better about you and that’s to everyone’s benefit.

Copyright©2006 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world, on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing. Joe is the author of three books, Starting Your Own Business, Finding Your Purpose In Life, and The Guerrilla Marketing Workbook.

Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com

Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com

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As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come to recognize that unless there is a focused effort to keep vigilance over priority busters, our best time management efforts will go unrealized. Our day-to-day lives demand more to resolving this than just practicing better time management principles.

The cost of a minute
Jim Miller of U.S. West tells us we experience eight interruptions an hour. American Demographics magazine says us we receive 23 paper and electronic messages an houreach one its own type of interruption. Regardless of the type or number, remember that every time someone stands at the door and asks if you’ve ‘got a minute?’ they invite you to climb out of your priority and into theirs. Politely moving them to an alternative time enables you to remain focused on your priorities.

‘Yes’ is an acceptable word
Learning to say no and meaning it is difficult. Let’s face itno can sound like ‘yes’ and no and sound like ‘maybe’. Saying it to supervisors or customers comes with its own cautionary reminder. But identifying and being committed to your priorities is what keeps us focused on when and if we should be saying ‘yes’.

Fight against procrastination
A difficult habit to break. When delaying decisions is how we handle matters, we permeate our time management practices with ineffective and frustrating scenarios. Not only for ourselves, but for others as well. Making decisions to move things forward is the only way to fight procrastination. One mindful step at a time.

Today’s business climate creates pressure to produce more workwith fewer peoplesoonerfor less money. It demands more of us. But there’s major productivity gains to be realized by proactively handling interruptions, keeping commitments tethered to priorities and actively making decisions. That is when we will realize productivity gains and less stress as individuals and as an organization.

There are only 24 hours a day. It’s how you use them that determines your level of satisfaction with work and life.

Copyright 2001 Cynthia Kyriazis. All rights reserved.

Cynthia Kyriazis is a Professional Organizer, trainer, consultant, speaker, coach and author with over 20 years management experience in multi-unit corporations. She is President of Organize it, Inc., an organizational consulting firm serving Fortune 500 clients since 1995. Cynthia has worked with over 150 companies and hundreds of professionals to help improve performance in the areas of time, information, space and electronic file management.

Cynthia has appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Kansas City Star and the Legal Intelligencer. She currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), member of International Society for Performance Improvement - Kansas City chapter (ISPI-KC) and consultant to the American Coaching Association.

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