Managing Time Management
Don't Let It Manage You!
Over the years I have found a fine line between managing my time through time management principles and letting time management manage me.
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At one point, I had so many papers, plans and programs that it was almost a full time job to manage it all. I was so busy working on theory that I was not doing the very work that I was trying to manage.
Depending on what your position in life is, you may find that fine tuning your goals and aspirations, spending a fair amount of time learning and discovering time management techniques to be helpful.
Ironically, over time, you may find the growing collection of time management tips etc are taking too much space and causing too much clutter on your desk, in your office and in your brain.
If you are a mom or someone with a lot of other responsibilities, if you have an overflowing plate - which you probably do if you find yourself obsessed with the latest and greatest in time management tools - you will find that an hour here and there dissecting theory can be better spent putting what you already know into action -in a word - doing.
This is why a simple, concrete action plan should be the foundation of any time management system you use.
Theory is the gravy. The fun part.
The meat and potatoes should be easy to use, at a glance. Easy as 1 -2 - 3. If not easier.
So does this mean that we shouldn't plan?
Is Time Management a Bunch of Hooey?
Not at all.
But I do think that there are various approaches that need to be taken depending on what stage in your life you are in.
If you are starting from scratch and really have no idea what it is that you want to accomplish, or where you want to start, you will need to spend some time on theory, self discovery and exploration.
Or do you already have glaring ambitions and goals, but never seem to get to them because you are always busy with the other "stuff"?
If so, you need to pinpoint your top 1, 2 or 3 priorities, it should not take long as they will be the ones causing you stress because they have been on your mind so long, but they will be the ones not being acted on, the ones drowned out by the "stuff".
You also need to decide from these if any need to go, to be discarded so that the others can flourish.
Ask yourself, can you realistically accomplish them all? Have any of them lost their shelf life? Are they still practical or in sync with your life anymore.
Always remember that every project you take on will diminish or delay your ability to complete the other. Do you really want to do what it will take to achieve it?
If you still have a top three, pick one to run with first if possible.
If you have purged any from your list, go with the remaining one or two and leave any others on the rest of your list for now.
The next absolutely imperative step is to clear whatever needs to be cleared to make as much room as possible for your main target.
Depending on what your position in life is, you may find that fine tuning your goals and aspirations, spending a fair amount of time learning and discovering time management techniques to be helpful.
Ironically, over time, you may find the growing collection of time management tips etc are taking too much space and causing too much clutter on your desk, in your office and in your brain.
If you are a mom or someone with a lot of other responsibilities, if you have an overflowing plate - which you probably do if you find yourself obsessed with the latest and greatest in time management tools - you will find that an hour here and there dissecting theory can be better spent putting what you already know into action -in a word - doing.
This is why a simple, concrete action plan should be the foundation of any time management system you use.
Theory is the gravy. The fun part.
The meat and potatoes should be easy to use, at a glance. Easy as 1 -2 - 3. If not easier.
So does this mean that we shouldn't plan?
Is Time Management a Bunch of Hooey?
Not at all.
But I do think that there are various approaches that need to be taken depending on what stage in your life you are in.
If you are starting from scratch and really have no idea what it is that you want to accomplish, or where you want to start, you will need to spend some time on theory, self discovery and exploration.
Or do you already have glaring ambitions and goals, but never seem to get to them because you are always busy with the other "stuff"?
If so, you need to pinpoint your top 1, 2 or 3 priorities, it should not take long as they will be the ones causing you stress because they have been on your mind so long, but they will be the ones not being acted on, the ones drowned out by the "stuff".
You also need to decide from these if any need to go, to be discarded so that the others can flourish.
Ask yourself, can you realistically accomplish them all? Have any of them lost their shelf life? Are they still practical or in sync with your life anymore.
Always remember that every project you take on will diminish or delay your ability to complete the other. Do you really want to do what it will take to achieve it?
If you still have a top three, pick one to run with first if possible.
If you have purged any from your list, go with the remaining one or two and leave any others on the rest of your list for now.
The next absolutely imperative step is to clear whatever needs to be cleared to make as much room as possible for your main target.
Take some time to declutter any messes standing in your way. Take some time to declutter chores and other tasks or responsibilities.
Delete them. Delegate them or do them.
Get them out of the way so that you are fully prepared to step into your future.
Manage your time and your time management skills, don't let them manage you.
Recommended
Delete them. Delegate them or do them.
Get them out of the way so that you are fully prepared to step into your future.
Manage your time and your time management skills, don't let them manage you.
Recommended
More Resources
Time Management for Internet Marketers is good, useable, solid time management advice for everyone.
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