Google describes time management as - the process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities - especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency or productivity.
I hear this all the time, ‘I don’t have enough time in the day’. For every time someone said this to me, and I took $1, then I would be an instant millionaire. I’m not sure about you, but I am fed up with hearing this from most people I meet.
The time we have for others and ourselves is unfortunately decreasing due to the high expectations of performance we are driven to on a daily basis. I feel like we are creating more work for ourselves and don’t step back and look at management of time, rather than time managing us. Maybe I am wrong? but most people are expected to work longer hours, take on extra activities and meet deadlines in shorter periods of time, maximizing the productivity and efficiency of the positions we are in.
More and more we prioritise work rather than looking at the value this has for us, and what we can benefit if we managed our time more effectively. Instead of waking up in the morning and thinking you need 5 coffees to get through the enormous work load and pressure for the day, why not re look at time as your friend and how it can start to benefit you.
2 years ago, I hit rock bottom and my workload just built up. Everyday I wanted to scream and just ignore the fact I was over stretched and never had time to review or invest in myself. I broke down, my motivation levels plummeted and my energy was zapped, whilst depression set in. I lived off adrenaline in the end and this only lasted for a further 12 months before my body started to get sick and tell me enough was enough. Dramatic changes then unfolded. In one of my last blog posts, I mentioned you have to hit rock bottom, to find a way to go back up, well this was a key example.
After taking a self discovery journey (which was a load of crap really, as all I needed was a break!) I realised it was time to get organized. Time to re evaluate my habits and address some energy draining tasks. I found that some simple key tools below elevated my stress, pressure and gave me a quality work life balance, where time worked for me and not the other way around.
As you work with me in our 1:1 mentoring with Jungle Sistas, we will break down your time management, goals and address energy and motivation levels. While you start to free up time you will be amazed how your energy levels restore. If you need to reach out over a 1:1 private session with me, then we can achieve a great deal in 1 hour, where you will feel refreshed and motivated to start your new time management routine where you can have more time for YOU. Remember the best investment in anything you do, is YOU.
Top 5 tips to help with time management and energy restoration:
1. Work out how you spend your time. Most of us cannot even respond to how we use our time throughout the week. Having a basic awareness will enable us to make better decisions on what we commit too. Each day write down how much time you spend at work, family/friends, other (includes paying bills, walking the dog or cleaning the house etc ) and your time. Once you identify how you are spending your time over the week, then reassess where you want to increase your time.
2. Get organized! Write down how you currently organize your agenda and how this is currently working for you. We all have some form of planning. What do you currently use? Do you even plan your week/month? Well time to re evaluate what you are doing and look at what needs to be corrected. Look at some of the great ideas people are currently using to help better manage and organize their lifestyle. It can be one simple change in your routine. For example, I get up early every morning and look at my list of priorities, address important emails and then have 1 hour time for myself before starting my day. I write down my TO DO LIST for the day and cross off what I have achieved. My diary is my best friend, my white board is my visual reminder and my routine is what keeps me balanced.
3. Identify 1 habit to change. This may mean re evaluating how you currently use your lunch breaks, your private time and also your commitment to work. I hear so many people giving 100% to their daily work routine, but do you really need too? Can you give 80% and change your perfectionist habit? Who is actually identifying you are giving 100%? These are the questions only you can answer and if the answer is no-one is recognizing you are giving above and beyond, then time to change this nasty habit. There are wonderful tools which can be great influencers that help you work on your habits and give you more time to focus on YOU and other priorities.
4. Implement time for YOU. Yes, schedule in each week your time and do what you need to do. This is important to rest the brain and help destress and refresh your body. The best thing you can do is say NO to any distractions throughout YOU time, and then teach people you are not 24/7 on their time schedule.
5. Health management. It is important to also focus on your mental and physical health, and just as important to schedule time each day to have some form of exercise or mental enrichment. If we stick to the same old routine then it is easy to fall into depression and a boring lifestyle. This is the most rewarding as it also focuses on YOU.
Reach out and lets work on this together. Putting together a specific training plan to assist and support your development needs is one great way to invest in YOU and lead you to the next stage of progression. I look forward to moving through these 5 tips in much greater detail.