My coach said to me “there’s no such thing as time management, only self-management.” Ooohh, burn. It stung a little to hear that, but it’s one-hundred percent true. In the past two weeks, I discovered how much more efficient I could be by exercising more discipline in my schedule. I use the word discipline, but most of the time I created a game. If I had thirty or forty-five minutes in between morning video conferences and I still had things on my “must do” list, I dared myself to get those items and more accomplished in that time slot. I ignored my phone, didn’t scroll through social media, and got stuff done. It’s all about self-management, which takes discipline, practice, motivation and a little bit of fun.
We all have the same amount of time. What changes is how we choose to use the time we have. Are we going to get to the office, get coffee, hit the bathroom, chat with colleagues, and wonder where our morning went (maybe not now with COVID19…)? Are we going to allow ourselves to underperform because we don’t want to be disciplined in a way that leads to personal and professional growth and success? Ultimately, we have complete ownership of our time and how we use it. Sometimes it takes having an uncomfortable conversation with a coach to remember that we’re not being honest in how we use our time. (AND…that uncomfortable conversation with a coach leads to breakthroughs, increased confidence, and more satisfaction with life.)
Here are two tips for being more efficient that have helped me significantly:
· In the evening, look at your schedule for the next couple days. Based on your schedule and what you have due, write out a list of “must-do” and “want-to-do” items for the next day so you’re ready to get started immediately when you begin work. This night-before organizing and decision making can also include laying out your clothes or packing your lunch for the next day, depending on how far you want to take this idea (more on this in next week’s email!).
· Complete your “must-do” items first, preferably before noon. “Must-do” items generally include things that make you money, such as calling prospective clients, completing proposals or projects, and asking for referrals. When you get into this routine of working your “must-do” list first, you’ll arrange your schedule accordingly, whether getting into the office earlier or moving meetings to later in the day.
I’m interested in how you self-manage your time. Shoot me an email or comment on our Facebook page (@dreambigcoachingllc).