Did you know a Google search of “how to get more time” yields more than 9 billion results, while “how to get more money results in 183 million? This clearly shows that the vast majority of people value their time more than money.
GOOGLE SEARCHES
HOW TO GET MORE TIME”: 9 BILLION”
HOW TO GET MORE MONEY”: 183 MILLION
Most people think the problem is there just isn’t enough time. The truth is most people haven’t learned how to manage their time well. Think about it, most of us weren’t taught time management; it is one of those things we taught ourselves how to do out of necessity.
Learning to manage your time more effectively takes practice, patience and consistency. It also helps to have an awareness of your daily habits around time management. The good news is that many of these habits are within your control to change.
3 Bad Time Management Habits & Strategies to Correct Them
Here are 3 of the most common habits that slow us down and some strategies you can use to help you practice better time management in your daily life.
1. Habit: You have a hard time saying no
Many of us have a difficult time saying no to people. However, keep in mind that you really do have a choice in where you commit your time and protecting it should be one of your top priorities.
Strategy:
Instead of agreeing on the spot when asked to do something that requires you to commit your time, take a pause before saying yes. Even if you think you have the time, consider responding with “Let me think about it.” This will give you the opportunity to evaluate whether it aligns with your priorities. Also, take a look at your calendar to be sure that you aren’t over-extending yourself. You’ll be less likely to over-commit and realistically be able to say yes or no, knowing you won’t regret it later.
2. Habit: You view all interruptions as urgent, minimizing what’s important
Many times, we can find ourselves reacting to others without thinking about how this will impact our time. When you let others interrupt you, you are actually diminishing the value of your time. While there are certainly times when something is truly urgent and must be addressed immediately, there are also plenty of opportunities to make the choice to say “not right now”.
Strategy:
Paying attention to the causes of interruptions will help to minimize them. Tracking your time for a few days is a great way to determine which interruptions are necessary and which you can avoid. Once you have this information, you are better equipped to decide in the moment if that interruption is more important than the task at hand. Rather than stop what you’re doing, a good alternative solution is to schedule another time that will work for both parties.
3. Habit: You don’t plan your day with your priorities in mind
Many of us start our day with a mental to-do list, which usually includes our most urgent tasks, but not necessarily the most important. It’s essential to your success to realize that you’ll be more effective when you stay focused on your highest level tasks. These high level tasks are the ones that are in alignment with your priorities and will move you closer to your goals.
Strategy:
Schedule 15 – 30 minutes a day on your calendar to plan and prioritize your day. Be sure to include your top 3 most important tasks. This will help you stay focused and get your most important things done on a regular basis. Planning your schedule the night before or first thing in the morning is ideal.
Take Action!
Are you ready to take action to gain more time in your day? If you’d like business coaching to help you improve your personal time management skills, schedule a 30 minute complimentary consultation with me today!