The Time Management Myth

Forgive me, it’s been a while since I wrote anything about TIME MANAGEMENT so please indulge me today. I’ll keep this short and totally to the point.

Here’s what’s been buzzing in my head:

TIME IS …

1. a GIFT: We are given 86 400 seconds every single day that we’re alive live here on this planet.
2. FINITE: you can’t find or buy more time. Once it passes, it’s gone forever.
3. an EXCUSE: broadly accepted world wide as the reason we fail to do or achieve something.
4. a COMMODITY: some say it’s our most precious one (re-read point 2 above)

BUT TIME MANAGEMENT ISN’T ABOUT TIME …

Yup, you heard me right. Fact is that time can’t be managed. The seconds, minutes, hours come and go without our influence.

SO WHAT IS TIME MANAGEMENT ABOUT THEN REALLY?

Glad you asked. It’s about CHOICES and more specifically the choices you make on how to spend the finite time you’ve been gifted. Empowering right!

AND THE SECRET TO MANAGING YOUR CHOICES SO YOU CAN MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IS?

Simple … that would be SELF-DISCIPLINE; the ability to do what needs to be done, when it is due, even if you don’t want to.

HOW DO WE DO TIME AT WNDYR?
a couple of ways really …

1. Start your day right: Schedule a power hour as early in your day as possible. This is a do-not-disturb time where you focus on your highest value, highest reward tasks (think goals/KR’s : core job responsibilities : anything revenue generating)
2. End your day right: Take the last few minutes of your work day to plan for tomorrow (include what you’ll do in tomorrows power hour). Your dailystandup in telegram also allows you to reflect on the day that was + plan for tomorrow.
3. Update your weekly blueprint: Open up your google calendar – block off pockets of time for doing core tasks throughout your week. Depending on your job, you can include a block for: power hour, learning, prospecting, meetings … you can now schedule your tasks/appointments in the appropriate pocket of time.

WHY’S THIS EVEN IMPORTANT?

1. You’re busy, stretched beyond capacity even. With busyness comes fatigue. Fatigue is the #1 cause for procrastination. Procrastination is a self-sabotage strategy.
2. We’re in the 2nd half of the year  … some of you have done better than others. Now’s a good time to adjust things so next half can be better.
3. Thoughts are powerful, check-in on your self-talk and adjust accordingly. Saying “I’m stressed“, “I don’t have enough time”, “I can’t do this”, etc affirms the (in)action. Change your language to change your thoughts + the great action will result quite naturally. It’s about living in flow by creating positive intention.

CHALLENGE:

Well, I thought I’d leave this up to you …  what your biggest time challenge is right now (be specific) and write down 3 things you can do immediately to overcome this.