Step 10 - Protect your time

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. – Stephen Covey
Don’t tell me how hard you work. Tell me how much you get done – James Ling

You have to protect your time so that you can accomplish your goals. I’ve heard it, you’re heard it, you might even have said it today – I just don’t have the time. Here are my 7 steps to use your time more effectively:

1. Realise that you only have 24 hours in every day. When you add up your hours for sleep, work, travelling, exercising, cooking, etc, etc, you’ll see why you’re running out of time. It is okay not to be Superwoman or Superman.
2. Make time for your goals. Don’t just wait for the time to magically appear – I promise you, it won’t just happen. Your goals are priorities and should be treated as such.
3. Plan your life on a weekly basis. A Sunday is a good time to take 15 – 20 minutes and write down what you need to do during the following week. Consider this time priority. This way, you can stretch things out over the whole week. For example, if you want to get your paperwork sorted out, balance your credit card statement on Monday, file all paid accounts on Tuesday, tidy desk on Wednesday, sort through old magazines on Thursday and relax on Friday. If you try to do it all at once, it can be overwhelming and demotivating if you don’t make the progress you were hoping for.
4. Sharpen your axe and learn some time management skills. Register for my Help! I need more time workshop or brush up on your existing skills by buying a good book like Stephen Covey’s First Things First, Judi James’s More time less stress or my Help! I need more time e-workbook or CD.
5. Simplify your life. I remember when I first started working I had 5 or 6 things to wear. I was so quick in the mornings because life was simple and decision-making was really quick J Do you really need to cook from scratch every night? Do you really need 40 mugs? Do you really need to go to gym? Only kidding! Yes, you do have to go!
6. Learn to overcome your procrastination. If your case is really severe, you might want to consider coaching with me, or with someone else, so that the accountability in the partnership forces you to deal with things. One of the biggest differences between winners and losers is that winners do something and losers think/ talk about things.
7. Get organised. Remember that being organised does not mean being a neat freak. It does mean having systems that work for you, so you can find things quickly and that enhance and don’t hinder your life.

'Til next time…

Enjoy success
Marcia Francois

Do you want to use this article? You may, as long as you include this complete bio with it: Marcia Francois, the Take Charge coach and professional organiser, coaches people to reach their goals and maximise their potential. She publishes the popular “Take charge of your life” monthly ezine. If you're ready to finally live your dream life, get your FREE subscription now at http://www.takechargesolutions.org/