Time Marches On

It’s funny how during some of the HUDDLE’s a ‘challenge’ is brought up and everyone seems to chime in and rally around it – proving we are not alone in our struggles.

The last few sessions have, once again, brought up the age-old issue of time management. How do leverage our time so that we get everything we need to accomplish accomplished? We have all been there – so much to do, so little time.

But here is the thing…time can’t be managed; it can only be utilized. To manage something, you have to be able to change what or how it does what it does – but time can’t be changed – it passes with each minute no matter what we try to do. It is a non-renewable resource that can not be stopped, contained, saved, manipulated, or managed.

Time marches on.

The only thing we can ‘manage’ is how we use time. What we choose to place our focus on, how we structure our days, and how we cherish the time we have and use it to the best of our abilities.

“Time is at once the most valuable and the most perishable of all our possessions.”

– John Randolf

We all have the same amount of time each day that we walk this Earth – 24. That is actually A LOT of time each day. It is all about perspective…time seems to move fast when you are busy and productive. Time seemingly moves slower when you are not.

Let me give you an example: 2 hours goes by in a flash when I am writing or working with a client. 2 hours at the doctor’s office or doing tasks I do not enjoy (or are not skilled at) is excruciatingly slow. There is no difference in the time spent – just in the joy or lack there of based on the activity.

In reality we all have time to do the things we want to and need to do, therefore…

“To say, ‘I don’t have time’ is to say, ‘I don’t want to.”

– Lau Tzu

So how do we best utilize our time?

There are pithy sayings we all fall back on, truths and strategies that we all grab hold of to try to be the most productive we can in a 24-hour day…things like:

  • Braindump everything you need to do then prioritize the list (Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important matrix)
  • Get the big things done first, the stuff you hate (eat that frog!)
  • Keep your eye on the ball (SMART goals)
  • Calendar block (there is a multi-million-dollar industry just on this)
  • Organization is the key to time management
  • Run the day or the day runs you (Jim Rohn)
  • The 4 D’s (Do, Decide, Delegate, Delete)

All of these are sound advice and there is an entire industry dedicated to helping people ‘manage’ their time. Daily planners, apps (oh so many apps!), coaches and consultants, seminars and events, businesses that dedicate themselves to getting you organized and productive, and countless books have been written on the subject.

Here is the key – shift your focus from the activities you need to get finished to the RESULTS you are trying to achieve.

I have said it before, and I will say it again – BUSY is NOT a badge of honor.

“It’s not enough to be busy so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?”

– Henry David Thoreau

I was watching a movie the other day “One Fine Day”.  The plot is not important, but if I had ‘time lined’ all that they did during the day, all the twists and turns it took, I am sure that it would clearly be more than 24 hours. Regardless, at 5 pm she is sitting with her boss and a client having drinks while her young son is preparing for a soccer game he can’t miss (or he doesn’t get a trophy – which is a big deal for a kid!).

She suddenly realized what she wants the RESULTS to be from her busy day. Her Kid – his happiness and him knowing that he is her top priority. So, she leaves the meeting, rushes across town and (of course) makes it in time and her son’s team wins.

What does this have to do with business and being busy you might ask…a lot.

Business is what we do, not who we are. The time we spend earning a living means nothing if we don’t have a life. So, we need to learn to spend our finite amount of time wisely each day – keeping our focus on the results we are working to achieve, not how busy we think we are.

“The way we spend our time defines who we are.”

– Jonathan Estrin

Here are some practical ways to utilize our time:

Don’t just prioritize the list of ‘to-do’s’ – attach a time requirement to them. Now you know exactly how much time each task will take to accomplish, and you can plan accordingly. Batch a few of the 5-10 minutes tasks into an hour time slot and knock those out. Your list becomes smaller, and you can breathe a little easier.

Have others do things for you. This frees up your time and energy to do the things which no one else can do for you.

Ben Franklin said, “Never leave till tomorrow that which you can do today.” I agree and disagree. We live in a world where it is close to impossible to ‘get it all done in one day’. But I think he simply meant to not procrastinate – which I wholeheartedly agree! Yet putting off what you do not NEED to accomplish today is not a bad thing. By spending time and energy on tasks today that do not move the needle on the results you are working towards today then you have wasted valuable time.

There is always a good, better, and best way to achieve the results you want. Find the way that best suits you, your time and energy, and go for it. We don’t always have to choose the best way if good is good enough.

Never do repetitive tasks in the same way. Institute automations, streamline processes, create a copy collection, and use other strategies to avoid duplication of time and effort spent.

When dealing with others, remember to implement the rule that  ‘poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.’ Be politely ruthless in protecting your time.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

Steve Jobs

Finally, keep the results you are going for each day clearly in view. It is easy to get sidetracked and head down a rabbit trail. Problem is many of these trails lead to another, then another, then another (like binge watching Netflix then suddenly realizing it has been 4 hours).

“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”

– Harvey Mackay

Related Articles

Responses

How to 10X Your Referrals in 90 Days

...without begging your clients!

In this FREE Training, Rodger and Melissa take you through the exact process and steps they use to get referrals for their business without asking for them!

Subscribe below to receive great business building tips and to get immediate access to the training!

We take your privacy seriously.  No spam.  See our Terms and Privacy Policy.

Want More REFERRALS...Without Asking?

Your Training is On the Way!

Your email should arrive in 3-5 minutes from "Melissa from NBG" (check all folders)

We can’t wait for you to apply these GOLD nuggets in your business and get those referrals rolling in!  Get ready to learn about:

“The Foundation”
“The Twist”
“The Enabler”

SEE YOU INSIDE THE TRAINING!