Time Management Mistake # 10 October 16, 2009

Last, but certainly not  least on my list of the Top 10 time Management Mistakes is Doing Efficiently That Which Need Not Be Done.  Many people have been here before.  You have plenty to do, but your focus is not there.

Instead of focusing on what really needs to be done, you end up doing things that don’t necessarily need to be done.  This takes us back to having a prioritized list.  It’s a good thing to know your priorities and the level of priority for each, bit it does you no good if you don’t stick to it.  Spend time updating your task list and planning what gets done when.  Commit to your list and get it done!

Time Management Mistake # 6 October 14, 2009

Do you know what your priorities are?  If not, it’s probably decreasing your productivity.  Mistake # 6 on my list is Not Spending Enough Time on Top Priorities.   The Pareto Principle says that 20% of your activities account for 80% of the value of your activities.  Looking at that principle, one can see how important it would be, then, to know and focus on top priorities.

Set your priorities; the things that are important to you and then rank them.  What things are top or “A” priorities for you?  What’s a “B” or “C” priority.  Setting those priorities and knowing how they rank will help you spend the time necessary working on them.  Know what your priorities are and place them in your schedule accordingly.

#1 Time Management Mistake October 12, 2009

Everyone makes mistakes when it comes to managing their time and there’s a long list of them.  I have what I consider to be the Top 10 Time Management Mistakes and thought that I’d share a few of them here with you.

The top mistake on my list is Checking email First Thing in the Morning.  This mistake is at the top of my list because it seems it’s the one thing I’m constantly recommending people not do.  We all know how much time can be spent reading and responding to email, and also how, if we’re not careful, we can easily segue into other things depending upon the content in the email we read.

This is not a good way to begin your day for those very reasons.  It’s time consuming and can lead to you doing things other than answering the email.  You know how it is…you open an email that asks you to do something that takes you way off track.  Then, 15 minutes later, you realize that you’ve gotten off track.

Start your day with one of your top priority tasks, not by checking your email.  This gets your day started with an important task and empowers your day.  Check your email 1.5-2 hours into your day.  Set specific times during the day to check email.  I recommend checking your email twice a day and that you turn your email notification off so that you’re not distracted by it and can focus on the task at hand.

Clutter Paves the Way September 2, 2009

Believe it or not, clutter doesn’t just impact your physical environment.  One thing that it impacts is your physical body.  Think about how you’ve felt before when you’ve walked into a cluttered space.  It’s confining, it seems to suck all of your energy and makes it hard to focus on what you’re doing.  In cluttered office spaces you may have had the feeling of something coming over you when you walk into the space.  Have you ever had one of these experiences when you walk into a cluttered space?

When we clear the clutter and address the underlying reason for it being present, it paves the way for us to release other things.  For example, once you let go of the clutter, it paves the way for you to release excess weight.  And likewise, when you loose weight, you feel the need to get rid of the clutter that’s in your environment.  The two are directly connected.  One is a reflection of the other.  To deal with either one of them you have to change your perspective and look at what lies beneath to get rid of your clutter once and for all.

All Cluttered Out August 31, 2009

One of the things that I find people struggle most with is clutter.  It starts small and then it builds into something that you just can’t seem to get rid of.  It can get to the point of  you having one room or an entire house full of clutter.  The challenge is getting to the point of being able to clear it up and then to keep it from coming back.

The truth of the matter is that clutter has physical,  emotional and mental connections that we aren’t aware of.  When you aren’t aware of those connections and what they are, you can clear the clutter, but it’s guaranteed to come back because the root of the problem hasn’t been addressed.

I have found that people dealing with clutter have had something happen that starts the process of things accumulating and when they get to the point of being serious about getting rid of it, they are ready to get to the physical, emotional and mental things that are present and cluttering their lives.  When the internal connections are addressed in the process of getting rid of the clutter, it’s possible to get rid of the clutter and keep it away for good.

Do you have clutter that you just can’t get rid of or have you gotten rid of it before only to have it return?  Are you all cluttered out?  Post your thoughts or experiences in a reply.

Learn more during our F-R-E-E September  TeleClinic recording, Clutter: Your Environment, Body & Mind.  Click here for info.

Procrastination August 26, 2009

We all procrastinate on one thing or another, and to different degrees.  The degree to which you procrastinate determines the degree to which your level of productivity is lessened.

Procrastination can have you rushing to put out fires to get things done on time, and it can also hinder enitre work teams.  Are you a procrastinator?  How much do you procrastinate?  Do you know why?  If you don’t know the answer to these questions, check out this FREE report that will tell you why you procrastinate and give you the keys to beign eliminating it.

Surviving The Madness August 24, 2009

We teach our children so many things-from how to play games and rid a bike to family traditions and culture, but we’re not teaching them how to roganize and manage themselves.  Effective organizing can lead to succ4ss in school and keep you from losing it when it comes to getting ready for and getting through the school year.  Missing assignments, losing supplies and forgotten homework are all results of poor organizing habits.  Replace them with healthier habits and you set your child up for success in school and beyond.

To do so, get things organized and instill good time and and self management skills in your young person, set up space and systems for your child and yourself in your home, and give them the physical tools to support them.  Here are a few tips on surviving the back to school madness.  Continue reading…

Break Time August 16, 2009

I  just came back from a much needed break.  I’ve been working on a lot of different things lately that will premiere between the fall and next spring while keeping up with the usual.

Knowing how important it is to take breaks, I made my last one a little bit longer than usual.  Breaks are a necessary part of any schedule.  No matter how busy you are you need time to regroup and to recharge so that you can accomplish everything that needs to be done.

Do you stop during the course of your work day to take a quick break?  Even just a walk to the water cooler at work or to the kitchen for a quick snack that you have waiting is good.  Get up from your desk or workspace and go outside for a walk around the building and to catch a breath of fresh air.  When you take that short period of time it gives your mind and your body the break that they need and also allows you return to the task at hand with a clear and fresh mind, rejuvenated and ready to go.

If you’re not in the habit of adding a break or two during the course of your day, I strongly suggest that you make it a habit. Also be in the habit of taking a day, two days or a week off at least a few times a year.  You don’t have to go anywhere, just catch some R&R and make the time to be good to yourself.  These are habits that will support you in being at your top productivity level and your mind and body will appreciate it too.

I take at least two breaks during the course of my day and at the end of each, I’m ready to get back to what I’ve been doing.  That last break that I took worked wonders for me.  I am physically rejuvenated, my mind is refreshed and full of new ideas and ready to create new things.  Have you taken a break today?  When was the last time you took a vacation?  If you haven’t taken a break today or haven’t taken some time off in a while, decide right now when you’re going to take a break and when you’re next vacation is going to be and then add it to your calendar.

Taking breaks is a necessary part of any work day, regardless of how busy you are.  In fact, the busier you are, the more important the breaks are.  Putting time in your schedule for a quick break during the day and regular days off is a must for everyone.

Wasting Time Online? July 15, 2009

Mashable.com  just posted the Neilsen stats on the the amount of time that people spend online at sites and applications such as FaceBook, Google and Yahoo!.  According to Nielsen online’s June report on Internet usage, people now spend more time, on average, on Facebook than on the other 9 top web brands. Click here to see the article and the stats.

People are spending a lot of time on FaceBook as well as other social networking sites and internet applications.  FaceBook was at the top of the list followed by Yahoo! and AOL.

Do you know how much time you spend online at social networking and other sites?  You’d probably be surprised at how much time you actually spend.  If you’re spending time during work hours, that’s time that you’re not working.  Something to think about.  Over the next few days, keep a log of how much time you’re spending online and include what you’re doing.  Are you just “hanging out” or are you doing something productive?  Not to say that there’s anything wrong with just “hanging out”, but the length of time that you might be spending online that may be contributing to a lack of productivity.

Once you keep your log for a few days, look at it to see how much time your’e spending online and, more importantly, look at what you’re doing while you’re there.  Ask youself what changes you need to make.  Come back and let us know what you find.

3 Best Time Management Tips June 30, 2009

Earlier this week, someone asked me what my 3 best tips were for time management, so I thought I’d share them here.

My 3 best time management tips are:

• Check your email 1 1/2 -2 hours AFTER you start your day.  It’s not a good thing to check your email first thing in the morning.  It eats up too much time, which is not a good way to start your day
• Work according to your personal energy cycles. We all have a particular time during each day where our physical and mental energy are at their peak.  That’s the time when we need to focus on the things that take the most focus or creativity.  Find what works for you and work it
• Plan, plan, plan! Discover your time management personality, choose an appropriate tool, set up your system around it, and set your time for weekly planning.  It will get you to the point of working on the things that are important but not urgent.