5 Tips to Kick Your “Time-Wasters” Habits
The bottom line is that anyone who has a demanding career or runs their own business has to practice excellent time management, effective delegation and learning to say the word, “No.” It’s just not possible to maintain the simple life while achieving a high level of success. And with today’s technology, it’s harder to hide when you need a break. Your email inbox is dinging, your cell phone is ringing and your spouse is trying to call you on the car phone because your cell line is busy. It is at this point that you have to filter the input so you can begin to regain control over your life. As good as you think you may be with your time management; there are always “time-wasters” that can be eliminated from your daily life. Let’s review some practical tips:
Time-Wasters Tip #1
Regarding your work email – how much time do you spend typing and replying to emails each day? More than an hour? Two? Four or more? Now, ask yourself how much of your time is spent on essential emails? It is estimated that only 10% to 20% of emails that most people get at work each day require their attention and are essential to their job. Even if you estimate that 50% of the emails you receive are considered essential that stills leaves 50% that are time-wasters.
Time-Wasters Tip #2
Another popular time-waster is watching TV. This is one of the hardest habits to break – but there is simply much more effective ways to spend your time. Think about things that you would prefer to do during the time that you would normally spend watching TV.
Time-Wasters Tip #3
Reduce time-wasters by creating a To-Do List for the following day the night before. Writing a To-Do List before you go to sleep every night will help your mind run through the day and organize it.
Time-Wasters Tip #4
If you have an assistant at work, evaluate if there are additional tasks you can delegate to them.
If you are self-employed, find an assistant! The goal is to minimize and reduce the time-wasters that are demanding your attention, but not delivering big payoffs.
Time-Wasters Tip #5
Last, but not least you have to learn to say “No.”
The goal is to slow down and be focused on the highest pay-off activities that will produce the results you desire in the timeframe you want – personally and professionally. The goal is not to figure out how to move faster. It’s impossible to create more hours in the day and it’s simply not healthy to run at full tilt constantly. Learn how to eliminate the time-wasters in your life to improve your quality of life and success.
Focus on what is really important to you in life and get the results you deserve
I was shocked and very happy the other day when my 73-year old mother said she isn’t opening her financial statements anymore to review them. She went on to tell me how her friends are continually dwelling on the market issues and don’t seem to want to talk about much else. She is sick and tired of listening to them talk about things nobody can control. So she decided to not open her financial statements and not talk about things she can’t control any longer. This was music to my ears as I too am tired of listening to people complain about things outside of their control.We are all in the same situation so what we each have to do is get laser focused on the activities that you think will put you in the highest probably position to achieve your goals. Work on those activities that you can control. I didn’t say it will be easy but it sure beats complaining about things we can’t do anything about and gets us focused on ourselves and what we personally can control.
My Mom does worry about having money and enough money to live on in her retirement, just like the rests of us. I’m thrilled that she is out there doing the things that make her happy and that she isn’t wasting her time worrying about things she can’t control. She is out, playing tennis, enjoying her book clubs, hiking, doing her hospice volunteer work, traveling with friends, and doing all the other activities that are more important in life than money. She is creating a life she enjoys living and is happy. She isn’t wasting valuable time complaining about the things she can’t control any more. She knows that eventually everything will come back – as it has historically always done. It is just a matter of time.
What’s more important in life than money to you?Enjoy your life and do those things that you need to do and that ultimately make you happy. Most of us are very fortunate for many reasons. What are you grateful for? Go to http://www.accountabilitycoach.com/resources/quality-of-life-enhancer-exercise/ and complete your personal Quality of Life Enhancer(tm) Exercise. You will really enjoy it.
Time Wasters
Time-wasters do nothing but impede or delay the ideal life you are committed to creating. The good news is they are simple to eliminate. They simply become something you used to do when you were okay with staying where you were. The difference now is that you are ready to move on and create your ideal life – and letting them go is a snap.
Here are a few examples of time wasters. Remember, it all adds up.
1. Not doing similar activities together can waste time.
2. Spending time trying to fix things you can’t and never will control.
3. Doing things that can be delegated, or at least delayed.
4. Getting caught up in reading all the personal jokes and entertaining things people send to your email.
5. Playing telephone tag when you really should work, as much as possible, by appointment.
6. Entering into superficial chit chat when you really don’t care and even sometimes when you might care.
7. Going to meetings or attending membership group events that provide no real value to you or your firm.
8. Getting ready to get ready. Quit thinking about something you think is beneficial to do and just do it now.
Interruptions and Distractions Can be Costly Time Wasters!
Email can be one of the largest distractions and checking it first thing in the morning can detract your focus and be a time waster. Instead of checking it first thing, schedule 2-3 times per day where you check your email for a specific amount of time. Reviewing your email first thing in the morning can be a distraction to honoring your calendar and doing the things most important that have already been scheduled on your calendar. You will be amazed at how much more effective and efficient you will be when you get rid of time wasters and apply this idea.
Time Wasters – Eliminate Them!
Time-wasters do nothing but impede or delay the ideal life you are committed to creating. The good news is they are simple to eliminate. They simply become something you used to do when you were okay with staying where you were. The difference now is that you are ready to move on and create your ideal life – and letting them go is a snap.
Here are a few examples of time wasters. Remember, it all adds up.
1. Not doing similar activities together can waste time.
2. Spending time trying to fix things you can’t and never will control.
3. Doing things that can be delegated, or at least delayed.
4. Getting caught up in reading all the personal jokes and entertaining things people send to your email.
5. Playing telephone tag when you really should work, as much as possible, by appointment.
6. Entering into superficial chitchat when you really don’t care and even sometimes when you might care.
7. Going to meetings or attending membership group events that provide no real value to you or your firm.
8. Letting team members or others interrupt you and distract you from what is on your calendar.
9. Answering the phone when nobody else is in the office to answer it for you.
10. Taking calls when someone calls instead of scheduling a phone appointment.
11. Trying to make something ‘perfect’ when it is effective the way it is now. It may never be ‘perfect’ and you could be wasting valuable time trying to make it that way.
12. Having a policy that you take walk-ins when it would be better, for many reasons, if you worked by appointment only. Of course, there might be an exception when someone has an emergency.
13. Surfing the internet when it isn’t a high pay-off activity.
14. Checking voicemail when your assistant can do this or it isn’t on your calendar to do.
15. Getting sucked into ‘water cooler’ talk, just because.
16. Getting ready to get ready. Quit thinking about something you think is beneficial to do and just do it now.
What time wasters are you doing to eliminate so you can be even more focused on your highest pay-off activities and achieve your goals?
