Month: May 2013

Are You a Workaholic?

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Time Management WorkaholicAre you a workaholic? Do you walk that fine line between loving your job and being obsessed with your job? A workaholic, in short, is someone who is addicted to work, not simply an ambitious person who works hard. Knowing the difference is important.

A hard worker is motivated and driven, but enjoys a healthy personal life as well. A workaholic places work above all other priorities and craves it even when trying to “relax.”   So how do hard workers avoid becoming workaholics? Try these 5 tips:

1. Find a Hobby

It’s easy to let yourself work all day and night when you have nothing better to do. Learn an instrument, write a book, refinish furniture, join a community sports team, or just find an author you love and make a reading list. Facebook and email are not hobbies.

2. Unplug

Just because we have the ability to be constantly connected doesn’t mean we should. Looking at your smartphone every 5 seconds not only destroys your ability to focus, but it makes your work take longer and allows work to encroach on your personal time. This week, I am taking the 24 hour smartphone challenge during which I will go a whole day without my little addicting pocket computer. Subscribe to The Time Diet to read about my experience next week!

3. Delegate

“If you want something done right you have to do it yourself.” That phrase is responsible for so much wasted time and stress. You are a not a super human and you don’t have to do everything yourself! Don’t be afraid to ask for help and make the time investment to set up that helper for success.

4. Learn to Say No

We hard-working types have a hard time saying no because we like helping people and we know we have the ability to do so. Just because you have the ability and the willingness doesn’t mean you have the time.

5. Make a Stop Time

In my time management trainings, I tell procrastinators to make a “Start Date” for each “Due Date” in their calendar. Workaholics don’t have a problem with starting. They have a problem with stopping! When you sit down to be productive, define your work parameters by setting a stop time when you will allow yourself to stop thinking about work.

Achieving that elusive work/life balance is tricky, especially for work hard working, motivated people, but it can be done!

Looking for a time management book that will help add balance to your day? Check out The Time Diet: Digestible Time Management on Amazon and Kindle!

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The 5-Minute Rule in 3 Easy Steps

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Time Management 5 MinutesLook at your to-do list. Have you been staring at the same tiny tasks, day after day, putting them off until the infamous “later?” What if I told you those tasks are actually wasting your time? The time spent worrying about, making excuses for, and dealing with the consequences of a tiny unfinished task greatly outweigh the time it would take to actually finish it. This is why I’m a huge advocate of The 5-Minute Rule:

If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it now

Not later, not tomorrow, now.

You can give it a try today. Pick a tiny “Vegetable” task from your list you’ve been putting off, and ask yourself these three questions:

1. Will this be any easier to do tomorrow?

2. Is there any reason I can’t do this right now?

3. Will this take more than 5 minutes of my time?

If the answer to all three questions is “no,” then go finish that task right now. In fact, when you’re finished, email me (Emily@TheTimeDiet.org) and let me know what you did! I would love to know what this blog inspired people to do.

My “Battery” of Excuses

I’ll share my example of The 5-Minute Rule from this week. The battery in my garage door clicker died a week ago.  When I come home, I pull into the driveway, get out of the car, open the garage manually, get back in the car, and drive in. A huge problem in the grand scheme of life? No. But every time I did it, I was annoyed. I was annoyed that I haven’t taken 5 seconds to get a replacement battery out of the drawer and change it, but by the time I get inside, I’m distracted with a million other things to do and the thought of going back out into the garage seems simply absurd.

My excuses were fabulous: “I’m sure those batteries are lost by now,” “It’s always so difficult to get the back of the clicker open,” “ I already took my shoes off and I don’t want to step on a scorpion in the garage” (a real consideration in Arizona!) Finally, I said, enough! I write a time management blog and this behavior is simply unacceptable.  I started the stop watch on my phone and went to change the battery. When all was said and done,  2 minutes and 30 seconds had elapsed. 150 seconds. Why in the world hadn’t I done that sooner?

What will you accomplish using The 5-Minute Rule? Drop me a line and let me know!

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Moms: The Ultimate Time Managers

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Time Management for MomsThis past weekend we celebrated mothers. You know, those magical people who always seem to find the 25th hour in the day to get everything done. I’m not a mom yet, but I’m privileged to know some incredible women who make the “family balancing act” seem effortless. Check out how they do it! Even us non-moms can learn a lot from them.

Time Management Advice From Busy Moms

“How do I manage my time? One day at a time! I cut myself some slack and keep things in perspective. I’m also a huge proponent of keeping work and home separate whenever possible.”

Julie Weissberg
Music Teacher
Mini Maestros

“I taught my children young how to do a load of laundry and how to make a sandwich or toast and a quick batch of brownies.  Instead of doing everything for them, I helped them to be independent and able to do things for themselves.  My advice is when everyone is tugging at you to help them, be kind, but do what you can to help them help themselves.  Take a little “dessert” time daily to hug them and let them know they are loved!  Happy Mother’s Day!”

Gina La Benz
Independent Designer, Origami Owl
Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator, Chandler/Gilbert YMCA

“I find that planning all of our family dinners in advance helps cut down on shopping time. I plan out the week’s meals, and then write the shopping list on the same piece of paper. I also take care of as many errands as I can in one place. Prescriptions! Cosmetics! All come from the grocery store.”

Becky Wilkinson
Nurse
Banner Good Samaritan

“I have had the unique experience of being a single foster parent. The main thing that helped me through the hectic schedule is: Writing It Down! If it took up time, I blocked it out on my calendar. I even had a “catch all” time blocked out for paperwork and misc items. Also, I’ve found you can turn cleaning into a bonding activity with older children by singing, dancing, and cleaning your way through the house. Most importantly, I had to let the perfectionist in me go. Some things are just not as important as spending quality time with the kids.”

Patty Conrad
Deal Assessor
Bank of America

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Hey Moms! (And Dads!) Looking for the perfect graduation present for your high school senior? Why not give them the gift of time management? The Time Diet: Time Management for College Survival

http://youtu.be/TjzrH8ucZOA

10 Productive Things To Do During Commercial Breaks

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Time Management TV Commercial ProductivityWatching your favorite show on TV can be a fun, relaxing Dessert in your schedule. I usually advise people to make their relaxing time a work-free zone, but we’ve all had those evenings when we need to squeeze in as much productivity as possible to keep our time management on track.

For me, watching Shark Tank on ABC is a favorite Friday ritual, and I don’t want to give that up just because I have a lot of work to do. The answer? Utilize your commercials! Here are 10 things you can do in a 2 or 3 minute commercial break that will help shorten your to-do list.

1. Manage Your Inbox

We can easily become lost in a sea of unread messages, but under a 2-minute time crunch, we have no time for distractions or unnecessarily complex answers. Eliminating the messages that only require a brief response makes it easier to wade through the more involved ones later.

2. Clean a Few Dishes

I am guilty of putting off kitchen-duties because “cleaning takes so much time.” It really doesn’t. In two minutes you can easily scrub a pot, rinse a dish, or empty the glassware from the dishwasher. Knowing you have a show to get back to makes the work go faster and seem less annoying.

3. Exercise

When we get busy, the gym is usually one of the first things to be cut from our schedule. Maximize those 2-3 minute commercial breaks with some jumping jacks, pushups, or crunches. Sparkpeople.com has a great Commercial Break Workout Routine.

4. Get Your Coffee Ready

As I’m racing out the door in the morning, I inevitably go to grab my coffee only to realize…I forgot to make it. Take a few minutes to get your coffee ready the evening before so all you have to do in the morning is press “start.”

5. Follow-up

We all know that follow-up is key when meeting a new business contact, client, or possible job-lead. Use your commercial break to reach out with a friendly, “great to meet you, let’s keep in touch” email.

6. File Something

Staying organized helps us find our materials faster, but finding time to file the mountain of papers we generate can be tricky. Take a minute to sort the mail, file some receipts, or organize a drawer.

7. Make Your List for Tomorrow

Taking a moment to plan ahead for the following day can help you work more efficiently and with stronger focus. Jot down your plan for tomorrow while waiting for your show to come back on.

8. Pay Someone A Compliment

It’s easy to get caught up in a busy day and never make time to say “Thanks” or “I really appreciate the work you do.” Jot a handwritten note or a quick email to someone you appreciate and know that you’ll brighten his or her day tomorrow.

9. Take Care of a “Meaning to”

We all have those small tasks that linger on our to-do lists forever, but never seem to rise to the level of importance required to actually finish them. Pick a “meaning to” task that you’ve been putting off and knock it out in a few minutes.

10. Catch Your Breath

Even though watching TV is an enjoyable activity, never underestimate the power of just letting yourself….be. Mute the commercials, close your eyes, take deep slow breaths, and enjoy the feeling of doing absolutely nothing for a minute. It’s more beneficial to your stress level than you may think.

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