Month: May 2014

Are You Devaluing Your Time?

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Time Management time is moneyHave you every caught yourself driving all over town to run one errand? Maybe you’re looking for the best price, or the perfect item, or the best combination of both. In this case, the time management and the money management part of our brains seem to be in direct conflict. If this sounds like you, read on…

Wasting time vs. saving money

I’m a huge bargain shopper. I never met a coupon I didn’t like. Because of this, I know what it’s like to become fixated on a discount. I don’t like paying more for something if I can get it cheaper somewhere else. It’s partly about the money, but it’s also because having the knowledge of a cheaper price and not using it bugs me!

But as you’re driving across town to save $5 on item, ask yourself: is my time worth more than that? How much extra time will it take you to go to that other store? Pretend that the potential money saved is an hourly wage you’re paying yourself. Is your time worth more than that?

The hunt for perfection

Our extended errands don’t just apply to searching for a bargain. Sometimes we run all over town looking for a perfect item when “good enough” would be just fine instead. Either way, we end up sacrificing our precious time without really thinking much about it.

Instead…

The next time you find yourself embarking on a string of errands that seems to be taking too long, ask, “What else could I be doing with my time, and is that thing worth more than looking in one more store?”

Sometimes you may decide that the discount or perfect item really is worth it, in which case, a little extra planning can save a lot of time. Maybe you can wait a day or two and combine it with another trip in the same area of town. Either way, make sure that you take the value of your own time into account. It’s one of the most precious resources you have.

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Photo Credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

3 Steps to a Lighter Calendar

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Time Management Light CalendarDid you give your calendar a Spring Cleaning? It’s easy to get stuck in a time management rut when it comes to obligations that consume our day. Sometimes we end up doing things just because we’ve always done them, not because we get any enjoyment or useful result from our actions. This week, I challenge you to give your calendar a good purging. You only need three steps:

1. List Out Your Activities

Sometimes we don’t realize how much we do until we list it all out in one place. Compile a list of all the things on your calendar. Include things like work, family commitments, networking groups, organizations you belong to, classes you attend, etc… Next to each activity, list the realistic time commitment it requires. For example, if you attend an hour long yoga class once a week, your realistic time requirement might be 2 hours when you factor in travel and shower time.

2. Look for the Results

What do you get out of each activity? The answer might be anything from “a paycheck” to “enjoyment” or “fitness.” If the “What do I get out of this?” question is difficult to answer, consider whether that activity has overstayed its welcome on your calendar. Our priorities and needs shift over time. If an activity is no longer providing enough of a benefit for the time you put in, why does it still take up valuable space in your schedule?

3. Find the Least Important

We assume that we’re only supposed to cut unimportant events from our calendars, but sometimes we complete an activity inventory and everything still seems important. In this case, you have to find activities that are least important, or least important right now. Just because you want to do something doesn’t mean you have time to do it. Life requires choices and stretching yourself too thin diminishes your enjoyment of the other things on your schedule.

Make re-assessing your priorities a regular habit so activities don’t linger on your calendar longer than they remain useful and worth it!

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Photo Credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

The Question You’re Not Asking About Your To-Do List

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Time Management To Do List QuestionWhen prioritizing our to-do lists for the day, we often ask ourselves questions like, “What is the most important?” “What is the most urgent?” “What is my number one priority?” These are all valid questions, but a question we don’t ask enough is:

“Which task will have the most noticeable impact?”

Here are two reasons this question is essential to planning your day:

1. We Can’t Do Everything

When we get extremely busy, we start to wonder how in the world we’re going to finish everything on our lists, but we fail to accept that maybe everything on the list doesn’t need to be finished. In that case, you’ll need to search for the tasks on your list that provide the most bang for your buck.

Think of it like cleaning a house. Washing the dishes in your sink and cleaning your upstairs bathroom are both important tasks, but if company is coming for dinner in 30 minutes and you only have time for one, which one would you choose? I’m guessing your guests will spend more time in your kitchen than your master bathroom. Use the same line of thinking when it comes to other tasks in your day. If I accept that I can’t do everything, which task is most noticeable and has the biggest impact?

2. We Need Motivation

We’re motivated by success. When we labor away and see no results from our work, it’s difficult to stay motivated. That’s why choosing tasks with a noticeable impact can help keep a dreaded project moving along. Dealing with the stack of papers on your desk might not be the most essential part of a project you’re working on, but if it will keep you motivated to finally be able to file them away, then they might be worthy of your prioritization.

Aiming for maximum impact in your tasks can help streamline your to-do list. You might be so pleased with the results, that you’ll realize the other tasks weren’t really necessary anyway.

Connect with The Time Diet for more time management tips