Month: December 2014

How to Give The Gift of Time Management

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time management giftWe struggle to find the perfect gift for everyone on our list. Something that will make them smile, add joy to their lives, be fun but practical, special but economical, and most of all, say “You’re important to me!” If you’re striking out at the mall, and gift cards just aren’t right, why not give a gift that requires no shipping and is sure to be valued?

The gift of time.

Time is one of those things we all need but never have enough of. If someone gave you an extra few hours of free time in a weekend, would you be able to put a price on it? Here are three ways to give someone the gift of time:

1. Organize

Do you have a talent for organizing? Offer to organize a friend’s home office. Not only does it check a task off their list, but it makes their daily tasks easier to manage because they can find everything.
2. Clean

I have yet to meet the people who love reserving part of their weekend to clean their bathrooms and mow their lawns. Offer to come over for a morning and clean their kitchen, mop their floors, trim their yards, whatever they need. Not feeling up to the task? Take that money you would have spent on a gift card and hire a maid service.

3. Cook

When we’re crunched for time, we end up eating out or grabbing a frozen bag of something. Help your friends free up some time in their evenings by cooking a homemade meal in a disposable container ready to pop in the oven. No cooking AND no cleanup. The perfect time saver.

The perfect gift is fun to receive, but even more fun to give. You’ll never go wrong by helping people with their time management by giving the gift of time.

Help give your favorite student time all next year with The Time Diet: Time Management for College Survival

Photo Credit: freedigitalphotos.net

Time Management for the Holiday Season

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time management for the holidaysThe year is almost over, and all of the stress, hurry, and bustle of December is upon us. A busy time like this calls for a return to The Time Diet basics. Feel like you have a million things to do before the end of the year? Pull out your list and consider these three things when you’re planning your day tomorrow.

 1. Difficulty

Remember, when everything is a priority, NOTHING is a priority. That’s why you have to categorize your tasks before you can figure out which should be your focus. While everything might be important, not everything is difficult.

Everything you do is either a Meat (difficult), Vegetable (easy) or Dessert (fun.) A “balanced diet” of each will keep you stress free!

2. Distractions

We know we do our best work when we are completely focused and free from distractions, but distractions are rampant this time of year! When you know you’ll have an hour of focused time, prioritize your difficult Meat tasks. Save your Vegetables for those times when distractions are likely to pop up.

3. Time of Day

Are you a morning person? Great! Complete your difficult Meat tasks in the morning when you are most alert. Not a morning person? Don’t fight it! Whenever you can, schedule your Meats for later in the day when you know you’re likely to be more efficient. Different people focus best at different times. Only you know what works best for you!

Remember, everything might be important, but not everything can be important at the same time. Use the basic Time Diet principles to plan your December days most efficiently!

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Three Ways to Stop Being Late

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Time management lateHave trouble getting out the door on time? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’re all late sometimes – cars break down, emergencies come up – but it’s important to remember that when we keep others waiting, we are spending their time that could be used for other things. These three tips will help you with your punctuality!

I ran across this article this week, and while its tone is harsh, it was a good reminder that other people depend on us. Sometimes a start time is just a suggestion, but other times promptness is important. If you find yourself consistently late…

1. Calculate transition time

Add ten minutes to any commute. Sure, it may take 30 minutes to get from point A to point B, but you have to find your keys, get to the car, park when you get there…and all of those things take time. As a general rule, add 10 minutes to whatever Google Maps says.

2. Have a list

It takes forever to get out of the house or office when we’re running around trying to collect everything we need. Keep a list of the things you need to bring so you’re not trying to remember when you’re in a rush. Better yet, keep a “bring it with you” bin by the door so you have everything in one place.

3. Apologize

When you are late, apologize to the person. Say something like, “I’m sorry I kept you waiting. I hate to waste your time like that. I know it’s valuable.” Keep it short and sincere. Apologizing not only expresses your value of the other person’s time, but it sends a message to yourself that your tardiness was a mistake and shouldn’t be a habit.

Being late happens to the best of us, but recognizing your mistake and taking steps to correct it in the future will be the best steps for your time management.

Connect to The Time Diet for more time management tips

Photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net

The Thing That’s Missing From Your Calendar

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Time management calendar pieceDo certain tasks cling to your to-do list forever? I’ve had some odds and ends on my list for a while that I never seem to have time for. Today I finally figured out why…

I didn’t have them on my calendar!

“Between Time”

I give seminars, presentations, and workshops all day, with an occasional meeting sprinkled in here and there. Those types of things have prominent places on my calendar, but that’s not all I have to do during the day. I have to respond to emails, compile mileage reports, map out new presentations, etc… I call them “between” tasks, because I squeeze them in here and there between larger obligations.

Today I noticed that my “between time” has been more scarce than usual and some of these smaller tasks have been slipping. If these tasks are to be completed, I need to reserve space on my calendar, just like any other obligation.

Assign Your Smaller Tasks

So, this week, I’m designating where my “between time” is and fiercely protecting it, just like I would any time I’ve reserved for a meeting or workshop.

Take a look at the older tasks still clinging to your to-do list. Are they missing from your calendar? Assign them a time on your calendar this week so you can actually cross them off!

Connect with The Time Diet for more time management tips