Are you Managing Your Time or Managing Your Life?
Written by Debora McLaughlin
I bet you started your morning looking at your daytimer, blackberry, outlook calendar, covey planner or whichever of the many tools and resources we have for managing our time.
Did you look at your actions, your "to do" list for today? Actions are tactics, processes to achieve our goals.
I have to be honest in saying I've never been one to totally master the use of my time like a fine tuned resource. It is something I work on each and every day. My day tends to expand as my right brain fills with new ideas and inspirations and I journey from working with my clients to writing my book, social networking, creating new products and programs. Thanks goodness I have several assistants that crack the whip and keep me and my schedule in line.
I have, however, decided to manage my life instead of managing my time. I've been seeking the perfect time management program, not only for myself but for my busy professional clients who often ask me for advice on helping them to manage their time.
Have you read the David Allan "Getting Things Done" book? It is a great resource for setting up your filing system. When you take thoughts out of your head and put them on paper and into files, you rest far better at night… believe me, I know. That process keeps my actions organized, but what keeps my strategy organized is having take
Anthony Robbins RPM, The Time of Your Life Rapid Planning Method.
I'd love for you to manage your life instead of managing your time, as once you do, how you spend your time automatically focuses on achieving the goals you set for your life. The Rapid Planning Method helps you identify your most important life categories and to create energizing themes to give them more power and to leverage your commitment. So instead of writing "hit the gym" as one of your actions in your blackberry, instead you make the promise to yourself to be "a model of health and fitness" and thus commit the time to make it happen.
Take a moment now to look at your schedule. Think about what personal and professional life categories might be important to you. Are they all on there? Time for you, your loved ones, good health? Time for learning, growth and development? Time for expanding yourself, your business, your career? Even every day activities can become more fun when you attach them to the energy of your goals. Maybe your staff meeting becomes "Being an Inspirational Leader--staff meeting". Adding the emotive energy adds, as Anthony Robbins states, "the juice".
My schedule contains items pertaining to being a Notable Author, The Light that Ignites Others (time with clients, others), A Savvy Money Magnet Entrepreneur, A Mom that is the Rock, and A Hot Sexy Cougar Wife (but we won't go there!) What is in your daytimer?
Article author
About the Author
Debora McLaughlin: ICF certified Executive/Business Coach, Consultant & Mentor, Personal Power of Influence Coach, works with executives, business owners & managers to optimize profits, people & performance, creating influential leaders. She is a Speaker & well-known author of Blueprint for Success with Stephen R. Covey & Ken Blanchard, Roadmap for Career Success, Blueprint to Business Success Program, & forthcoming Personal Power of Influence. Free report: http://www.RealWorldLeaderReport.com
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