Taking Control of Your Time

We’re all trying to squeeze more into, and get more out of our days. With overflowing inboxes, and schedules that are packed tight, making the best use of our precious hours is becoming increasingly important. While we can’t actually manage time itself, we can exercise some control over how we use it.

Time is a unique resource, because we all get exactly the same amount of time to utilize everyday. When today runs out, I get a brand new 24 hours to spend tomorrow! But be wary of “spending” your time. Smart financial planning is knowing what to spend and what to invest, and the same applies to your time.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your days.

Plan Your Week – Once you have your “To Do” list of all the things you want to get done this week, actually schedule it in. Often times we’ll find that our ambitions exceed available hours! Too long “To Do” lists leave us feeling overwhelmed, and set up for failure.

Stick to The Plan – Now that you’ve scheduled in the most important events, activities and tasks for the week, stick to your schedule! Time and again, I see career changing choices slip away from people because they didn’t feel like it in the moment. Save your feelings for loving your family, not for determining your day.

Ease Up on the Emails – Do you jump every time you hear that familiar “ping” of a new message in your inbox? Checking your email throughout the day, and “dealing with it” immediately may sound efficient at first, but it’s a huge drain on your energy and your time. Set aside time twice a day and blast through it all then. Sticking to this will keep you more direct, less wordy and more efficient in the long run.

Replace Bad Habits - Do you have a bad habit that’s stealing your time and sabotaging your goals? Pick one area to tackle, and make a choice to replace the bad habit with a good one. Go for a walk after dinner instead of collapsing in front of the TV, create a luxurious bed time ritual that you look forward to every night, that will get you to bed on time. Or prep your breakfast the night before, so you can move through your morning with more grace and ease.

Plan Some Play – I love looking at my schedule and seeing some fun things in there! Planning a couple of leisure activities every week, gives you something to look forward to, and also ensures that important tasks don’t get pushed aside on a whim because we’re overtired or just plain bored and in need of a break.

Beware of Being Busy – Never confuse activity with accomplishment. Frequently we rush through our days, from one task to another, convincing ourselves that as long as we keep busy, we’re “getting stuff done”. But look at where your activities are getting you? Are they moving you closer towards your goals, or simply filling up your days? Choose what you do based on merit, not merely on action.

Time can’t be banked or saved, only spent or invested. Benjamin Franklin once said, "Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff that life is made of." How we spend our time, is how we spend our lives, so invest yours wisely and it will pay dividends in the end!