Time Management: When Time is Money… for Dreamers
Posted on October 10, 2012 by Cheryl GnadTime Management
I want to thank Lyne for contributing to my blog. She has an awesome and demanding job of showing her clients their greatest assets and how they can use them to gain the success that they so desire. Time management is one crucial practice she addresses regularly.
Do you have a desire in heart to be a better business owner, or even one of the company that you work for, their best employee? How can you accomplish this?
I have been in the role of employee and am now, a business owner. I love the challenges of being the owner. Why? After all, the “buck stops here”! What works or doesn’t is because of the decisions I made! Who would want that kind of responsibility? Who knows how to build a business?
When you hear of statistics of 50% of businesses fail in 3 years and 80% in 5 years, this might seem discouraging. In fact, I am sure it is for most people. They never would attempt business ownership. So why DO others try? How do they keep building against the odds?
My newsletter FOCUS ON YOUR BUSINESS is inviting experts to contribute their wisdom to help you find answers and protect you from some of the pitfalls of business ownership. Most of the businesses that do make it, had a mentor or someone to help them do the best practices in their field. I hope to be able to compliment your business, helping you with my newsletter and my guest bloggers!
This article will get you to thinking about your Time Management. What are YOUR Big Rocks? Welcome – Lyne!
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Manage your big rocks!
When Time is Money… for Dreamers
by Lyne Tumlinson
So what happened? Why did I not finish the article a week ago when I meant to? Some Big Rocks got in the way.
Center on Priorities
Motivational author Stephen Covey moves the most significant things to the top of his list. Michael Hyatt says it this way: “The Big Rocks are a metaphor for the important stuff. If you don’t make room for the important stuff, it will be overwhelmed by the less important stuff.”
When you put the Big Rocks in your to-do list jar first, there’s still room for small rocks, gravel, and even some sand (emptying the dishwasher, filing everything in your in-box, etc.). My favorite rendition of the story ends with pouring in a chosen beverage – maybe beer or coffee – as “there’s always time for (fill in the blank).”
If you don’t accomplish the Big Rocks activities first, the other items use up that time, leaving you without enough time to focus on your priorities.
What are your Big Rocks? These days my Big Rocks are centered on making ends meet while being true to my values: relationship with God, family, choir ministry at church, fitness, healthy eating, and serving others in my business.
I pick out three Big Rocks every week to focus on. I had two days this week full of paid work events, obviously qualifying as Big Rocks. And of course, the planning for those events – also on the Big Rocks list. And what often happens next is…
At this moment, I can’t even remember my third Big Rock! Where did I write that down? Mmmm… on my weekly Planner Pad, of course. And where is that? I’d better go look – hang on, I’ll be right back.
Is that familiar to you?
Handle Distractions
“Dreamers,” i.e., idea-people, go through life eager to create something and motivated by hopes of achievement. We often find ourselves going three directions at once as the ideas start flowing. It’s easy to get off track, to get stuck in the gravel and the sand instead of focusing on those key – activities.
The good news? While looking for my calendar, I was able to peruse a pile of papers and articles, as well as some meeting notes and a draft for the next webinar I’ll deliver. And huzzah! That’s it – the upcoming webinar was the final Big Rock for the week.
The point is, find what works for you. Work for an hour on a Big Rock task, then take a 15-minute break. Work for half an hour on a Big Rock, then work on a Small Rock for 10 minutes. Find your rhythm, and the distractions won’t seem as attractive. If that rhythm is wandering the house looking for loose brain cells, go for it! Just remember to wander back to that Big Rock before it’s too late.
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