Time: Your Enemy Or Your Friend?

When I query clients, program participants and business people in general, they consistently cite that the #1 thing that is holding them back are… time management problems.

 

How your organization’s people feel about their time corresponds directly to their ability to produce results. Their internal attitudes about time, inevitably serve to determine their perceptions and beliefs about their capabilities on a daily basis.

A typical example of this internal thought (attitudinal) process are individuals who are in their thirties and who hold the belief that their “biological clock is ticking”. The perceived urgency to find a mate, get married and have children before it’s too late… is a powerful force that can ultimately drive wrong thinking and resultant decision making… all in the interest of attempting to force the issue and make something happen.

In this common real life scenario, time is the villain. The belief and perception is that time is working against them, therefore time has become their “enemy”.

The widespread belief held by executives, managers and organizational staff members that they are struggling with time management problems…Is not an accurate representation of what is actually occurring.

Simply stated, time management problems are not time management problems.

What your organization and your people are actually experiencing are clarification issues. When there is a lack of clarity about “goals” and “priorities” … time is inevitably destined to become your enemy.

It is this very lack of clarity about goals and priorities that over time inhibits good organizations from fulfilling their mission statement, bringing it to life and having their people live it out on a daily basis. Throughout my career, I have repeatedly observed that those people who hold the belief that they have a time management problem are generally deficient when it comes to long range planning, focusing on real goals and organizational skills.

When these essential competencies are deficient, it will adversely affect your people’s ability to set and achieve goals, effectively prioritize, properly plan their work and stay on task. Resultantly, these self-perceived time management problems… Are not in reality time management problems at all.

In the final analysis, “when you are crystal clear about your goals… you definitively know what your priorities are and exactly what systematic action steps need be taken.”

As your valued resource partner, we can assist your organization and your people in making time their friend, while helping them to… Learn more. Do more. Become more.

Copyright © 2016 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

Myth Buster: Time Management

Regardless of the conflicting day-to-day reports about the economic recovery, there is one particular fact that remains crystal clear… Organizations and people are still in the position of “having to do more with less”.

 

However, most organizations and people continue to struggle with one specific issue that would actually help them to be more productive and ultimately do more with less.

 

The critical issue that I am referring to is the issue of properly allocating your “time”. When it comes to the concept of time and how to properly utilize it, there are 5 critical points that you need to fully comprehend with regard to your “time”:

 

• Time is not something to be “managed”.

 

• Time is a “tool”.

 

• Time is actually a “priority” clarification issue.

 

• Time is entirely about what you do with it.

 

• Time and productivity are forever linked and are therefore inseparable.

 

As of cited by President John F. Kennedy, “We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch.”

 

Following below are 7 key tips that will assist you in better prioritizing your time utilization:

 

Tip #1:  Change your mindset. Get real about the fact that you will never ever “Have time to kill”. Every minute and every moment matter.

 

Tip #2:  Don’t wait for tomorrow… To plan for tomorrow.

 

Tip #3:  Schedule your top priorities first. Focus your time on what is most important, rather on what is most convenient.

 

Tip #4:  Schedule all of your remaining tasks to fit with the remaining time you have available (after addressing your top priorities).

 

Tip #5:  Make it a point to know what your time is “worth”. Once you know, how you “value” your time will dramatically change.

 

Tip #6: Identify your top personal “time wasters”.

 

Tip #7: Identify your top “time wasters” and “interference” from external sources.

 

When you apply these practical tips to your personal and professional life, you will begin to accomplish more with less while becoming more productive than ever before!

 

The Leadership Academy… Changing the way organizations and people work, perform and live.

 

Copyright © 2014 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.