Video: How to Manage Time With 10 Tips That Work

Entrepreneur Magazine frequently offers useful time management tips. Here are 10 that are helpful. Don't worry too much about the revolutionary declaration that most time management advice is useless -- that would make THIS advice useless, too. It's not. It all depends on how you apply it, particularly with the discipline that you apply it.

All time management tips depend on people DOING them with the discipline to say NO to distractions and low-payoff items. Focus first (and most) on the HIGH PAYOFF items and you are likely to be happy with the results.

Here are the tips for additional review and application:

Carry a schedule and track all of your activities, conversations, actions, and even thoughts - for a week. Identify your productive vs. non-productive times.
Assign time for your important activities. Put it in your schedule!
Plan to spend at least 50% of your time in the activities and actions that produce most of your results.
Schedule time for interruptions. You know they are going to happen - plan on that consumption of your time.
Take the first 30 minutes of your day to PLAN your day. "The best use of your time is planning the use of your time" might seem weird but give it a try. It is critically important.
Take 5 minutes before any call or task to determine what result you want to obtain. Set a goal.
Put up a "do not disturb" sign when you absolutely must get something important done.
Practice not answering the phone. Just because it is ringing doesn't mean you must answer it. When you are working on something more important (or interacting with someone in person!) let the call go to messaging.
Block out other distractions like social media (unless that is part of your job or promoting your business.) If it's just fun, do it during designated fun times.
Remember that it's impossible to get everything done. No one can do everything. Odds are that 20% of your time will produce 80% percent of your results. Make that time the best you can.

Video Source: https://youtu.be/go5XyuI7DkA

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Facts and Feelings

How do you feel about data? About half of us really don't feel anything about data, because it's the data that matters. Let's focus on the facts. The half of us really does care about how we feel about data -- or anything else. How cold it is to leave our feelings out of the equation! As winning leaders we need to focus both on facts and on feelings. We need the flexibility and the focus. We need to include anyone and everyone who will be impacted by the results of our decisions. What do you think about that? How do you feel about that? Ask both questions, and then...listen. -- doug smith

With Love

Emotions can get in the way of solving problems. Stirring up anger, or fear is hardly ever helpful. But what if even in the toughest of situations we solved problems with love. There can't be too much love, can there? And the supply is always renewable and inexhaustible if we stay with it. Problems solved with love stay solved longer. We also feel much better about the whole thing. What do you think? -- doug smth

Reason to Talk

That misunderstanding, that festering conflict, that difficult behavior...what are we to do? Talk it over. Bring it up. Conflict is reason to talk. Conversations cost less than making assumptions. Talk about it.

Done

Trying to fix a problem from the past could cause a problem right now. When it's done, let it stay done. -- doug smith

Never mind the Distractions

I'll keep this short. Distractions are expensive. No need to list them here because you already know, don't you? Some things and some people will try to distract you from your goals but it's up to you if you let them. Design your plan. Act relentlessly on that plan. Keep going until you hit that beautiful four letter word: done. -- doug smith

Procrastination

Procrastination increases stress. Do the thing and be done with it. -- doug smith

What's Your Posture Check?

How often do you check-in on your development? How do you conduct that little audit? I remember regularly gaining adjustments from a wonderful chiropractor who had as part of their practice a regular posture check. We'd stand while the chiropractor carefully looked us over. It was amazing how much they could tell about our alignment, our health, our balance, our well-being. As treatments progressed, posture improved, and so did my health. When it comes to leadership development, what's your version of a posture check? Do you get feedback from your team? Do you talk with a mentor? Most leaders are held accountable on their metrics, but not everyone gets to check-in on their development. I'm curious, because if I could find a way to check-in on my leadership customers that helped them track their progress it would be a useful tool. We've all probably had enough surveys, so maybe something else. Something practical and easy. Maybe some way to check balance, feedback, team...

Easy on that Multitasking

It's tempting when there is so much to do to heap it up on your top performers. Give them that extra project. Delegate more. While delegation is a key part of high performance leadership, be careful about giving too many things to be done all at once. You know already that multitasking is risky. When you're driving a car you are multitasking -- your hands are doing one thing, your feet are doing another thing, and your eyes are busy on another thing, and it's all perfectly fine, until you add one thing too many. Looking at your phone or changing the controls on your audio, or glancing over your shoulder at the kids in the backseat -- all it takes is one thing too many to be much more than one thing too many. Disaster awaits. Most multitasking causes more problems than it solves. Single task when possible and simply find another way. It may take longer, but it probably won't in the long run. -- doug smith

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