Have you ever wondered why some people at work appear to manage their time better than others?
I had a discussion recently with a senior manager who still had time to enjoy a new hobby, take a vacation and exercise daily, and attend a night class at school. It was inspiring to listen to how he accomplished an enormous amount of work while others were struggling to carry their workload.
It turns out, he developed the habit of focusing on work while at work. While that may seem expected, most people who find themselves chasing time aren’t focused on where they spend their time because they’re clueless as to where it goes.
The truth is, being sensitive to time gives you control over what you want to accomplish. In the case of the manager, he had a system that worked and allowed him to achieve all of his goals, planning on where to put his energy gave him freedom to pursue life outside of work.
Let’s face it, who wouldn’t be interested in having more time to focus on the things that interest them while being successful at work? The key to having more time, according to Laura Vanderkam, author of “What the Most Successful People do at Work,” is understanding that the secret of productivity “lies in a handful of daily disciplines.”
159276704The manager I spoke with instinctively used discipline to make his life more enjoyable. You can, too, if you start by implementing it in your work week. Start out by using the discipline of minding your 168 hours during the week, Laura shares a template to help get you in the habit of recording where you spend your time. Give yourself a week of being time-sensitive toward your “productive time” and see if the exercise of recording time makes your life feel less burdensome and allows for more time for you.
Successful people plan their day before it starts and you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish. If you are a freelancer, one of the best ways to help ensure you stick with new habits is to join an accountability group or partner with someone who will hold you accountable to your goals. Using the power of accountability helps you keep you on track.
Know what is work, which brings up the topic of meetings and how much time you spend attending meetings. Try making a mental note of every meeting invitation to calculate the cost and significance of attending them.
What habits do you use that gives you more time to accomplish your goals?
