Time Management Help

If it needs improvement, then read this article and share your thoughts because in case you didn’t know, TIME IS YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET – and you must safeguard it and invest it wisely.

Statistics

• A study of Fortune 500 CEO’s said that top CEO’s might average 45 productive minutes a day – the rest is dealing with time wasting activities.
  • Every second of your time should be measured as an investment or an expense!
  • Most people spend 90% of their time on what they’re NOT best at and only 10% of their time on their best ability. SUCCESSFUL people delegate that 90% and are thus able to spend all their time on their “unique” ability.
  • There is a difference between a workday hour and a productive hour (which of your hours are productive)?

Top 5 Time Management ENEMIES

• Phone
• Email (Beware that instant communication is very poisonous to your productive time)
• Internet/Social Media
• Individual interruptions

How to beat the Time Management Enemies

• Decide that your time will not be wasted.
• Have the Self-Discipline use every minute of your time wisely.
• Create better systems to help you control your time.
• Train others to respect your time.

Your Mindset

• Have the courage to change your mind set about the need to be instantly and constantly accessible to everyone. Rather, have a personal VIP list of only certain people whom you will allow to interject into your time during the day. All other calls and emails can get blocked, controlled, clustered, etc. if necessary.
• Avoid “TIME VAMPIRES” (you know who they are) they will selfishly suck up all your time and energy and cause you to lose focus on that which matters most to you.
• Deal only with those people who want to deal with you and disregard the rest. You can’t be all things to all people. If you’re drained from time vampires at the end of the day, then IT’S YOUR FAULT.
• Be impatient! If you’re patient it simply means that you are willing to accept mediocrity and live with the fact that most people have no sense of urgency. YOU are the one that must create that urgency, set deadlines, create chaos and make people move faster! The right people will rise to the top and make you a lot of money as a business owner. The others will move on because they can’t keep up.

You will become imprisoned by your business if…

• Your presence is required at all times for your business to operate.
• Your time is required for routine matters.
• Your time is consumed playing parent to your employees.

Why time management is so important

• Minimize wasted energy.
• Multiply creativity.
• Maximize progress.
• Enjoy your business.
• Think bigger.
• Think smarter.
• Less stress.

Time saving tips

• You must learn to delegate to others consistently. Do what you do best and DELEGATE the rest. As a business owner or manager, your focus must always be on tasks that are directly related to generating revenue.
• Plan work ahead to avoid a time management crisis and constant chaos.
• Work in blocks so you’re not constantly interrupted. Clump similar tasks together and do them all at once, such as: returning phone calls, making phone calls, writing letters, training staff, checking emails, etc.
• Deal with information only once! In our office we DDT everything. When something comes up that requires attention in the office, for a client, etc. either we DO IT, DELEGATE IT, or TRASH IT.
• Tackle and fix problems at one time and as quickly as possible, then move on.
• Minimize unproductive meetings.
• Train people to handle problems before they get to you and when it does come to you, they should always have a proposed solution. Say to your employees, “If this was your business and I weren’t here what would you do?”
• Set aside a place where you can work uninterrupted, both at work and at home. Train people to write down their topics of discussion/questions, etc. and then cover them all at one time when you are ready.
• Limit time with people who drain you. Learn to say no, it’ll be ok.
• Work daily to systemize your business so it can run without you. (If you’re a business owner, read that line again).
• Guard who has your cell phone number and do not take unscheduled calls personally. “if they can’t find you then they can’t interrupt you.”

Delegate to others clearly and effectively

• Clearly define what’s to be done and what your expectations are.
• Be certain the person being delegated to understands exactly what is to be done.
• Explain why it’s to be done the way you are describing.
• Teach how it’s to be done without micro managing.
• Be sure they understand the how-to process.
• Require progress updates and set a deadline for completion.
• Have a mutual agreement/meeting of the minds.

Have a Daily Plan, get in the habit of listing out what you want to get done each day

• Write down your important tasks that need to be completed during each day. Check off items as you complete them and add new ones that need attention. What doesn’t get done today, should be added to your daily plan for tomorrow.
• Getting in the habit of writing down your tasks, ideas, events, contacts, conversations, promises made, etc. allows you to forget and still get it done. And, it helps you hold other people accountable to the promises they made to you.

Be punctual

• You can’t expect to have others treat your time with respect if you show little or no respect for their time.

Be productive with “pointless time”

• For example, while you’re driving in your, listen to audio books, podcasts, educational programs that will make you smarter.
  Literally, set a timer with tasks, and put yourself “under the clock” and learn to work faster. It makes you more focused and productive and creates better habits for efficient thinking.
• Always ask yourself: “is what I’m doing this very minute bringing me measurably closer to my goals?”

Time Management Quotes

• “A person who can’t tell you where his money goes is destined to be poor & a person who can tell you where his time goes is destined to be unproductive and also poor. – Dan Kennedy
• “If you don’t have a system for managing your time then you are destined to frequently have your time wasted. – Brian T. Evans Jr.
• “If you don’t know where you are going then you might end up somewhere else.” – Yogi Berra
• “If you’re early, you’re one time. If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re late, you’re forgotten.” – Unknown.

Written By

Brian Evans – President

Contact BT Web Group for all your Digital Marketing and Web Design needs. We’re located in Lexington, KY

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