TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS: NEVER TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE
I had the good fortune of meeting Estienne De Beer; The Meerkat Motivator. He interviewed 18 Accomplished Professionals on how to manage their time. You’ll find me listed as Number 3: Working From Home: It’s Okay to say “No.” I think you’ll find the article to be just what you need right now. Enjoy!
There are many benefits to writing a to-do list. However, despite the gain, there are some people who will resist them. Let’s take Mary for example. Mary is an artist with a very active lifestyle. Her professional and personal life combined has her going in many directions. Mary told me that she was starting to feel overwhelmed and some of her tasks were falling through the cracks. When I inquired if she was using a to-do list to help her plan out her day, she informed me that “occasionally” she would scribble a few things down.
Although Mary was made aware of how a list could help manage her stress, she still resisted using one for a very long time. She said, it stifled her flexibility. She felt that if she kept a list, it would tie her down and restrict her creativity. This is not an unusual response ( at least I found in my practice) with very creative people. They have adopted a belief that putting their thoughts down in order will somehow interfere with their creative flow.
Gradually, though, Mary came around. The busier her life became, the more crucial it was to have some sort of running agenda on hand. Before long, not only did she embrace her to-do list but Mary even started scheduling some of those items onto a weekly calendar. In other words, she reluctantly become a planner.
Looking back, Mary admits that it wasn’t the actual writing of the list that she found so difficult, as it was the transition of doing so. She now understands that she had emotional blocks surrounding her beliefs about to-do lists. Once Mary was able to work through her roadblocks, she had a different perspective of drawing up a list. She is now in agreement that planning helps her get things done more efficiently and does not interfere with her creative nature.
Here’s the psychology of the to-do list – studies have shown that people perform better when they have written down what they need to do. There are three reasons for this: they dampen anxiety about the chaos of life; they give us a structure, a plan that we can stick to; and they are proof of what we have achieved that day, week or month. (the guardian.com)
Simply put, the brain loves order. That’s why being organized makes us feel so good.
If you’re interested in finding ways to make your life easier and more manageable, you can schedule a consultation with me by CLICKING HERE.
How to Smash the 3 Deadly P’s
If you’re struggling with excessive clutter, it’s practically a guarantee you’re experiencing one (or all) of the 3 Deadly P’s:
Perfectionism. Procrastination. Paralysis.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks I see for women who are trying desperately to get organized is they over-think “things.”
They have an idea in their head the way “things” are supposed to be that they get caught up in perfectionism and never take action.
Now, why is this deadly?
Because perfectionism actually leads to procrastination and then…
Yes, you go it.
Paralysis. (Overwhelm)
And there you have it…a very vicious cycle.
Sometimes things have to get “messy” before they get better. Decluttering is a perfect (excuse the pun) example of this. There’s going to be some turmoil.
Yet, what most don’t realize is that it doesn’t have to be pure chaos.
If you follow a system with step-by-step strategies, everything will fall into place neatly and orderly.
One of the strategies that I noticed resulted in making the MOST progress for my clients is imposing deadlines.
Now I can hear some backlash …
“I don’t do well with set time frames. It feels to restrictive.”
Yes, but here’s the thing.
Clutter loves the fact that you’re a free-bird with no routine, schedule or plan.
Case in point…
Without a time management system to follow you can expect the clutter to be hanging around. GUARANTEED.
That’s why I developed 7 Simple Steps to Cure Clutter inside of my Mindfulness Program. It’s a process that if followed as instructed will stop the 3 Deadly P’s in their tracks.
What makes it so successful?
Having effective time management skills is important in just about any area of your life. But for clutter control purposes…
You get to rely on a process where you exercise conscious control of your time spent on specific tasks without the worry, fear or overwhelm of over-thinking.
This is how you overcome clutter.
For now, I challenge you to set a workable deadline at a pace that stretches your comfort zone. This may include using tools that you are not familiar working with; a timer, calendar, planner.
NOT at a pace that’s going to burn you out or cause anxiety. You want to begin in a way that gives you a good experience so you can build your momentum.
Only you can determine what a reasonable yet challenging deadline is.
However, a deadline can be one of the Golden Rules of Organizing. For example, “I’ll spend 15/20 minutes per day tidying up.”
Deadlines can also be for an overall project. Such as “I’ll give myself 30 days to declutter all my closets.”
When you see how well this works for you, in no time you’ll feel more inspired and confident to tackle the bigger elephant in the room (Um, that would be the rest of the clutter) and smash the Deadly P’s for good!
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An Excerpt from “A Visit With Patricia Diesel – New Jersey Countryside Magazine.”
In addition to deciding what’s important to your life, successful organizing is about time and how you use it. You have to organize your organizing. People say, I don’t have time to organize. I say you DO have time, no matter how busy you are.
One of my tricks is the 30-day challenge. Sit down with a calendar in front of you. Pick a priority project that’s really urgent. Maybe it’s the closets. Say: I’m going to give myself 30 days to clean out my closets. Mark the end date on the calendar. You can figure out approximately how much total time it will take and mark the days you’ll work on it, even if it means skipping a less important engagement or two. The point is that if you give yourself 30 days, you’re not rushing yourself. Noe excuses. Schedule it into your time.
At the end of 30 days, celebrate your victory. Give yourself a reward, some sort of treat. You deserve it!
A side benefit of the 3o-day challenge is that you are really learning about how you are using your time. Perhaps you can cut out something unproductive and substitute something you enjoy.
Sidebar: Learn how to set boundaries and limits for the use of your time. In doing so, learn how to say “No.” This is a big one. Before you make your decision about a request, ask, will this balance my day or put me on overload?
Despite what you may have heard, routines are actually very good for you and can create an overall sense of health and well being.
If I could show you how to make routines work for you and others to help you become more productive and efficient in an upcoming Tel-Class this Tuesday, would you enroll in the class?
REGISTER now!
Wouldn’t you agree, there’s nothing worse than feeling like you just wasted your time on an uneventful day.
Most of us will be left feeling unproductive and frustrated, especially when we are trying so hard to achieve both our professional and personal goals.
When this happens to me, I usually find that I got out of my routine in some form or fashion, which ultimately sabotaged my time.
Understanding the basics of time management is a valuable lesson to learn since it can be incorporated in all aspects of your life, from your work place to your home. Therefore, routines are good to have.
If you want to develop a routine to stop wasting time, then consider taking this upcoming tel-class.
The Course Curriculum Will Cover:
I strongly suggest you come with an open mind, a sense of humor and a willingness to learn!
I’m always thinking of classes to help simplify your life.
I believe this one is going to help you tremendously.
I look forward to your participation.
Starting in July, you can watch the show:
“Keep It Simple Now” 
Hosted by Dr. Deborah Fisch, “Women in Mind” of The Northwest New Jersey Regional Women’s Center.
Here is the schedule:
Wednesday Evenings @ 5:30 PM (Comcast Cable, Channel 21)
Monday Evenings @ 7:00 PM (Cablevision, Channel 21)
Saturday’s @ 9:00 AM (Service Electric, Channel 44)
Monday’s @ 12:00 PM (HCTV, Channel 14)
Due to possible schedule changes, please consult your local cable schedule.
Other Items You’d Enjoy:
http://www.keepitsimplenow.com/products
Click on link to purchase