A client asked me what you do when you have no time. My response – a lack of time is a perception. We make choices every minute that affects how we spend our time and ultimately how much time we have left. When you choose to play solitaire for 5 minutes and end up doing so for 30 minutes does that mean you have no time? No, it means that you have misused your time.
When you have competing projects and you choose to complete first one and then move on to the other, or you can choose to work on them simultaneously. It is your job to know how best you work. Are you someone who needs to complete one project before you move to the other? Can you do multiple projects at one time?
When you choose to interrupt your work flow to answer each email as they enter your inbox or respond to each face book past or tweet you are making choices on how to use your time. Of course at the end of the day you may likely complain that you don’t have enough time to do your work. The truth is that you have enough time but you are making management choices that are reducing the effective use of your time. If you choose to check and respond to emails 2-3 times per day, I guarantee you will find more time in your day by having longer uninterrupted work time to get some major projects off your desk.
Another common factor that contributes to the lack of time is stagnation. Let’s face it, we all get in a rut from time to time and we need to refocus, re-engage and clear the clutter. Ask yourself, what works well for me? What causes drudgery and low energy? Try everyday to include something exciting or uplifting in your life, it will help to lighten your load and keep you engaged with tasks longer.
Another great tip to changing your time perception is to ask what is most meaningful and impactful? What will have the most impact or the greater good, and then focus your energy on getting that done even if you can only spend ten to thirty minutes per day working on it. I guarantee it will have an impact and your perception of not having time will begin to change.
It is important to note that our perception of not having enough time comes from a few things. You may have a tendency of working on multiple projects and having several unfinished projects weighing on your subconscious. Another is that you may not be prioritizing well and may be doing many small unimportant tasks and not getting important projects started and your subconscious is keeping vigilant to get that really important project complete. Another habit could be that you take too many brakes or are a procrastinator. Whatever your reason, it’s time to start changing your perception of time by asking yourself how can I use the time that I have more effectively?
Tell me how you are doing with your time management strategies.
Be Well
Joyce
Joyce Odidison, MA, PCC,
Conflict Analyst, Strategist,
Interpersonal Wellness Expert & Coach
Joyce Odidison believes that wellness is the key to a great life, vitality and excellence. Three years into her mediation practice, a client got so distraught while in a mediation session, he had a heart attack in Joyce’s office. He survived. However, this was a turning point in her career and commitment to studying how our personal wellness and interpersonal lives connect. Joyce has since created the Pre-Mediation Model, a coaching process to help clients prepare for success prior to mediation, and later created the Interpersonal Wellness System model and the Interpersonal Wellness Quotient (IWQ) Personal Assessment Instrument to help clients identify and improve their capacity for wellness in all areas of their lives. Unlike others who just facilitate or coach, Joyce is well known for the quality and integrity of her work as outlined in the innovation systems and models she created and teach. Over the last five years, Joyce has created the Interpersonal Wellness Coach training program and continues to train and mentor coaches in this program with the help of some super coaches. Joyce also works with entrepreneurs, leaders, employees and their organizations attain fast sustainable results to challenges and problems they are facing. Joyce would love to support you to live well in all life dimensions as you strive to…….
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