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I read an interesting blog today by the author of Little Things Matter. Each day, a post is written about the daily rituals we do to help or hinder our personal development. Funny thing is, so many thing that Todd Smith writes about seems so obvious, yet we neglect to do this little things day in and day out.
He emphasizes the need to listen, eat right, sleep well, set goals, find time for fun, etc, all issues that I have ranted about in Blogland a time or two. However, today, one of the issues resonated with me as I sit here and type of this rainy day.
Each day we wake up and do what we have to do to get through the day, right? Get ourselves ready for work, the kids up and at 'em, house organized, etc. These are all things that we have to do day to day as they are our responsibilities. However, during the hour to hour scheduling, how many times are we reactive with our day than proactive? What are we doing during the course of our day that is going to get us one step further towards our goals - be it personal or professional? Simply put, are you on the right track towards getting ahead with your life?
As a coach, I hear all the time that my clients have these grandiose ideas on how much they want to get done in a day - professionally or personally - however, life gets in the way. All of a sudden, you sit down to work on a trial you may have on Monday, and another client calls with some issue that needs immediate attention. It's the constant need to reassess and redirect your attention. Whether you are a stay at home mom, a business owner, athlete, whatever, many times we are not able to get what we want accomplished during the day.
Here are five tips I think are essential to leading a more productive day and stress free life.
1 - Delegate time to catch up with yourself.
As I sit in my office and look at my desk, I realize it is just as important to set aside an hour or two to put things away, file, throw out old papers, basically, set aside time to clean up shop. When you go go go all the time your life starts to show it. (a pocketbook that looks like you could pull the kitchen sink out of it, cluttered countertops, messy offices, old french fries in the car after a McD's run - you get the picture) These are tasks we tend to not consciously write down but are like nails on a chalkboard every day when you don't address them.
Dedicate a few hours a week to do these tasks that go to the wayside when you are busy achieving bigger goals.
2. Slow down.
I know, it may sound hypocritical when I talk about time management and then tell you to chill out, but it's true. The faster you move the more apt you are to make mistakes - thus, make a wrong turn at a light when you are on your way to a meeting with no time to spare or you leave a candle lit and you have to go home to double check which only takes more time. You get my drift.
When you are consciously aware of what you are doing you will do it better.
3. Make list.
Each night before you go to bed, write down what you want to do the next day. You don't have to go nuts and make it a novel with a detailed version of each hour of your day, simply bullet item your priorities. That way, when you go to bed, you will be processing the best way to do them. It really is true.
Studies show that when you actually take the time to envision what you want your following day to be like, you will be more apt to have a day that is more productive and in alignment with those goals.
4. Schedule in extra time to complete tasks.
If you are like me, you schedule in to the last minute how long it takes to take a shower, get yourself ready and how long it takes to get to the event, for example. For me, I would always say it took an hour to get ready and then I would add the traveling time, etc. However, how many of you ad in the time for distractions during that "get ready" hour? For example, the son who needs a ride to practice, getting the kids dinner ready before you go out to dinner, forgetting that you left your outfit at the dry cleaners, etc. Nope. I don't and I bet many of you don't either. So, by adding in more time to do your chores, get ready for an event, etc., you will be automatically giving yourself a ticket to a more stress free life. What is the worst that can happen? You have ten minutes to lay on your bed and take a deep breath or are able to crack open that book that has been sitting on your nightstand for three months.
Whatever you are doing, Give yourself 15 - 30 minutes to do it.
5. Identify the biggest time wasters in your life.
For me, I have to admit, it's surfing the web. I am almost afraid to see how many hours in a week I spend Googling stuff. In fact, I think I could be a professional Googler if there were ever a title. Whatever the case may be, if you take a good hard look to the patterns of how you spend each day, I am sure you could identify a few things that suck up your free time. When you do that, you can pick and choose how you would rather spend that time. For me, I decided the time I spent sitting on my butt in an office chair reading facts that may not be that pertinent to my life, I will dedicate to the gym. So far, I have found one hour a day to do this when I thought it was next to impossible with the schedule I have with the kids, work, outside obligations, etc.
Give yourself permission to reclaim a bit of your day for personal goals with the time you save on being more efficient. It will get you get you on a goal setting bandwagon that may have gone to the wayside over the years of doing for everyone else.
Just as Todd Smith states - Little Things Matter - and he is right. By following these five simple steps, you will be less likely to get off track day to day. And, when you are faced with that detour sign, you will already know the way to go since you have already been there.
For more information on Todd Smith's blog - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/littlethingsmatter?ref=ts
:http://open.salon.com/blog/verbal_remedy/top_rated
