A Boomer's Footprint

Tag: time management

  • Time management

    How many times do we say and hear others say: “I am so BUSY.”

    Life can easily become overwhelming with over commitments, work schedules, household chores, and maintaining relationships.

    So we often say – I don’t have the time as an reason or excuse for not getting things done.

    There are solutions.

    (1) Learn to say NO. Be sure you want to do something before making a commitment. Is the activity one that will bring you
    Closer to your goals and dreams. It is truly how you want to spend your time.

    (2) Prioritize your tasks. We often spend the majority of our time on the more unproductive tasks. Determine what task will provide the best results.

    (3) Spend quality time every day on your priority – even 10 minutes a day can be effective. This type of commitment works well with achieving fitness goals, cleaning up messes, preparing home cooked meals, even just sitting down and reading a book.

    (4) Eliminate time wasters. To constantly check emails, texts, and Facebook messages is very distracting and unproductive. Test yourself – using a timer determine how much real time is spent on a computer or cell phone.

  • External Obstacles

    These next few blog posts address external obstacles that directly impact our individual lives. The topics will include our environment, time management, and our relationships.

    External obstacles can get in the way of our achieving success in reaching our goals and dreams.

    It is easy to let external obstacles become:

    -1-  Crutches – we can lean on obstacles as a reason for a failure

    -2- Excuses – we can create so many excuses for WHY, WHY, WHY.

    why we didn’t finish a project
    why we are unhappy
    why we can’t we ever find things
    why we are not achieving success

    -3- Distractions – obstacles can keep us unfocused on our priorities, our goals, our mission.

    Sorry for the short post this week, but can not let any external obstacles get in my way right now.

    I am merging the contents from a second three bedroom home into my smaller already furnished apartment.

    This means I must look at, touch and decide on everything which is in this house.  Does it stay or does it go?
    In the end, this is becoming a very therapeutic process of letting go.

    No crutch – I am relying on myself to get the job done.

    No excuses – I can not procrastinate about the task.

    No distractions – I must stay focused on my deadline.

    Using technique over the coming weeks,  we  will address external obstacles which stand in the way of making our dreams come true.

  • How to overcome procrastination

    Procrastination is such a big obstacle that I am writing an extra blog post with suggestions to overcoming this obstacle and to getting things done.

    Do not become overwhelmed with this list.  Look for the tips, which can help you the most. Remember, putting off a task, does not make it go away.

    As you begin, focus on the benefits you will receive when you stop procrastinating and start taking action.

    How to break out of the cycle of procrastination – tips from my mentor, Raymond Aaron

    Create a new mindset:

    Look at past successes – what did I learn that I can carry into this task

    Adjust your attitude – develop an “I can do it” mentality

    Develop self management skills – keep focus on task at hand

    Look at project from the goal oriented viewpoint

    Recruit support – get a fan club, an accountability partner “60% is good enough” by avoiding perfectionism, you save a lot of time.  The lower bar has a bigger chance of success.

    Remove distractions:
    • Work on messes – a clear, clean environment equals clearer mind
    • Do not multi-task – pay attention to the highest priority task only

    Getting started / Time Management:

    Create new habits.

    Focus on the most important thing first and get it done

    1- Make your to do list – list everything that needs to be done
    2- Prioritize the tasks
    3- Break a big job into manageable parts  – divide and conquer
    4- Allow enough time to complete a task – consider how much time is available and complete a small step in that timeframe
    5- Keep the list in front of you keep checking them off
    6- Work in small steps and cross items off the list
    7- Begin to accomplish just 3 small tasks each day

    Take any necessary breaks and enjoy them.

    After your success:

    End of day preparation – review what was accomplished, make list of things to accomplish the next day – set the real
    priorities and do them first.

    Reward yourself for even the smallest effort/

    Last tip from The ultimate solution by David Allen

    DO IT NOW!– the 2 minute rule – if something can be accomplished in two minutes of less Do it Now.  What takes more time – record it for later.