“Time management” is a misnomer because time flies on its own. We can manage how we use the time we have, but we are often in reactive mode. What we can strive for is designing how we’re going to spend our time, on a regular basis, within our control.
Sometimes I wind up having sessions with two completely different strategy clients around the exact same topic. Weird, right? Let’s look at one story today, and a completely different story on designing your time, next time.
In our first story, a business owner in charge of a team of 5 confessed to feeling trapped, burning the candle at both ends and sensing that she was sliding downward into a state of exhaustion which she knew would soon manifest as illness. She gave her time to her employees, to her clients, to her family, and snatched a few hours for herself long after everyone else had gone to sleep. She left herself with a poor amount of rest, a groggy outlook, and the crazy spinning hamster wheel started all over again the next day.
I had been working on improving this elusive principle for myself, so I was happy to share my strategy.
First, we make a list of what is our most important priorities. It should be a fairly short list. The people you love and live with, your top clients, your company, your team members, and -oh yeah- YOU.
Next make note of the actual non-negotiable constraints on your time. In this case, my client has 5 employees BUT— everyone is virtual, and most of her team live on the west coast. So it was hard for her to “quit work” at 5pm her time, when that was only 2pm their time. She has a family who want reasonable time with her during “normal” recreational hours.
The third piece is to track your use of your time for at least 5 days in a row. Whether you use an app like Toggl or a simple notebook and pencil, journal everything you do as if your life depended on it (it does!). Type it, dictate it, scribble with glitter pens, whatever works for you.
Now take a look at all the puzzle pieces: priorities, constraints, the “stuff” you do day in and day out. What’s a better way to reposition the pieces?
In our session, we discussed designing her work week so that she would keep “office hours” available to her team ONLY during her afternoons. If they had questions and issues to take to her, they either had to knock on her virtual door prior to her 5pm or wait till the next day when the window opens again. She’s the boss, those are the rules, period. She can spend breakfast with family, mornings with clients, afternoons with team, and evenings with family and relaxation. There are more details than this, but you see where it’s going: it’s all about reserving blocks of time proactively in your calendar and communicating it to everyone around you. You set the rules and boundaries; and if you want everyone to comply, you must set the ground rules and do not veer from them.
Our lives aren’t perfect, and we all have situations. But when we see the full picture of our priorities, constraints, and use of time, we WILL find ways we can design our time to make us feel productive AND in control.
You have to be willing to make changes. And it’s always easier if you don’t have to tackle it alone! Find a mentor, a coach, a partner. It’s a huge load off your shoulders to work through this with someone who’s already walked your shoes.
As a certified business growth strategist, I partner with small business owners who want to SOLVE challenges and GROW their business. I welcome you to set up a call with me to explore the possibilities.