Time Management is always a hot topic and an area that many of my clients want to take charge of. The challenge is that you are managing You because time charges ahead. Here are five tips you can implement that help you manage You especially when you are working from home.
The 5am Club-Did you read the book called The 5 AM Club? It was part productivity, part thriller, part romance and personal growth story all rolled into one. The author, Robin Sherma sets the entrepreneurs who explain the 20/20/20 principle. The premise is that you wake up at 5 am and start your day with exercise-move, reading-grow and meditation/journaling to reflect. This formula supposedly boosts productivity and performance. Can you manage to get yourself out of bed everyday at 5am?
Attach a habit with a habit-A former client was prescribed a new medicine. They had trouble remembering to take it. I suggested they attach the new habit of taking a pill to another habit they do daily. They tied a piece of yarn from their toothbrush to the medicine bottle. What habit do you need to incorporate into your life? Can you manage to stack a new habit on an old one?
Home for everything-Create a home for everything at and around your desk. If you have to root around for your stapler or search for your phone under a pile of paperwork when your phone rings you are wasting time looking for things that should be at your fingertips. Create a place for everything and have everything in its place. This is especially important when you are in a hybrid work environment-working one day at home and the next at the office. Consciously place items near you that you need. Can you find what you need and find it fast?
Accountability-Last year I started working with an accountability partner. At the beginning of the week we would email what we want to accomplish during the week. At the end of the week we would celebrate and give a recap of all that was accomplished. My partner recently decided to focus on key areas: work, home, family and health. In each of those areas she chooses a task she wants to accomplish in the week. This year, I began an Accountability Group called Get On Track Together. In the morning, we prioritize three actions to work on. Each day we meet in zoom for working sessions and focus on one task to work on in an hour. Most importantly, we encourage and support each other.
Learn-My local library uses an online platform for checking out materials-books, videos, audiobooks, music and even TV shows on your devices. Library patrons are given five titles per month. It’s called hoopla. Some libraries use other platforms. When you are out and about, driving in your car or exercising you can listen and learn about whatever suits your fancy. It’s how I listened to The 5 am Club.
Using these easy-to-implement techniques can help you manage you. In turn, you can manage your time.
Margo Crawford is a Productivity Coach with Wave Productivity. If you are struggling to stay focused, organized and productive at work during the COVID-19 outbreak, you are not alone. Margo works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and business professionals to help them get more focused, organized and productive in their workplace. Set up a consultation today. Margo coaches by phone nationally. If you want to get more organized in your office call 602-677-8275 or email [email protected]