In my previous blog, I talked about The Greatest Obstacles to Mastering Time and identified: 1- Your Value of Time 2- Your Control of Time and 3- Tyranny of the Urgent as the main barriers. Once you understand your challenges and confront them, it is critical to move from reactive to proactive, and start taking control of your schedule and day. Here are the 4 Keys to Controlling Your Day:
1- Decide to change. You have choices and need to make the conscious decision to start valuing yourself and time. For you and your family’s sake, begin adjusting your view on how you go through your day. It is a process of replacing old/ bad habits with new/good ones. The only one forcing yourself to have a lower value of yourself and time and allowing others to take control …..is you. The choice is yours- begin taking control today.
2- Put up barriers. The transition to taking control begins with becoming less available so you can become more available. This means eliminating distractions and open access to you. If you have a door- shut it with an explanation to your coworkers/clients on your availability and time you can meet with them. Drive them to make an appointment. If you work in a cubicle environment put a “Do not Disturb” or “Protected Time” sign up while you are engaging in High Payoff Activities. Schedule time (3 times) daily to check your voice/email and change your voice mail message/email auto responder informing of when you check and return calls. In general, you need to train everyone on when you are available with the benefit that you will be in the moment and focused on them. It will take several “training” attempts with some people as they ignore your new process; but if you stick to your new plan- before long your barriers will hold and you will have begun to control your day.
3- Implement proven time management systems. The first step is to build an Ideal Week. Building in your personal schedule first is crucial to ensure life balance. In your business day- loading in all key high payoff activities in the morning and time slots for voice/email check increases the likelihood of being less available and tyranny of the urgent from creeping in. Block in when you are available for appointments and drive prospects/clients to schedule during those times. Time blocking daily, planning the night before your ideal week into your planner increases the likelihood of your Ideal Week happening and places a natural barrier between business and personal life. Make sure you have good daily prioritizing tools that work for you. Contact us if you would like to receive our tools.
4- Keep your schedule. Sounds simple enough, however I have seen too many people fail by not working the schedule they built for themselves. Build and then work your day as you planned. Your day will not always match your schedule or end as your Ideal Week suggests it should. If you start this process and a day ends up out of control and you are back to your old habits- get back on your schedule the next day and keep focusing on your new plan. Treat all of your High Payoff Activities as an appointment with yourself.
Please let us know how we can best serve you and help you to build and keep your schedule. If you would like a complimentary session to receive help from one of our coaches in building and then keeping to your ideal week schedule then Contact Us today.
