How to Manage Your Time And Do, Well… Anything

Have you ever have a day like this:

At the end of the day, I collapsed on into my recliner, and exclaimed to my hubby: “Wow! I’m exhausted, but I didn’t finish the article for the newsletter”

My husband turned to me and said (I am paraphrasing, what he actually said was a bit more obnoxious): “Well, sweetie… I know surfing the Net, posting on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and commenting on blogs, reading email, and playing Angry Birds is part of your routine. Don’t you think that if you spent more time on doing real stuff you wouldn’t be so crunched when the newsletter is due?

“What’s that hon?” I asked, distracted. “Oh look! NCIS is on!”

The Time Vortex

I’m sure you’ve had days like mine above…

But, if you find yourself swept up in a time vortex that (and then moan and groan about all the stuff that didn’t get done), well, then, there is a solution for you. Rather than spending your energy in disappointment, spend it on getting fired back up on what it is you can do! Create an action plan.

First, Identify Your Goal (Duh!)

Don’t worry about how feasible it is. Forget circumstances. Instead, just pick something you’ve always wanted to do. Set that as your goal.

Second, Outline Your Strategy

One of the things people forget to do is to break down a goal into manageable chunks.

The best way to do that is to determine how you can achieve your goal. Are there obstacles in your path? How can you overcome them? How can you use your strengths?  What in the way of your productivity?

The strategy you select will contribute a great deal to achieving your goal.

The larger the goal, the more detailed your strategy needs to be, the more chunking you will want to implement to ensure your success. It is important to learn how you can use your strengths to turn weaker tendencies into an opportunity for trriumph.

Third, Schedule It

Do you, like me, like playing Angry Birds? Is that a secret pleasure and shame? No problem.

Build it into your schedule! Use the 1:2 ratio to keep yourself honest and your schedule balanced. For every X amount of non-productive time you spend, spend 2X’s on your goal tasks.

Isn’t that easy? You won’t have denied yourself anything and there will be no cause for regret, shame or self-flagellation.

Fourth, Identify Milestones

To help you, identify and schedule key milestones in your schedule. This will help you stay focused on the ultimate goal.

Once a milestone is reached celebrate. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but do make sure to recognize the fact you’ve reached a major point in reaching your goal.

That’s It!

That is it. That’s all that is required to create a plan to make your goal a reality. Isn’t that easy?

Remember that everything is a process. Installing a habit is one of those things. Experts say that it takes 21 days to make a process habitual. So, if you fall off the wagon, forgive yourself and get back on.

Take time to tweak your schedule. Observe yourself to pinpoint the distractions that make you veer off the straight and narrow. Then use your will and desire to overcome them and persevere.

What methods do you use to manage yourself in reaching a goal? To keep you focused? Share your answers in the Comments section here!