Do you ever miss deadlines? Do you fall short of completing the things you needed to get done for the day? I know it happens to me. With years of experience and even coaching some leaders have still fail to control the clock. Everyday it appears we don’t have enough time however we actually have all the time that exists. There are many reasons why we mismanage our time. Taking an active role and being self aware will allow us to start to control the clock.
The first time constraint is “I don’t have time.” Actually, we do have the time; we just don’t manage it well. Creating “to-do lists,” lead to failure. Don’t get me wrong, the list is a great idea; the individual managing it is why it fails. We like checking things off a list; we gain a sense of accomplishment even though the tasks are meaningless. By addressing the biggest priorities and eliminate the insignificant items we will gain valuable time which would have been wasted otherwise. The next constraint is the lack of quiet time. Working in an environment with a lot of noise can be very distracting and cause your efficiency to decline. Remove all interruptions or do what it takes to avoid them. You may need to restructure your office so it is harder for someone to make eye contact with you. I have found it easier to close the door or not look up when someone is being distracting outside my office in order to avoid okaying invite. The next constraint is procrastination. Here is something we are all really good at! Maybe it stems from college, having to and pull all-nighters because we mismanaged our time and didn’t have our priorities straight. Start early and have a plan in place. The last constraint is disorderly workspace. Take the time to organize your desk and plan out your activities. The less clutter the better!
CRUX: Remember, we have all the time that exists; it is up to you to control the clock and avoid the time constraints.
“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” – Albert Einstein
