It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
I'm introducing you to 4 simple tools that are a part of the Paterson LifePlan Process. To learn more, CLICK HERE.
The first tool was called "4 Helpful Lists".
Today, I want to talk about doing a TIME AUDIT.
Here's the premise:
We all have goals, ideas, dreams and things that we want to achieve and accomplish. The problem is, we aren't able to achieve these things because we think we can just add them to our already busy and overloaded schedule.
In the LifePlan Process, one of the most impactful tools we do is called the "LifePlan Time Assessment". I'm not going to walk you through the actual tool we use with the Paterson LifePlan because it integrates into the other work that is a part of the full process, but I want to give you some tools so you can do this for yourself.
When we define goals and priorities that help us get where we want to be, but we don't make time in our schedule to execute, or adjust our schedule to allow us to do these things, we fail!
Here are some tools:
* A short article from Forbes: HERE
* Here's a free sample tool from the University of Minnesota-Duluth: HERE
* Here are the steps I would recommend:
1) Take 2 weeks and write down what you do every hour of every day.
Some rules... don't manipulate it to look good. Be real or it will do no good.
Example: Don't choose these 2 weeks to begin your 3-hour a day exercise routine.
You don't have to write down detail, but generally what you did each hour.
Example of a work hour: I did e-mail, calls and worked on a project.
Example of a home hour: I did some projects around the house and played with my kids.
You want to be able to look at a 2-week block that is a fairly normal block, and see where you're allocating your time. Be sure to include sleep, eating, commuting, meetings, etc... 2 full weeks.
2) Look at the 2 weeks, and look for things that jump out at you.
Are there areas that surprise you? Add up the hours and make a list of how much time you spend doing certain things.
Example: I watch 2 hours of the news every day.
Example: I spend 4 hours a week doing chores around my house.
3) List some goals, ideas, dreams, plans of things you want to integrate into your schedule, and put a time amount next to them.
What do you need to change in order to bring these things into your schedule? What priorities can you identify that should get your attention?
4) Go 2 more weeks with a "Prioritized Time Schedule", implementing the things you have chosen to allow into your schedule.
Go another 2 weeks, tracking your time, but this time adjusting your schedule based on your priorities, goals and adjustments.
Here are some realities:
- We don't all have 100% control of our time and schedule. We have to allow others to speak into our lives. The challenge here is to be able to identify the things you'll let in your schedule without compromising the most important goals and projects you have.
- This process takes time to work. You'll learn some things the first time you do it, but it takes discipline to identify things and follow-through with the changes. Don't quit after the first time. Keep working on it.
- I would encourage you to do this twice a year. You'll find that things creep into your life and you don't even realize it. This is a way to catch some of those things.
Here's a personal example of mine: I want to get up early in the morning. I have a morning routine that I really enjoy, but often I stay up too late watching meaningless TV. This is a clear "discipline" issue for me. If I go to bed earlier, I get the sleep I need, I then am ready to get up to experience something that is important to me. However, the temptation to watch The Bourne Identity for the 100th time often keeps me up later than I'd like!
Try this and let me know how it goes.
Share some things you learned in the process.
"Time isn't the main thing. It's the only thing." Miles Davis
"Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things." Peter Drucker
"Time Management is really a misnomer - the challenge is not to manage time, but manage ourselves. The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." Stephen Covey
