There are two ways to start your day. The first is to dive in; tackling whatever is in front of you. You might check your emails. This is an interesting beginning as it is always possible something fun and new came in since you last looked.
Next thing you know you are deeply involved, answering all your mail. Some messages require thought; others require action, either research, interaction with others, or decision making. It is natural to attempt to take care of these mails, as they are right in front of you. You feel hungry, look up and it is mid morning. You have just spent a quarter of your day dealing with emails!
Another scenario is firefighting. Firefighting is the act of facing and finding quick fix solutions for all the emergency situations that seem to be coming at you from unknown sources. These urgent problems can also eat up an alarming amount of your work day.
Let's look at an alternative method of beginning your day. First, remember that this day is a gift. You have the choice what to do with it. Why not choose to do the important -but-not urgent tasks first? These are the tasks that will advance your life goals, and ensure success for you as you have defined it. If you do not prioritize and do these tasks first, you will almost certainly fail to do them.
Here is how.
1. Define where you want to be in 3-5 years. Now list the steps it will take to get you there. Break these steps down into yearly goals, then monthly and finally weekly. Take the time to plan your life!
2. At the beginning of your day, pull out your weekly goals. What will you do today to advance your weekly goal? List this (these) tasks.
3. Scan your emails - don't read them! You will get bogged down! Also, scan your phone messages, faxes inbox and anywhere else you receive communication. The goal is to get an idea of what new items will require your attention today.
You have spent 30-45 minutes of your day. You have gathered up the information required to plan your day, you know what you have to do, and are already planning it in your mind. You don't have to worry about forgetting something important.
4. On a clean sheet of paper, or index cards, prioritize 10 -15 things you intend to accomplish before the end of the day. Be realistic. You will not be able to do much more than this. From the 10-15 highlight 4 or 5 items that are important-but-not urgent and critical to your long term goals. Prioritize these items first, and then follow with the remaining items in some sort of order. Put an estimated time to complete each item beside it. At the end of the day, your review of what got done and the actual time it took will be a great education and experience for future planning. With practice, this skill will serve you well.
5. Now do one of your highlighted tasks, preferably one you enjoy.
You have now spent approximately 90 minutes of your day. You have achieved a step towards your 3-5 year plan. (Imagine what a constant daily step towards your goal will produce!) You know how your day will play out (for the most part), and you are comfortable knowing you have not missed anything of importance.
If you begin to do the important-but-not urgent items on a daily basis, you will find less urgent items surprising you. The feeling and knowledge of achievement will be encouragement for you to continue to strengthen your skills in this area.
There you have two ways to begin your day. Your choice!
Your Coach and online friend,
Miami Phillips
Helping others find their path - and stay on it.
www.creativemasterminds.com
Quotation of the Week
Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk.
J. C. Penney
About The Author
Miami Phillips is an ANSIR Certified Personal Coach and the founder of Creative MasterMinds who believes personal growth is an essential ingredient to being happy and contributing to this world. While his main focus is affordable personal and business coaching, he also offers motivational teleclasses, ebooks, reading recommendations and much more. To find out more visit his site at www.creativemasterminds.com or send him an email at www.creativemasterminds.com
efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..Time, time, time. It seems there is never enough of... Read More
I'm sure we've all had the experience of having a... Read More
Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
Here's some time management tips to try:1) Set strict office... Read More
Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More
I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More
It's 6:00 a.m. I'm awake. I'm pumped! I'm ready to... Read More
If you feel like your life moves faster than a... Read More
Many of you have expressed the challenge of not having... Read More
1. Do tasks less frequentlyClean house every 10 days rather... Read More
Despite the best of intentions, most of us don't use... Read More
Most of us know how to manage our time. It... Read More
Time is money in your online business, just as in... Read More
Whatever providence has in store for us tomorrow is not... Read More
You can use the Power of 90 Seconds to transform... Read More
Recently I saw an advertisement for a time management booklet:... Read More
Time and money are both very important in business. Yet,... Read More
One of the most challenging situations people face when planning... Read More
Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More
Would you describe yourself as extremely busy? Do you often... Read More
The techies could do a lot more to make our... Read More
Many folks tell me that they just don't have time... Read More
I give presentations on organizational skill building as it relates... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
Many of the clients I work with in success coaching... Read More
cleaning lady near Wilmette ..There are two types of time killers in everyone's life.... Read More
Work more efficiently and be more productive using these time-management... Read More
My job in Chicago began with three months of probation.I... Read More
In this digital age, the importance of being able to... Read More
OK...let's assume that you're truly motivated to change. Great. But... Read More
The Internet is increasingly becoming a major time killer for... Read More
Having a home based business can be overwhelming. When you... Read More
Handle small emergencies fast: When a small emergency does pop... Read More
All too often we can feel overwhelmed by the amount... Read More
I'm sure we've all had the experience of having a... Read More
Does choosing which time we do an activity really make... Read More
I give presentations on organizational skill building as it relates... Read More
Want to improve your time management?Edward W. Smith, motivational speaker,... Read More
Would you describe yourself as extremely busy? Do you often... Read More
The techies could do a lot more to make our... Read More
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More
A working manager needs more than time management.That old saying,... Read More
Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes... Read More
TIME MANAGEMENTWith the creation of the universe, God gave humankind... Read More
An expert in time management was speaking to a group... Read More
Many folks tell me that they just don't have time... Read More
From Potential to PerformanceOne of the great things about life... Read More
A simple kitchen gadget is transforming my life. I don't... Read More
Time Management |