How do you know what's the best use of your time right now?
Link your daily behavior to your purpose.
You'll make better choices and see the value in seemingly insignificant or trivial tasks. It keeps you focused on doing what needs to be done to get what you say you want.
It's one thing to say what you want, to choose projects that will get you what you want, and set goals that will achieve those projects. But, you still have to do the work. You still have to pay the price by just doing it.
Linking your purpose to your daily behaviors underlines the responsibility and the discipline you need to complete your projects.
Having an overall objective and doing what needs to be done gets priority. You can make your choices about what you are doing consciously, knowing that every little bit helps.
For example, one of your projects in support of your purpose of a successful one-person business may be getting a web site to promote your business.
Choosing to bring your lunch rather than spending eight dollars at the caf? every day is obviously the right choice. By doing the math, you quickly see you'll save about $150 a month on lunch. Putting that money aside will get you your new web site that much faster.
It's the little things done consistently and persistently that make the huge difference in achieving our projects, whatever our projects are.
Even with marketing and sales. New behavioral research has shown smaller tasks done more often are more effective in reaching your goals than larger projects done less frequently. Even if a larger project puts you in front of more people, it still isn't as effective as more frequent, smaller contacts.
Build in momentum sustainers. If you're like most people you start out a new project enthusiastically, and then lose track of it in the bustle of all your other obligations.
By building in appointments with people to check in with, and appointments with yourself for review, you force yourself to be accountable. You might want to set up weekly goals for yourself, or make an agreement to accomplish specific tasks by your next check in date.
Additional techniques for linking daily behaviors and long-term projects include:
(c) 2004, Pat Wilklund. All rights in all media reserved.
About The Author
Business coach Pat Wiklund works with entrepreneurs who want to make and keep more money from their businesses. Assess your one-person business with her free business tune up ecourse: pat3-32222@autocontractor.com.
Contact Pat at pat3-32222@autocontractor.com.
limousine Ackley .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareIt's always a challenge finding time to clean my house.... Read More
One of the most common complaints that small business owners... Read More
Yesterday, I'd just gotten comfortable at my favorite table in... Read More
Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More
So What Then Is The Opposite Of Procrastination? Urgency is... Read More
When I sit down with a client to work on... Read More
PROCRASTINATION: You've known about it since high school or college,... Read More
Still awaiting the birth of my baby (I am overdue),... Read More
Our daily lives are inundated with a crammed to-do list.... Read More
It is common knowledge that creating and living according to... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
"TIME CANNOT BE 'MANAGED.' THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF TIME MANAGEMENT... Read More
Let's say that you have a software project that's under... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
Are you a worrier? Do you frequently spend time and... Read More
We all face decisions that involve doing things that affect... Read More
Time management is absolute crucial nowadays where business decisions have... Read More
There are the golden rules that apply to time. If... Read More
Many of us spend long hours at our desk. To... Read More
Whenever I've worked on 'de-cluttering' my living or working space,... Read More
Many of the clients I work with in success coaching... Read More
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow... Read More
One of the most challenging aspect in life is time... Read More
"Time management" is a myth. Time ticks by, whether you... Read More
Balancing Your Work, Family and Social Life... Read More
shuttle from O'Hare Alexander ..Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More
Number Yourself: Count yourself as an important individual. You are... Read More
OK...let's assume that you're truly motivated to change. Great. But... Read More
There are two types of time killers in everyone's life.... Read More
"If you control your time, you control your life" -... Read More
If you can motivate yourself at will to get any... Read More
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times.... Read More
If you have ever missed an appointment, forgotten to pick... Read More
And when you finally sat down to eat breakfast, was... Read More
What are the most important things you should accomplish today?... Read More
As a professional organizer, consultant and trainer, I have come... Read More
Once you have completed your day you can boost your... Read More
If you work from home, you know the kind of... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
We are constantly inundated with routine (often boring!) tasks around... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
Handle small emergencies fast: When a small emergency does pop... Read More
All requests are not equal; all customers or clients are... Read More
Too much to do, too little time, constant stress. Most... Read More
A working manager needs more than time management.That old saying,... Read More
Do your dishes really need to be dried, or could... Read More
We all face decisions that involve doing things that affect... Read More
Time is wealth;Time is health; Time is power; Time is... Read More
We don't realize many things we do until we draw... Read More
Time Management |