Time Management Tips For A Lifetime
Time is valuable. In fact, I think one could make an argument that time is the only thing that’s truly valuable. After all, it’s a prerequisite for everything else you do, want or experience. You can run out of money and coast for a while. If you run out of time, that’s it. Adios amigo.
- Carson Brackney
The above quote comes from a blog post I read recently, in which the author got a little frustrated with a fellow hardware store customer who told the clerk he didn’t need any help. He was just ‘killing time’. As Carson put it:
Killing time? You might as well be killing yourself. And rubbing it in the faces of all of us who’d like a little more life.
This got me thinking about just how important it is to use our time wisely and creatively not just during our work day but every second of our (limited) lifetime.
I know very few writers who don’t crave more time to write on a daily basis, yet most writers tend to think about their writing as being their ‘life’s work’ (meaning, I assume, their whole life). So today’s tips are not day-to-day time management tips about multi taking or working efficiently. They’re about looking at the bigger picture when it comes to time management.
Manage your energy not your time.
Often when we struggle with time management, especially due to procrastination or lack of motivation, it’s not our time but our energy that we are mismanaging. The book, The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal says this better (and in considerably more detail) than I could. I highly recommend that you read it.
Recognize that there is a season for everything.
This may be your season for building your blog content, creating a following, writing your book or touring the world as a successful author. Be inspired, not envious of or intimidated by, those who are enjoying a different, more advanced, season than you are. They’ve already been where you are. They’ve already done what you’re doing. Learn from them. Get inspiration and motivation from them. Then get back to your own (seasonal) tasks.
Don’t prioritize what’s on your schedule. Schedule your priorities.
Ask a dedicated workaholic what his top priority is and chances are he won’t actually say work. He may well say ‘family’ or ‘health’. Then ask him when was the last time he scheduled a family vacation (or a health check). Chances are it’s something he plans to do once work isn’t taking up quite so much time. It’s your time. Schedule it according to your priorities. Failing to schedule your priorities into your life can be soul destroying.
Don’t finish just because you started.
Andre Kukla, in his excellent and very readable book, Mental Traps points out that persistence is one of the worst vices-dressed-up-as-virtues any time crunched person can succumb to. We have an overwhelming desire to finish what we started, even if we’ve completely lost interest in it, using valuable time and energy we could be putting into projects we’re passionate about.
Persistence should not be confused with perseverance, the quality that enables us to complete projects we are passionate about, in spite of the difficulties that may arise. Persistence is more akin to the emotion that makes us watch a bad movie through to the end, stay in a loveless marriage or continue on an unsatisfactory career path. It’s the “I made a commitment and I’m sticking with it’, or ‘ I made my bed so I’ll lie in it’ mentality. NO. Re-make the bed, re-commit to something else. Finish because you really want to, not because you started. File your unfinished projects under ‘learning experiences’ and move on.
Someone very wise once told me that it’s human nature to overestimate what we can achieve in a day and underestimate what we can achieve in a lifetime. Maybe we should all stop micro managing our days and start macro managing our lives.
What do you think?
Twitter: Purplesong
says:
Great advice! Tip about Not finishing what we started is a little harder for me to digest,though!
Twitter: writeandchange
says:
I know exactly what you mean Vanessa. It goes against everything we’ve been taught and basic human nature! It helps to think of it in terms of a bad relationship or crummy job. If starting it was a mistake, sticking with it can only be a bigger mistake, and even some writing projects can be like that!
Karen, I have to say that this post is absolutely the best thing I have read all day. I strive to learn new thing on a daily basis and I think you have just given that to me for today. Don’t worry though because I will not stop there.
What I am going to do though is leave this page up for a while and come back to read this again in another ten minutes or so. Thanks so much for this wonderful message!
Cheryl James´s last post ..Jeremiah Carstarphen
Twitter: writeandchange
says:
And thank you so much Cheryl for your wonderful comment! So glad to hear the message in this post has had a positive impact. That’s what changing the world with words is all about!
Twitter: valwilcox
says:
Oh Karen,
I love these tips! A couple really stand out for me:
Schedule your priorities and don’t finish just because you started. I really needed to hear those today. Thanks!
One notice about the comment you left on mine about common thoughts – did you know we are using the same WP Theme? Like minds…
Have an awesome day and thanks again for these great tips.
Val
Val Wilcox´s last post ..When the Why is Big Enough…
Twitter: writeandchange
says:
Val – I did notice the common theme, although yours is more ‘dressed up’ than mine! (As I seem to be saying a lot lately, ‘I’m a writer, not a techie’ -I’ll get there eventually).
Thanks for stopping by. Always good to see you here!
Wow!! You’ve hit on some great spiritual points! I especially like you mentioning that there is a season for EVERYTHING (say it again girl)!!! We want to look at others success and say “I wish…” yet, you have no idea the work & time they invested to get there. Instead of wishing, first appreciate where you are and thank God that you’re going in a positive direction (if you’re taking action towards it
.
Love it!
Charlene Hall´s last post ..Your Daily Inspiration
Twitter: writeandchange
says:
Thanks Charlene – I will say it again (in fact I can’t say it enough!). A season for everything. Appreciate where you are. Work towards where you want to be. Enjoy every season!
Hey Karen,
This is another great post and a great topic. Time is our most valuable asset. I recently had to eliminate a lot of tasks that were taking up time but not really relative to my primary goal.
J
Make Money Fast
Carstarphen´s last post ..1-000 in 1 Day
Karen, thanks for the post.
This is a wonderful piece, especially the sections on scheduling you appointments and finishing things simply cause we started them. Definitely needed to hear that.
Ryan Shaffer´s last post ..Six Figure Marketing Tips
Great post. I never thought that energy was so central in completing projects. Many a time, I’d be in a middle of a project just to lose interest in it, not because of the project itself, but due to just plain tiredness and lack of focus. I do notice that if I set the project aside for a nap, I return to it more invigorated. Thank you for highlighting the importance of energy which correlates to diet, sleep, exercise or maybe varying your day a bit.