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About five years ago, a business associate advised me – with my
best interests at heart of course – that as far as time management
– I was “all over the place”.
I look back and I know that she was right.
I was the sort of person who drove down the highway putting on
my makeup as I went, trying to balance a cup of coffee and a plate
of toast in the car on the way to a nine o’clock appointment.
So, what changed?
Well, as with all forms of change, they can only occur when the
person who needs changing decides the time is right. And,
after countless times of being late for appointments, taking too
long to complete work, and generally putting myself “under the
pump” I decided I had to take control of my time and my life.
Probably the most important change was getting myself to
appointments on time, and I realised that getting organised the
night before was imperative. Laying out my clothes, putting
everything I needed in one place so that I could just get up the
next morning and walk out the door soon became a habit, with the
result that I felt better, got to my appointments on time, and
achieved goals I never thought possible.
The other major improvement has been prioritizing tasks. I
cannot stress enough how much this has helped me to remain in
control of my time and my life. For example, when I
occasionally catch myself reliving old habits, such as lingering
over unproductive emails, taking an impromptu detour into a
shopping centre, or getting the urge to indulge in a quick chai
latte, I know I’ve momentarily fallen “off the wagon” again.
Yep, time management has never been my forte, and I’m realistic
enough to admit it. But I am getting better. I have
read Barbara Gabogrecan’s e-book on time management with great
interest, and realise there are several things I still have to
master. For instance, I could turn off my email and decide to
answer it twice a day. This is such a time-waster. I
get so many emails and my natural curiosity and enquiring mind find
it difficult to just let an email go unread. Then there’s the
telephone. It rings and I see that it’s my very good friend
from Sydney, calling during the day because she is enjoying the
fruits of retirement. It’s hard to resist picking up,
especially since I know that at night time I will probably be too
tired to return the call.
Recently I spoke to a businesswoman who admits that she rarely
contacts her close friends, and is lucky if she sees them once or
twice a year. Can it be that she doesn’t need people?
No, she is simply focused on her business at the moment and has
decided that a quick telephone call every so often is enough to
maintain her friendships.
This is the key, of course, but it takes considerable
fortitude. Think big picture. Know what works for you and
what doesn’t. Plant the seed. Take control. Be
aware. Understand. Learn, and concentrate on growing
your business. Back
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