Time is the most precious commodity that most of us have. It’s not something that we can ever get back and the way we use it has a huge impact on how we progress and whether we are able to achieve our goals. And yet, many of us don’t use time as productively as we perhaps could.
Often this is simply the result of a lack of awareness that time is being wasted. If you have goals that you want to reach, or you’re keen for lifestyle change, it’s worth dedicating some effort to working out whether you’re investing or spending the time you have available.
Investing vs. spending
Investing time is as simple as dedicating it to the activities that will move you further towards your goals. It’s a positive way to use your time that will help to achieve results. Spending time, on the other hand, is using it for activities that aren’t part of a plan – this is often the bad daily habits we all get into that don’t really produce positive results and progress.
If you don’t feel like you currently have the time to make your goals happen, all that may be required is an adjustment in the way that you use the hours you have available.
Finding the time
Many of us don’t have enough time available simply because we waste it. So, the first step is always to establish exactly how you use your time. The easiest way to begin to analyse this is to keep a record of how you spend your day. Create a timetable that you can fill in as the day progresses.
Note down every activity, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem to you, whether that’s a coffee with a friend, a meeting or time spent at your desk. Complete the timetable for at least a week so that you have a good idea of how you spend each day.
Asking the key questions
When you’ve created your timetable sit down and analyse the results to see where you might be wasting time that could be productively used. This involves looking at each activity and asking these key questions:
Was this activity necessary?
Did it contribute to business goals or growth? If so then this is an investing activity.
Could someone else have done the task or activity instead of you?
Often an inability to delegate is the root cause of not having enough time. If you’re micromanaging other people then learning how to delegate tasks could free up more space in your day.
Was it necessary to do the task at that exact moment in time?
Some activities can be deferred – the key here is to analyse whether you’re prioritising the right tasks at the right time.
Did you need to do this activity at all?
If the answer is no then this is spent time that you’re simply wasting.
You don’t necessarily need more hours in the day to achieve your goals – just a better understanding of how you use those that you currently have and where change could be constructive.
For more tips to improve your business efficiency, get in touch with Brian Doubleday today.
