PRIORITIZING YOUR TIME
As an entrepreneur( Life Coach) and an actress, I've learned all about prioritizing and balancing one's time. It takes discipline and practice, but it can be done. Artists and entrepreneurs don't have a job with regular, steady hours to structure their day. We create our own schedules, and if we want our buisness to be successful, prioritizing our goals and daily tasks is an absolute must. Without excellent organization and motivation skills, our work will not get done, and our dreams will remain simply dreams, rather than our reality. Don't let your vision fade due to a lack of commitment.
Here are a few tips to assist you:
1) FOCUS ON ONE THING AT A TIME
Whether you are talking or listening to someone, doing work or an activity, focus on what you are doing. This sounds simple, but how often are we multitasking or thinking of the future when we are doing something. Focus on what or who is right in front of you. Be PRESENT. Alfred Peredo said, "80% of what you do gives you 20% of your results. 20% of what you do will give you 80% of your results." This means, choose what you do and who you spend your time with wisely. We spend so much time doing busy work or procrastinating, and we waste a lot of precious time. How will you spend your time?
2) WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS
AND VISION.
What are they? What does your ideal day look like? Plan for the next day the night before. This is very important. On three by five cards write down each night in order of priority what you are going to do the next day. Put them in order from top to bottom of the most important task you will do first. Write down one action per card. Look back at your cards. Is the most important card really your 20% ? Make sure you aren't simply writing down busy work and little tasks. What are the tasks that are really going to make a big difference towards moving you foward towards your vision and goals?
3) GET ONE CALENDAR.
It doesn't matter what kind of calendar you have but have a calendar and use one. Bring it with you. Refresh your calendar. Put your goals and tasks in there at certain times of the day and keep those appointments.
4) USE A TIMER.
If you are working on a project for work or cleaning out your apartment, don't overwhelm yourself by saying you'll do it all in one day. Set tasks to do for 30 to 60 minute increments. Set the timer and do the taks for that set amount of time, then stop and take a short break. Eat lunch, walk around, stretch, etc. Email is a time and energy waster. In Timothy Ferris's book The 4-Hour Work Week, he advises checking email twice per day, once at 12:00 noon or just prior to lunch, and again at 4:00pm. Those are the times that ensure you will have the most responses from previously sent email. Never check email first thing in the morning. Instead, complete your most important task before 11:00a.m to avoid using lunch or reading e-mail as a postponement excuse. (This habit alone can change your life. It seems small but has an enormous effect)
5) BOUNDARIES
Learn to say no. Don't let others steal your time. Say no in a nice way.
You are not saying no to the person, you are saying no to what they are asking of you.
How committed are you to reaching your dreams and achieving your goals this spring?
To receive a FREE 20 minute introductory coaching phone session
contact me at 212-946-5465 or
email Joanna@LiveFullyCoaching.com
Coaching is done via phone or in person. 4 fifty minute sessions per month.
