| Learning to successfully plan your time and follow the | | | | commitment or because they are part of your goals, |
| plan is the most important key to structuring our lfie. | | | | priorities or value system. |
| But many people resist the idea of tracking their time. | | | | B - For items that you hope to get done if you can |
| Maybe it seems like just "another thing to do" in an | | | | complete all of the A-Priority tasks. |
| already harried schedule. I urge people who feel this | | | | C- For items that need to be done at some point. |
| way to try this system for one month. I tell them that if | | | | Many people find that when starting to prioritize, they |
| it doesn't work, pitch it. Most people I have worked with | | | | have mostly A's and few B or C items. Since many of |
| are willing to make the one-month commitment, and | | | | us don't practice regular planning, this is quite common. |
| over 90 percent continue to use the system. | | | | After a few weeks of planning and maximizing your |
| Let's get started with your own system to take control | | | | time, you should begin to see a better balance of A, B, |
| of your life and your time. As you glance through this | | | | and C items. |
| section, you might be tempted to skip a step or two. I | | | | Once each item is prioritized, compare your list to your |
| caution you that this is like a recipe. Skipping one step | | | | balance wheel. Are you heading in the direction you |
| is the equivalent of leaving out an ingredient. For | | | | want your life to take? Many people find that just |
| maximum success use all the ingredients. | | | | recording these items on paper leads toward a more |
| Step One: Take stock of how you currently use your | | | | balanced wheel. If it doesn't for you, look over the list |
| time. Perhaps the most tedious of all the steps is to | | | | again. Is there anything else you could change or do to |
| figure out exactly where your time is currently going. | | | | take you one step closer to your balanced goal? |
| The balance wheel provided an overview of where | | | | Step Five: Create a monthly plan. A monthly plan is |
| you are. If possible, try to get even more specific. | | | | similar to a balance wheel in that it serves as an |
| Many time management experts suggest carrying a | | | | overview for where you are. Sketch in responsibilities |
| planner and writing down everything you do for a | | | | and appointments on a monthly calendar. |
| week in fifteen-minute increments. I personally wouldn't | | | | As you write each item on your calendar, ask |
| recommend it because I could never find the time to | | | | yourself-Does this coincide with the plan I have for my |
| do it, and each time I tried, I lasted about an hour. What | | | | life? If not, why am I doing it? Sometimes these are |
| worked for me was to divide a piece of paper into the | | | | items that we must do, but other times they might be |
| following increments: Before Work, Morning at Work, | | | | things we do out of habit. For example, one woman, |
| Lunch Hour, Afternoon at Work, Evening with | | | | Cindy, reported that she cleaned her house thoroughly |
| Samantha, After Samantha goes to Bed. In each | | | | every Sunday and wished she could hire a maid. With |
| square I wrote a few brief notes as to how I spent | | | | her high devotion to cleaning, I asked her if this was a |
| this time. I was able to maintain this method for the full | | | | priority in her life. She replied that it wasn't. |
| week to get an accurate inventory of how I spent my | | | | After a few moments she said that her mother had |
| time. Whatever method works for you is great just try | | | | always kept a very tidy house, and she felt that was |
| to gather some sort of weekly summary. | | | | part of her "expectations." Cindy switched from a |
| Step Two: Evaluate your week, simplify expectations | | | | thorough cleaning once a week to a monthly thorough |
| and identify common time wasters. Recording a | | | | cleaning and touch-ups on weekends. This created |
| week's worth of activity can be an eye opener for | | | | close to fourteen extra hours for her each month. |
| many. In the hustle and bustle of life we often overlook | | | | Step Six: Create a weekly plan. The weekly plan |
| how much time slips away that could be better utilized. | | | | sheet will serve as your primary tool for life |
| As you look at your week, ask yourself the following: | | | | management. I find that filling out a weekly plan sheet |
| How much time is spent spinning your wheels? Could | | | | each Sunday afternoon or evening makes my weeks |
| positive planning help free up this time? | | | | much more effective and helps to maximize each day. |
| How many times do you make the same trip twice? | | | | Here's how it works: Each Sunday look at your |
| (i.e. running errands in the same area of town, going to | | | | responsibility list and your monthly calendar. Jot down |
| the store more than once.) How much time could | | | | any appointments or commitments on your weekly |
| positive planning free up if these trips were | | | | planner. Next, look at the time you have left and get |
| consolidated? | | | | out your balance wheel. Look at the ideal wheel you |
| How much time is spent doing extra-commitments? | | | | made earlier. Glance at your goals. Fill in the remaining |
| (Helping church, school, friends or organizations.) If you | | | | spaces with those items. Your schedule might be so |
| budgeted a comfortable amount of time each week to | | | | hectic that you only see a few 30-minute increments |
| others, but made a promise not to exceed it, would | | | | over the course of the week. Don't let them slip away! |
| that help balance your life? | | | | Step Seven: Create a daily plan each night. Each night |
| Do you really have to do everything? What on your list | | | | before retiring, jot down a plan for the following day. I |
| could be delegated or become a shared responsibility? | | | | find that using the same increment schedule I |
| Are there any items kids could help with? Could you | | | | mentioned for tracking time works best for me. I simply |
| pay a baby sitter a little extra to help clean or grocery | | | | divide a piece of paper into morning responsibilities, |
| shop? Could you start a car pool with other single | | | | afternoon responsibilities and evening responsibilities. |
| parents to eliminate the constant demand of driving? | | | | Others report great success with a system |
| Do you have to do everything so often? If you are | | | | documented by hours. Find a method that works for |
| cleaning your home once a week, top to bottom, could | | | | you and you'll see how the daily plan accomplishes |
| that be done once a month and spot cleaning be done | | | | several vital functions: |
| weekly? If your time is being devoured by items that | | | | 1. You don't have to "store" everything in your mind. |
| are low or nonexistent on your balance wheel, | | | | You can jot it down, plan it and then let it go. This helps |
| consider deleting or simplifying those tasks. Could you | | | | to alleviate stress. |
| go to the grocery store monthly for the bulk of your | | | | 2. You can eliminate spinning your wheels and |
| food and just drop in weekly for perishables? If | | | | wondering what to do next since you simply follow the |
| financial considerations prevent monthly trips to the | | | | plan. |
| grocery store, consider making this a goal to work | | | | 3. It offers a sense of accomplishment as you mark |
| toward. | | | | off each item you have accomplished. |
| What areas are simply getting too much time? Are the | | | | Note: On your daily list you may want to name your |
| mornings devoted to too much dawdling and not | | | | top three priorities for the day. These tasks should |
| enough doing? Are phone calls taking away from | | | | contain three things that no matter what would allow |
| work time or family time? | | | | you to feel good about your day if you accomplished |
| What about you? Often the first thing to be eliminated | | | | them. |
| from a schedule is time for one's self. How much time | | | | Step Eight: Utilize to-do lists. To-do lists offer a great |
| did you devote to yourself last week - without | | | | release. I keep a spiral notebook in my purse at all |
| children? Did you take a walk alone? Relax for a while | | | | times. I use this to jot down anything I think of that I |
| in peace and quiet? If you know that you aren't making | | | | need to do. At one point, I tried to have just a master |
| time for adequate rejuvenation, sleep, exercise, diet or | | | | list at home, but soon noticed that I never thought of |
| other self-maintenance, make this a starred priority. | | | | anything that needed to be done until I was stuck in |
| You need energy and self-care in order to nurture | | | | traffic, playing at the park or at some other location |
| your children. Try and block out at least two hours a | | | | equally far from my pen and paper. |
| week for time that is completely devoted to you. The | | | | By jotting down these items as they occur to you, a |
| energy that you collect from two hours of focused | | | | person doesn't have to continually focus on them, be |
| time will easily recover those hours and more. | | | | preoccupied or try to remember them. |
| Step Three: Make an inventory of responsibilities and | | | | Step Nine: Organize a time-management center. You |
| goals. As you went through Step Two, you most likely | | | | will need to have a time-management center to keep |
| pinpointed where your time is escaping and remedies | | | | track of your progress and schedules. If you don't |
| for correcting it. You also probably figured out what | | | | have a spare drawer, pick up an accordion file at your |
| tasks need to be done and what is done more out of | | | | local office supply store. Stock your file with the |
| habit than need. Step Three involves listing out all your | | | | following:o Scratch paper or to-do list papero A |
| responsibilities and goals. Once we have them all on | | | | monthly calendaro Pencils/penso Weekly and daily |
| the table, we can begin to insert them into your life | | | | calendars (Check into the many planners available |
| management system. | | | | today. There are several that can be customized to fit |
| On a fresh sheet of notepaper list all the responsibilities | | | | your needs. Or, if you have a computer, make your |
| you can think of. You may want to divide these into | | | | own forms, hole-punch them, and insert these papers |
| three columns - personal, family and work. The weekly | | | | into a three-ring binder. This allows you to customize |
| inventory from Step One offers a good starting point | | | | your entire organizer.)o A section to hold bills (folders |
| of responsibilities. Keep this list handy, since more | | | | that are three-hole-punched are excellent if you are |
| responsibilities may occur to you throughout the | | | | using a three-ring binder)o A section to hold important |
| upcoming days. | | | | paperso A section for receipts and other important |
| Here are some responsibilities that may be on your list: | | | | itemso Stamps and different sized envelopeso Note |
| Carpool Vacuuming | | | | cardso Frequently dialed numbers, doctor, etc.o A list |
| Education Yard Work | | | | of immunizations for children or other important medical |
| Volunteer Work Finances | | | | records |
| Cooking Exercise | | | | Step Ten: Evaluate your progress weekly or monthly. |
| Pet Care Work | | | | Sit down with your balance wheel, goals and |
| Grocery Shopping Helping at School | | | | schedules on a regular basis. Make a new balance |
| Sweeping & Mopping Laundry | | | | wheel based on what you have done over the last |
| Church/Temple (or Synagogue) | | | | month or week. Are you getting closer to your goals? |
| Step Four: Prioritize with the A, B, C method. People | | | | If so, continue on the same track. If not, double back |
| have a tendency to create to-do lists and give each | | | | and look for steps you may have skipped in the |
| task equal billing. Most of the time, not everything | | | | process. |
| needs to be done immediately. Listing everything | | | | The Change Your Life Challenge |
| together can create a false sense of urgency and | | | | Take control of your home, finances, relationships, |
| unneeded stress. Try identifying each item with a | | | | clutter, time-managmenet and more with this 70 Day |
| priority tag as shown here. | | | | Program. Sign up for the free Challenge Weekly |
| A - For items that must be done out of prior | | | | Newsletter and the motivational daily Good Morning. |