Managing Your Time in a Chaotic Atmosphere
The trick is to realize we cannot "manage" time; we can only manage ourselves.
By Cyndy Ratcliffe
The demands on our time are extensive. Things can easily go from controlled to chaotic, but when chaos is the general order of the day, week, or month, we lose touch with our top priorities and ourselves.
The trick is to realize we cannot "manage" time; we can only manage ourselves. Everyone is given the same number of hours in each day. Why are some individuals more successful in managing their time than others?
One answer is setting up boundaries. The dictionary defines boundary as "anything marking a limit." Establishing Sundays strictly as family time or Mondays as an administration day is creating a boundary.
To establish boundaries it is important that you carry a calendar that lists time in 15- to 30-minute increments along the side of each day. Using a highlighter, block out your boundaries now before requests start coming in for that time. If Mondays are your administration day, block out (highlight) those Mondays as your reminder that you cannot take additional requests that day. Establish routine appointment times and designate them on your calendar, simply by highlighting or literally drawing a block around the time.
Establish boundaries in appointment settings. Instead of asking people what day they want to meet, state "I have Wednesday or Friday night open." Remember that you are managing yourself, staying within your boundaries. Certainly there are times when being flexible is required, but keep those to a limit.
If you are in business, at this point you are probably thinking, "That’s great, but what about my clients, meeting my goals and making my sales?" As you take on each new client explain what your typical schedule looks like. You upset customers only if they are surprised by something they did not already know about your schedule. You will be delighted to find that most customers have a great respect for the fact that you make time for family and yourself. If you are still not convinced, consider the fact that you are a more patient and calm individual because you have established boundaries in your life. This benefits not only you but your business relationships and family as well!
With technology as it is today we are very tempted to respond immediately to requests through our phones, pagers, faxes and e-mail. We have developed habits of instantly responding, which certainly can blow down the walls of a boundary. Because of this, it is important to take time each day that is uninterrupted. Uninterrupted time means just that: for example, take one hour each day where you are not responding to your answering machine, your cell phone, e-mail or office phone. This is the time you will use for completing the projects that have the most impact on your priorities. Remember the 80-20 rule and use this time for the 20 percent of your work that will impact 80 percent of your business.
Many individuals change their voice mail message each morning to keep their customers aware of their schedules. A message might sound like this "Today is Sunday, February 4th, my family day. Please leave a message and I will return your call Monday morning" or on a work day it might be "Today is Friday, May 27th. I am in meetings this morning and in my office after 12:30 this afternoon. Please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as possible." This keeps your callers secure in the fact that you are actively working that day and that they are likely to hear back from you.
So remember things can easily go from being in control to chaotic. But now with your focus on establishing boundaries you have better control of what happens in your schedule. By informing others as to your typical schedule and creating some uninterrupted time, you are off to a great start in achieving a calmer more organized environment!
Learn more about Cyndy Ratcliffe at www.organizingsolutions.biz.
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