Running Out of Time?"Since time is
one immaterial object which we cannot influence--neither speed up nor slow down, add to nor diminish-- it is an imponderably valuable gift." -Maya Angelou
Do you constantly feel like you are on overload? Do you tell yourself that you'll spend more time doing something that's important but not urgent “when things slow down a little” or “after we finish this next big project”?
Being technically proficient in your business or profession will only get you so far … especially if you feel like you're on a runaway treadmill. To gain some control and sanity, you may need to organize your time differently.
Most business owners, executives, and professionals spend their time in four ways:
Free Time – time to rest, relax, and rejuvenate Creative Time – time to generate new ideas Delivery Time – time to deliver product/service that is core to your work Support Time – time to handle “behind scenes” or administrative functions necessary to support you in getting results you desire. These four areas of time are very connected, so what you do with one dimension of time affects others. Have you ever noticed how taking Free Time to rest and rejuvenate enables you to come back to your work with a fresh perspective…one that enables you to be much more creative?
Creative Time enables you to work ON your business. It's tough to have an objective vantage point when you're “in trenches” all time. Taking a step back to see “big picture” is essential if you want to generate fresh ideas and find new solutions to challenges.
Delivery Time enables you to work IN your business. You may already spend much of your time here. The key is to remember that it doesn't matter how much Delivery Time you spend if what you're delivering isn't what matters most to you or your company…and if what you deliver and how you deliver it is not valued by recipient of your products or services. Direction and priorities are generally determined during Free Time and Creative Time .
Part of your success requires spending some Support Time tending to details – responding to email and phone calls, reading, writing, reviewing, evaluating, filing, etc. Of course, some of this can be delegated to others. If you ignore details that support your core deliverable, it will affect your ability to be productive or deliver best quality product or service. In addition, you will not feel like you can take Free Time if unhandled details are constantly nagging at you.
Without Free Time , stress and overload set in. Then it's difficult to be in a frame of mind to take Creative Time . This pushes you to work harder IN your business ( Delivery Time ), which results in taking a reactive rather than a proactive approach to managing challenges. This rarely results in best quality results, and often adds to burnout.
Look at diagram below and note that it is a continuous circle. When working properly, process keeps repeating itself…unless you get stuck in one spot on continuum.
Changing Habits
Choosing to live a more thoughtful, self-directed life in midst of a society that seems to thrive on a frenzied pace requires determination, planning, and self-discipline. According to behavior change experts, you have to believe in values behind change, or it will not stick.
For example, if you promise your family that you will work less hours, but you're not mentally committed to such a change, your odds of maintaining your commitment drop. It's difficult to sustain such a promise if reward for working longer hours is greater than reward for getting home earlier.
G. Alan Marlatt, professor of psychology and director of Addictive Behaviors Research Center at University of Washington, studies people who are successful in long-term change. Marlatt says that it gets easier after first 90 days. At that point, chances of a relapse drop from 85 percent to 20-30 percent. He also points out that adding a new behavior is easier than trying to give something up.
Marlatt's tips:
• Self monitor. If you're relying on internal motivation (as opposed to having a coach or an addiction counselor), keep a daily chart of progress for first 90 days. Note what needs to be fine-tuned. If you feel you might slip, make note — either in a journal or a note card or a bold message on your morning mirror — to get back on track.
• Social support. Find someone or a group of people trying to make similar changes. Meet with them or e-mail them or join a chat room. If you're not into strangers, get a comrade, coach or family member to be your support.
• Keep your rewards high. New clothes for that lost weight? A weekend away for that pared down to-do list? That keeps motivation high. Success leads to success.
• Watch your self-criticism. If people go off course, tendency is to say, "Oh, this proves I have no willpower." That's self-defeating and it undermines motivation.
• Remind yourself of goals. What is it you're trying to change? Some people carry reminder cards that list what they want to accomplish. One man trying to quit smoking simply carried a photo of his young son.
• Have a plan for when obstacles arise. How will you get back on track? It's important not to overreact but to regroup. "I missed two days of exercise, but I won't miss a third."
The biggest trigger for reverting to old behaviors is a negative emotional state, such as feeling angry or depressed, especially if you turned to your old habit for comfort. Think of what you could do instead. Call a friend. Take a walk. Sing a song. Do something that feels good right away…something that will break habit you've previously fallen into when in a negative emotional state.
It's easier to create a new habit than it is to stop doing an old one. So, instead of saying, “Don't work past 6 PM,” it may work better to have a specific plan for evening: “Be home for 6:30 dinner with my family.”
