5 Time Management Practices that I use for a great Work/Life Balance
I hope that you are having a great week!
I’ve been invited by a colleague to be a guest speaker about time management for her membership program. As I am preparing for that presentation, I decided to share my best time management practices with you here.
Here is a list and short explanations of 5 practices that I use to manage my time so that I have a great work/life balance.
- I use the Eisenhower Matrix to help me prioritize what I spend my time doing. You may have also heard of it from FranklinCovey. Tasks, requests, and activities are categories into 1 of 4 categories or quadrants. Quadrant 1 is for urgent and important tasks. Quadrant 2 is for non-urgent but important tasks. Quadrant 3 is for urgent but not important tasks (e.g. other people’s emergencies that ultimately aren’t my responsibility). Quadrant 4 is for non-urgent and non-important activities (aka time wasters). I avoid quadrants 3 and 4. By spending more and more time in quadrant 2, I find that quadrant 1 urgencies become rarer and rarer since I am being so proactive. [See image for a version of the Eisenhower Matrix.]
- I use my calendar to house my to-do list. I estimate how long each item will take to complete and when I will be able to complete the item during the day. Then I add the item to my calendar. If I didn’t start and/or complete an item, I move the item to the next day. After getting into the habit of putting your to-do list items on your calendar, you will start to get a better sense of how much you can accomplish each day.
- I gave up the trap of perfectionism. Trying to make everything “perfect” is a waste of time and energy. Don’t get me wrong. I love excellence. But I don’t fall into the trap of thinking things need to be perfect to be effective. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that “Done is better than perfect.”
- I practice the pause before responding to a request. I’ve learned to be selective about what I say yes to. I say no much more often than I used to (in both my personal and professional lives). When I get a request that requires a time commitment from me, I rarely say yes right away. I practice the pause. If it is clear that the request is a win/win, then I say yes quickly. If I’m not sure, I will ask for a delay in my response so that I can evaluate whether or not I have the time, energy, and desire to accept the request.
- I rarely waste my time doing things that I am not good at. I know my strengths and I stick to what I am great at. The rest is either delegated, automated, simplified, or eliminated.
Upcoming Events: I and a group of colleagues are going to be sharing our “Confidence Building Practices” on Clubhouse this Monday, June 7th from 12:00–1:00pm Eastern. If you would like to join us, add the event to your calendar by clicking on the event link and then use the “add to calendar” button. https://www.clubhouse.com/event/PYJjgYpj
I hope that you have a great weekend! Get some good self-care, rest, relaxation, and fun!
I hope to “see” you on Monday at the Clubhouse event. If you need a Clubhouse invitation, just reply to this email and let me know. I have some to give!
Warm Regards,
Elissa (Teal) Watson
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