Time: Do You Make the Most of Yours?
There is only one thing that each and every person in the world has exactly the same amount of…no matter who they are.
The number of hours in a day.
Even Beyonce & Oprah have the same 24 hours in a day that you do.
The difference between successful people and those who struggle to get by often comes down to one simple fact:
Those who use their time more effectively get ahead in this world.
Those who don’t...don’t.
Wow - that might sound a little harsh – but this is a very, very important point that I want to make. I don’t want to downplay this, or diminish its importance. To make a good living and to be able to give back to those you love or who deserve a helping hand, you need to be a whiz at making the most of your time.
To begin, you need to know how well you’re handling this important task right now. This short quiz will help you gauge how well you’re doing when it comes to managing your schedule. No matter how busy you are right now, take a few minutes out of your day to take it...I guarantee you’ll earn back that time – and more - when you take advantage of the tips you’ll get later!
Pick the choice that matches your answer for each question. And BE HONEST…nobody will see this but you. I won’t even see it. You have to be completely truthful for this to work. We’re trying to take you and your business to the next level, so a little honesty is in everyone’s best interest.
Ready?
Here we go!
- You’re late for appointments or meetings:
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- If you run a meeting or estimate a certain amount of time for a task, it takes longer than you anticipated:
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- How often do you find yourself going into a meeting or a sales pitch unprepared or underprepared, because you didn’t have enough time to do your research or gather your presentation materials?
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- When you’re getting ready to go on vacation, how often do you leave after your target time, because you’re busy taking care of last minute details and putting out fires?
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- How often do you promise your children (or your friends, or your significant other) that you’ll go somewhere special or do something together, but then have to cancel due to sudden problems that come up?
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- How often do you look up at the clock and say… “Seven pm? Really??? How did that happen? I didn’t get anything accomplished today!”
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- You’re multi-tasking by talking on the phone while putting the finishing touches on your makeup as you drive across town to pitch a new client because you’re running late:
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- You have to eliminate tasks (sometimes even critical ones) from your daily to-do list because you’ve run out of time:
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- You reschedule appointments, meetings and get-togethers because you’re overbooked or double-booked:
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
- Even worse yet, you completely forget about appointments or meetings because you’ve forgotten to put them in your calendar (or HORRORS…you don’t even keep a calendar!!!)
A. Never
B. Seldom
C. Usually
D. Always
Okay…now look at the answers you’ve jotted down. If you have:
Mostly A’s
Congratulations! You’ve mastered the art of time management! You’re probably the woman that makes everyone else in the PTO roll their eyes and say… “How does she do it?” But it might be fun to take a look at the worksheet I’ve prepared anyway.
Mostly B’s
For the most part, you’re probably utilizing your time pretty well. You’re usually on time, well prepared and fairly organized. And because you know that nobody’s perfect all the time, you’re able to forgive yourself for a (very) occasional slip-up. But you could stand to tweak a thing or two, so delve right in to the worksheet and see how it can help you take those last few rough edges off.
Mostly C’s
You’re on a slippery slope and sliding fast. You’re coming apart at the seams a little bit and it’s starting to show. Your clients, prospective clients, vendors and personal contacts are seeing it – don’t kid yourself and think that they’re not. Appearances are important, and if you look disorganized, inefficient and incapable, that’s the image you’ll project. You can turn it around with a little effort – click on the worksheet button to get started!
Mostly D’s
Organizing your time and getting back on track is your main priority – mission critical. If your business hasn’t already suffered irreparable damage, it’s right around the corner. The worksheet I’ve prepared will help you move in the right direction, so start using your time properly now by getting started!
CLICK HERE for your FREE TIME MANAGEMENT WORKSHEET
Once you’ve completed the worksheet, you should have a much better idea of where your time goes and how you can change some habits that might be getting you in trouble with time management. If you feel you need a little extra help or want some more suggestions, don’t hesitate to drop me a line. I’m never too busy to help you find a way to be more successful, so you can be the saving grace for someone else!