Time Management for Successful Life Management

Quite often the way we spend time is reflective of our priorities. What we do is of a higher priority than what we do NOT choose to do at a moment.

I am currently off and on (another problem of choosing the correct priority for me!) reading this book “The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management” by Hyrum Smith. It is a nice book giving some excellent principles of time management.

He suggests asking two questions:

1. What are the highest priorities in your life?
2. Of these priorities, which do you value the most.

These two questions help us prioritize time and what we do at any moment. So it is important that we answer these questions as honestly as possible. These questions help link our current activities with our core values.

He talks of major fallacies when it comes to time management:

1. We’re going to have more time at some unspecified future date than we do now.
2. We can somehow save time

There are some “Time Robbers” that rob us of our time slots. They are of two categories: Imposed on us and Self-inflicted

Imposed on Us

• Interruptions
• Waiting for answers
• Unnecessary meetings
• Too much work
• Poor communications
• Shifting Priorities
• Equipment Failure
• Disorganized Boss
• Red tape
• Conflicting Priorities
• Low company Morale
• Untrained Staff
• Peer/staf demands
• Lack of Authority
• Interoffice travel
• Mistakes of Others
• Revised Deadlines
• Meetings

Self Inflicted

• Failure to Delegate
• Poor Attitude
• Personal disorganization
• Absentmindedness
• Failure to listen
• Indecision
• Socializing
• Fatigue
• Lack of discipline
• Leaving tasks unfinished
• Paper Shuffling
• Procrastination
• Outside Activities
• Cluttered Workspace
• Unclear personal Goals
• Perfectionism
• Poor Planning
• Pre-occupation
• Attempting too much

In his research Hyrum found tha the Top 5 reasons cited were:

1. Interruptions
2. Procrastination
3. Shifting Priorities
4. Poor Planning
5. Waiting for Answers

The 10 laws of time management that he gives are:

Managing Time
1. You Control your life by Controlling your time
2. Your Governing Vaues are the foundation of personal fulfillment
3. When you daily activities reflect your governing values, you experience inner peace
4. To reach any significant goal, you must leave your comfort zone (physical and mental both)
5. Daily Planning leverages time through increased focus

Managing Your Life
6. Your behavior is a reflection of what you truly believe
7. You satisfy needs when your beliefs are in line with reality
8. Negative behaviors are overcome by changing incorrect beliefs
9. Your self-esteem must ultimately come from within
10. Give more and you’ll have more

I think if we can reflect and think about these “laws” we will find that they are very empowering. It is also helpful to use these with a daily planner and mesh your value statement with your daily plan of statement.

What do you think?