AboutJan Hayner Expertise I can give you tips and hints on how to use your time efficiently, shortcuts to make this possible and the importance that great time management can have on every aspect of your life, home, job and family relationships.
Experience I am a Professional Organizer and one of my specialties is 'time managment'. I am an advocate of the saying "Work Smarter-Not Harder' and I show you ways to accomplish this through smart and efficient time management.
Organizations NAPO
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Publications Mature Resources.com
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Education/Credentials School of hard knocks,
6 years of being a Professional Organizer
Expert: Jan Hayner Date: 5/1/2008 Subject: Where does the time go?
Question Hi there!
How are you?
Thanks for helping out on this site :)
I have a very intense job- working 10plus hour days, commuting long hours, and finding the millions of things I need to get done having to collect dust on the shelf b/c there are just not enough hours in the day.
I have pretty high goals for every aspect of my life and maybe want too much and balance is hard to achieve... professional success, relationship success, spiritual understanding, self-improvement, good friends, family time, fun, educating yourself, reading, discovering your purpose and trying to leave a legacy behind in this world.
With work, most of these things get neglected. I find my schedule always inconsistent, my sleep schedule is constantly irregular. I've tried paper planners, I don't want to pay for a smartphone b/c they're close to $100/month, I've tried an electronic daily/monthly to do list spreadsheet that I keep updating, I've listened to Anthony Robbin's "the time of your life", I've organized my to-dos in A-D task quadrants: A: important and urgent, B: urgent and not important, C: important and not urgent, D: not urgent and not important, I've put all my papers in file cabinets, etc.
Whats the best solution for me?
I also get bored easily...making it additionally hard to keep up wit rigid schedules...although some structure is necessary for habit and ease and a decrease of chaos.
Thanks so much!!
Regards,
Aly
Answer Hi Aly;
You are doing all of the right things, the only thing that you forgot on your list is 'Stop and take time to smell the roses'! You are going to burn out rapidly and it will either slow down or eliminate the goals that you are trying to achieve!
Your lists are good, however, it sounds to me like you are having a problem separating home from work, you don't have a balance. You don't say how old you are and that would help a little, also, if you are married or have kids makes major changes in a schedule.
Let me see if I can help you put things into perspective. This is the way I visualize your life as you have explained it.
1. You are really goal and career oriented-very commendable and I wish you well in achieving your goals.
2. You have a time management problem, not a list making problem. Your lists are larger than the time you can allot to them.
3. Home is about 50th on your list of things to take care of, although chaos drives you nuts, you feel guilty about having very little time to keep it up and you aren't there often enough to accomplish a lot at one time.
4.You are bored unless you are working or doing something and then, probably complain because you are ALWAYS doing things and don't have time for yourself. But, that is part of your personality and some of that can't be changed. To some degree, I am the same way. I am organized, can always see the end result of anything that I want to accomplish, work hard toward my goal, tweak and tweak everything that I do, as I am doing it in order to make it better and 'think' constantly. When at work, I think of things that can make my life easier and faster at home, when I am at home, I solve (in my mind) all of the problems related to work. I am guessing that you have very similar tendencies.
How close was I? This would really make a difference in how I can help you.
I am going to give you some ideas of what to do to control your time and your life a little better, using the scenario that I have written as a guideline.
Your basic idea of using lists is great, however, you have gone list crazy and now you are totally overwhelming yourself and have gone to the extreme. Simplify!! I mean really simplify! Two lists only. One for work, one for home. Make a weekly list of things to accomplish, not a daily list, YET.
1. What should I have accomplished, by the end of the week? Home-Work
2. Pick out 5 things that are the most important for WORK and make a daily list. You can add to this list with things that pop up through the day, because now you will have enough time to do them.
3. At the end of the day, pick 5 more things as a start for your next day.
4. If there are things that you can delegate to others, do it! It takes less time to tweak a project that is half done than to do the entire project, however, give the person 'specific' guidelines that must be met.
5. Don't write lists, tape them on a tape recorder, whenever possible. This way as you think of something else, you can add it at any time. While waiting for an appointment, sitting at a stop sign etc. You won't forget a thing, you will stop second guessing if you have everything accomplished that you set out to do and will always be able to tweak your schedule.
6. Don't forget, Sunday (spiritual understanding), is a day of rest...from work and home. Give God the chance to have time to replenish your soul and it will help to replenish your life.
He always has time for you, make time for him. This is also the day to catch up with family and friends. Whether it is on the phone, a visit,a picnic or whatever. It also gives the brain time to relax.From your schedule, I think it needs it!
7. Reading doesn't mean that you have to sit down with a book. Use that tape recorder to play audio books for yourself, it also helps you to retain the message in the book longer. We all have time to listen- while cleaning the house, doing dishes, on a bus, waiting for an appointment, waiting for a scheduled office visit, playing it during a nice hot relaxing bath instead of taking a shower etc.
8. Discovering your purpose is something that comes automatically. What makes you happy is one way of discovering it. If I asked you "what are the things that you excel in", you would tell me all of the things that you enjoy the most. This is where you will make your mark in the world. WHY? Because you enjoy it, your good at it and it isn't work to you, it is a challenge that you meet head-on and excel in. This is your purpose in life, why you are here and what will help you to make your mark in the world.
9. For your list at home- Do everything that takes 2 minutes or less to do during the week. Such as:
a. wash dishes
b. throw a load of clothes in the washer
c. pick up the dirty clothes and throw in the hamper
d. wash the kitchen counter top
e. change the sheets on the bed
f. throw clothes in the dryer
get the idea?
10. Cut down on the amount of cleaning and you will cut down on the time that it takes to do it. Purchase handi-wipes for furniture polish, glass wipes and lysol wipes. Using the bathroom as an example; wipe the countertops, faucets around the toilet rim, back and the tub rim with a lysol wipe and throw away. Now use a glass wipe on the mirrors and anything that is decorating or on top of your counter top (it will shine) and then on the faucet (yes again, there is a ton of germs on there). Now sweep the floor and then throw a lysol wipe on the floor and re-sweep while pushing the lysol wipe around to pick up excess dirt etc. Shake the scatter rugs outside and you have the bathroom clean in 15 minutes. Use the wipes for everyday spills and your bathroom is clean all of the time. I usually give it a wipe when I am through with my shower because of the excess steam in the room, everything sparkles.
I hope that I gave you a start on your new routine that will save you time, money and stress. If you need more ideas, let me know. I also have a ton of articles on my website that can help you at http://www.organizingyourlifetheeasyway.com
Good luck, God Bless and happy life changes,
Jan Hayner
