Have you ever felt overwhelmed by either having too many projects or overwhelmed by business that needs follow up? Donʼt know where or how to get started?
Ever felt that you have been busy all day doing lots of things, but at the end of the day, not making any progress on your major goal or project?
Letʼs not forget those times when you spent hours looking for the material you need to get started, wasting lots of time and effort. By the time you are ready to get started, you have lost focus and momentum. Can you relate? I know I have felt this way too.
Now when asked what are my three most effective time management ideas, I think of activity management as key. To achieve the desired results for your business I want to give you three important keys that really work, if you work them.
Step 1. Set appointment times with yourself each week.
Do this just like you would set up an appointment with someone else. Write it in the appointment in your calendar/planner. Learn to keep these appointment times with yourself. I guard these times and will not just change them on a whim.
In fact you should avoid changing an appointment with yourself more than once or you are defeating the purpose and do not consider yourself important enough to keep the appointment.
Step 2. Outline everything you want to accomplish.
Each goal you have or project needs to be outlined. A good outline is simple but detailed too. You canʼt bluff a good outline. When I was in college I outline all the answers to an essay test. I knew there was no way I would be able to answer all the questions in the time frame given.
Without asking the professor, I just did all the answers in outline format. To everyoneʼs surprise, I was the only student to finish the exam and get an A too. Use your appointment time with yourself to prepare your project and task outlines. These outlines are your action plan.
Step 3. Focus your thinking by using the “block time method”.
In my self appointment times I use these blocks of time to focus my energy on items on my outline. If this is all you are working on during this block of time, you will find that in a short block of time you can accomplish more than if you tried to fit in what needs to be done while you have many interruptions. Focused also means turning off your cell and not sitting in front of your computer. This meeting after all is with the President/CEO of your business. This in itself should demand focus and accountability.
These three simple steps have served me very well for over 35 years. I use them each week to help me reach and achieve my goals. I invite you to join me in these three steps in making your activities lead you to success!
Keith Powell is a renowned travel industry speaker, author and business coach. Having crisscrossed the globe from Bangkok to Cannes, from Rio de Janeiro to Vancouver, Keith has presented before a vast array of audiences. Known as “The Business Revivalist”, Keithʼs passion is in helping entrepreneurs grow professionally. His book “The Transforming Power of Achievement” and other business tools are available at www.CoffeeWithKeith.com
