In the past on this blog, we have discussed time management in depth and how important it is. We have talked about ideas such as time blocking, which to reiterate is breaking up your day into sections of time in which you will allocate to a specific task. Time is the greatest asset you have. It is a finite and irreplaceable tool that if used correctly will lead to a happy, successful, and full life. Going into the new year very soon, it is so important that we brush up on our time management skills so that we can carry these skills over and get the year off to a great start. In order to manage your time well, it is important to understand the fundamentals of time management and why they are so vital. The most important trait when it comes to good time management is accountability. Without it, you will eventually slip up and waste your most valuable asset of time. Holding yourself accountable is a hard thing to do at first, but it is a mindset that once you develop, it will seem difficult to not hold yourself accountable due to how our minds are programmed.
Do what you say you are going to do
So many people say they are going to do so many things with their time. Very few people however follow up on their word. This reinforces in your head that you don’t need to be held accountable to what you say. The mind subconsciously makes this behavior a habit, and when you set a bad habit like this it can be hard to change your ways. Many if not most people, including myself at one time fall victim to this way of thinking. If this is you, the first step to break away from this bad habit is to recognize that you do it and put a stop to it when you catch yourself doing it. Once you do this, you will begin to stop saying things you will not follow up on with action. As an example, so many people say they will go to the gym, get fit, and lose 10 pounds as a New Year’s resolution. About half the people who say this never go to the gym at all, and 90% of the remaining people only go to the gym for a week. This is what we do as a society, and in turn, it leads people to not hold themselves accountable. What does this have to do with time management you may be wondering. Well, after you understand self-accountability and the importance of doing what you say you are going to do, you can then use this foundational skill in conjunction with one more time management pillar to manage your time masterfully.
Your most Important Next Step
Holding yourself accountable to your word is a great place to start in terms of time management, but learning to be intentional with what you say and your actions is something that will put you in the upper echelon of time management. What I mean by this is if you have a goal you want to accomplish, saying it out loud and making a commitment to it is the first step, but accomplishing it will take intentionality and a specific time management skill to break the goal down into bite-sized steps. For example, right now I am working on buying my first rental property. I stated this as my goal out loud to myself, and have made a vow to hold myself accountable to my word and this goal. To get this accomplished in a tangible way, I must be intentional with my time and take small daily actions to reach a larger goal. It’s not enough for me to just say I want to buy a rental property without a plan of action. Of course, I have a bunch of other things going on, but unlike most people, I am beginning to break the ugly habit of saying “I don’t have the time right now”. By breaking down the process of buying a rental property into a series of most important next steps, I will better be able to accomplish small tasks every day to reach the ultimate goal of getting to the closing table. So many people say they want to do something and try to accomplish it all in a day or two. This is the start of holding yourself accountable to your word, but without a roadmap and time management skills, you will soon start to see yourself begin to give up. Outlining your most important next steps is a great time management skill that is bound to help you hold yourself accountable to your goals, and make tangible progress every day.
Momentum
Once you make this outline and hold yourself accountable to your daily most important next step, you will begin to see tangible progress towards your goals. This creates what is called momentum, and in turn motivates you to stay accountable every day. Most people give up on things because they don’t see the consistent progress they expect to and get discouraged. By having a plan of most important next steps, this feeling of discouragement can be avoided as you are making your daily goals attainable and compounding them into progress over time. Accompanied by momentum is a feeling of pride and accomplishment which will help motivate you to stay the course. These feelings momentum provides are powerful assets to keep your mind set on your goal or goals.
How this relates to time management
You may be thinking to yourself, “The title of this blog is about time management. Why didn’t we talk more about direct skills of how to make the most of your time?” The answer to this question is we did. Accountability and outlining your most important next steps are the foundation of any great time management strategy. If you are able to practice these two skills efficiently, you will see that your ROI on time is much higher than if you didn’t hold yourself accountable to your word and goals, and didn’t have a most important next step outline. When you practice these two foundational time management skills, you will see momentum being generated towards accomplishing your goals. This will convince your brain that this process works, and can be repeated over and over again. In turn, you will be extremely efficient with your time, and realize goals you never thought possible. Implement these core time management principles in your life and 100X your progress towards your goals and dreams!