Too Busy

More and more, people talk about not having enough time to get everything done they need or want to do. During the Information Age, life has gotten more complex. You may have an endless list of things to do in your various roles. It is common to hear someone say, "I need more time." But isn't being busy suppose to be a good thing? After all, busy people seem needed, important, and successful.

Being busy can fool you; it can be a trap. As you race through the day, many times the activities you end up doing do not help you be who you really want to be.
Time is often talked about in financial terms and referred to as a precious non-renewable resource. You save it, spend it, or waste it. You may often feel you never have enough of it.

However, this analogy doesn't help you use time more effectively. Authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz believe energy, not time, is our most precious resource and that it is renewable. In their book "The Power of Full Engagement" (2003), they stress the need to balance expending and renewing your energy (time for rest/play) to be at your best.

There are several methods for scheduling your calendar for high productivity and minimal stress that will often work when other time management systems do not. They can be used separately or combined. Choosing from the following tips will help you have the energy you need to manage your time effectively:

1. Think of life as a series of sprints rather than a marathon. This allows you to push during crunch times followed by rest or play. The downtime is seen as necessary for your body and brain to process the information and prepare for the next task. Constant busyness is seen as a threat to success. Rest and play is necessary and celebrated.

2. Limit your to-do list to the two or three things that are most important for that day. Plan to schedule 60-70% of your day for tasks. Leave at least 30% for "other".

3. Schedule according to the task when you are able to group tasks into more general categories for a week, i.e. work, commute, exercise, appointments, email, spiritual, self-care, spouse, family, etc. Grouping your weekly tasks into blocks of time relates to the four energy sources (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual) and helps remind you of the need for balance in your life. Then place more specific tasks in the appropriate category for a particular day. For instance, you can take your day at work and break it down into specific tasks.

4. Schedule by the day and type of time when you can establish certain days for specific tasks. Days can be full days, half days, or a couple of hours. Begin by thinking of 3 categories:

- Focus Time - when you need to accomplish a task that requires thinking, planning, writing, etc. To eliminate distractions, turn off phones, close your door, or do whatever else is necessary for you to focus. You can start with one hour and increase the time as needed. Educate co-workers and family about this uninterrupted time and that you will be available later.

- Flexible Time - when you can handle interruptions - phone, email, etc. that do not require as much focus.

- Free Time - no work; time for recharging without feeling guilty. Start with a couple of hours weekly, gradually adding more time until you can take one whole day several times a month or weekly.

5. Put specific tasks in the Focus, Flexible and Free time areas to combine the two different ways to schedule time.

6. Combine the idea of money and energy by imagining that every morning you have $20 worth of energy for the day. When your $20 is gone, your energy is gone for the day. (Fortunately, you get another $20 the next day.)
How do you want to spend your energy?
What tasks will get the most energy and the smallest amount of your energy for that particular day?
When you know what is important to you and you know why, the choices of how you spend your time become easier. Understand your core values and strengths. Consider what you can delegate or drop. Instead of taking a look at your list of things to do, take a look at the outcomes you desire.

What do you really want?
What are you here to do?

Spend time in the areas that will bring you the desired results. Following one or more of these tips, you will find that you are accomplishing and enjoying more of what you do. I wish you the best of success on your journey.

Maurine Patten, EdD., CMC, Maximize Your Possibilitieshttp://www.PattenCoaching.comMailto:mdpcoach@pattencoaching.com
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