Is it true that the average American works more hours per week that he or she did 20 years ago? I don’t think so. I do believe that we spend more hours on our job than we did 20 years ago. The key word is“Working.”
Successful people and their teams manage time well. We know that. It is the main reason conducting a time log (inventory) is one of the first things we do to start moving forward. A time log is a reality check that answers the question, “Where does my time go?”
When time logs are conducted, would you care to guess how much time is spent directly towards our work? The answer: About 40%! Where does the other 60% go? Distractions! In order of frequency, here are the top five most common distractions:
Emails
Visitors
Room temperature
Noise
Boredom
It is exciting when I work with people who are committed to managing their time better. They identify the most critical barrier, take aim, and develop a plan of action to get it under control. This requires a blend of commitment, discipline, and resolve. It involves replacing old habits with new ones. If we can fight “habit gravity” and hang in there, it is not uncommon to double productivity in less than 60 days. That leaves us with more time to spend doing things like cultivating new opportunities or spending more time with our families. To improve your time management, here are action steps you can take immediately to get going:
Conduct a time log for 2-3 days. Determine where your time is going.
Analyze the time log results: Ask yourself: What can I combine? What can I eliminate? What can I delegate?
Look at your own area you need to improve.
Get started by working on building that new habit every day. Stay with it!
