Time tips

Did you waste too much time last year? You want to use your time wisely this year, right? Here are a few tools, tips and habits to help you get the most out of your time and your life!

* Separate your personal and business time. Benjamin Franklin quipped, "Let all things have their places, let each part have its time." When conducting business avoid working on personal stuff, when enjoying personal time, avoid work concerns. It's easier said than done, but with practice you can do it. Most people unconsciously melt these areas of life together, which ends up causing them stress and grief. The people who take their personal problems to work inhibit their performance, while those constantly working on business lose quality of life. Know when to draw the line.

* Eliminate time parasites. Get rid of the people and things in your life that are sucking your time and life right out of you. Do you know people in your life that are time and energy drainers? Get them out of your life. Are you stuck on spending time on low priorities that don't really need to be done? Delete them! Spending time reading unwanted junk emails? Delete them. The point is to remove the tasks, projects, and people that take you away from focusing your time and energy on the tasks, projects and people that are the most important to you. Every minute you spend on things that don't really matter is a minute you could be spending time on things that do matter.

* Build vitality through daily exercise. This might be the most important time management habit since living longer is the only way to increase the time you spend here on earth. A dull ax will eventually require twice as much effort to cut half as much wood as its sharpened counterpart. The maintenance takes time and effort but more than makes up for the investment in the amount of split wood it returns. Your body is similar to the ax in that it needs to be properly maintained through daily exercise. Moderate aerobic exercise (such as taking a brisk walk) for even one-half hour will help ensure you have enough energy and vitality to meet the possibilities each day holds.

* Keep your contact database updated and organized. Have you ever spent time on trying to find a friend, or business associates contact information so you can call them, send them a written note or an email? When you have one central place for all your contacts you will quit wasting time. There are hundreds of tools you can use, whether it be a computer software program, or paper system. Pick one and use it. You will be amazed at how easy it is to contact the people you want to connect with, when you want to connect with them. Take a few minutes periodically to update, organize, and make a back up copy of it.

* Know your internal clock. Each of us has an internal clock that operates better for specific tasks during certain times of the day. Know your rhythms and then schedule your time appropriately. For example, maybe you concentrate better in the morning and your mind wanders in the afternoon. So do the big projects in the morning and save the smaller ones for later.

* Plan your day, week, month, quarter and year. To truly own your life you must take ownership of your time. Prioritize and block out estimated time slots for each area of your life. To get an overview of your time, start by using a 12-month calendar to differentiate and plan in advance the days you choose to play, be highly productive and to clean up messes and organize. The annual calendar should be very generic with details growing as the time increments decrease. As a Chinese Proverb says, "Life just gives you time and space It's up to you to fill it."

* Give it away. Clear the clutter. Clean out your garage and closet, and give it away. If you haven't used it, worn it or treasured it in a year, out it goes! Drop it by the Salvation Army or some other charitable organization (some will come to you for pickup). The act of giving away what you don't absolutely cherish or can't live without is a reward in itself.

* Be happy now. What good reason do you have for postponing your happiness? Maybe you would be happier if you had a nicer car or house, perhaps if you lost weight, had more money or got the job of your dreams. Maybe not. The truth is: this is the best time to be happy, regardless of what you may conjure up to hold you back. It's your choice: neurotic or happy!

* Schedule in reverse. The best way to set your priorities for today is by deciding the priorities for your entire life. Start with a vision of what you wish to accomplish during your time here. What do you want people to say about you at your funeral? This way as you work backwards from your yearly, monthly, weekly and then daily schedule, you are able to distinguish and prioritize the activities that take you closer to your goals.

* Keep notes on the calls you make. The more you do the less reliable your memory becomes. The easiest way to avoid problems in the future is to keep notes regarding the conversations you have and the commitments you make. Use a pen and paper organizer or use one of the many software programs available, which allow you to journal conversations in conjunction with updating your database and task list. Write it down and keep it organized. Not only will you save time, you will free up your brain for more important tasks.

Now is the time to make a difference in your life. Use a few of things simple ways to get the most out of your day, week, month and year. Best of success to you!

Jeffrey Benjamin is the co-author of "Real Life Habits for Success‚" and the founder of Breakthrough Training in Reno. He hosts Breakthrough Radio every Sunday at 9:30am on 99.1 FM Talk.Contact him through www.breakthroughtraining.com.