When time management tools were first implemented, their principal benefit was they promoted tracking of our appointments or commitments. As the demands for our time increased, time management tools also increased in their functionality.
Today they assist in managing long-term objectives (goals) while strategically managing day-to-day priorities. The most important purpose is to allow you to monitor and measure your activities to ensure you achieve your expected outcome.
Most people utilize their current time management system solely for tracking appointments with a reminder of their daily activities. The problem with this is in most cases your system becomes a glorified to do list with the potential of a lot of duplication.
It requires you to transfer items not completed on your daily schedule. This continuous writing forward fools the psyche into believing it is working harder than it actually is. It creates feelings of frustration when we do not complete all the tasks we set before us. We also run the risk of forgetting to transfer the unfinished task.
The greatest risk is utilizing this method is the danger of losing the information. It is a well-known fact that success is in the details so you want to ensure your system has adequate tracking in place with the least amount of effort on your part. To aid you, many software companies have developed electronic time tracking tools to keep all your information grouped into one location, easily allowing you accessibility without having to duplicate your efforts.
Electronic systems do take a bit of time to get used to as most of us are visual learners and thus require the need to be able to see the details spread out. Electronic systems can also be more time consuming as they require you to have access to it at all times. This becomes a bit of a challenge when you are out on appointments or away from your desk. Even if you have a hand held organizer, have you have noticed the expression on the faces of people as you are trying to enter your information. Pen and paper is still a lot faster and easier.
In order to maximize your effectiveness within your own system, it is important to understand that you cannot manage time, only your activities in relation to time. This system then, instead of being a time management system is looked upon as a project management system.
To get the most out of your system why not try adding an Item’s To Do Journal and a Project Management Journal. These are the two easiest beginning tools to incorporate, regardless if you use electronic or a manual time tools, especially if you are serious about taking more control of your goals. Use them to make certain you can monitor and measure both your long term and short-term goals amongst your daily requirements.
The three Critical Factors of a great time management are:
1. A Time Management Day Planner: Utilizing a time management system, which incorporates a scheduler, an individual To Do Journal and a Project Management Journal? By prioritizing your appointments, goals, and non-related tasks, you have a greater chance of holding yourself accountable to tight deadlines.
2. Holding Weekly Reviews with Yourself: A weekly review will allow you to focus on transferring any details, which may be unresolved from the previous week. It also allows you to determine if you accomplished what you set out to do. Some questions to ask yourself are, “Did I accomplish my number one priority this week? Did I accomplish my #1 personal goal? If not, why not? What did I learn this week? What can I do better? The clearer your questions, the easier it is to come up with new activities to challenge yourself to grow.
3. Updating Accountable/Measurable Tracking Systems: The sure success of any great plan is in direct proportion to the tracking systems put in place. This allows for flexibility of change and correction anywhere along the implementing of your goal. So let us say your personal goal is to read 12 books this year. Do you have a record of where you can track these to ensure you are indeed accomplishing your goal? If you were working a sales or financial goal – do you have an excel spreadsheet to track your results?
Good time management principals come easy with practice. Have fun with it and know it is all for your success!
For a free sample template of the Strategic Self Management Item’s To Do Journal email giveityourall.mvw@gmail.com with Free ITDJ Template.
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