Improve Time Management Skill - Shift Your Paradigm

Is time management one of your daily challenges? If so, then how do you define time management?

For many this definition begins by focusing on time and how to get more time out of 24 hours. By using this paradigm, most people have already set themselves up to fail because no one can manage a constant! Managing is about juggling a lot of different thinks because there is not a constant.

So to improve time management begins by accepting that your must shift your paradigm and focus on the real issue or challenge – YOU! Possibly now you are thinking, OKAY, its me, but the issue of getting things done is still a problem.

You are absolutely correct. However by shifting your paradigm you can now put into action specific steps to correct those issues.

From my perspective and what I share with my clients is that time management is really the apex of goal setting. For without goals, why would we care if we are late for a meeting or sending out that proposal or taking that phone call?

What I have also discovered is that the majority of people and I mean probably over 90% that I have encountered do not have a proven goal setting process in place. So time management is a symptom of poor goal setting behaviors.

One of my colleagues, David Herdlinger, once said that time management is really about goals and values. By not having goals and not having values or a commitment to achieving those goals, individuals are faced with not having enough time to do what they say they are going to do.

Another trusted advisor, Arnie Rintzler, shared that time management is about not identifying your must dos from your should dos. Must dos are those items that you have given your word or that someone may suffer something terrible if you do not take action. Everything else is a should do. You then prioritize your should dos based upon your goals (there is that word again). These skills are really self leadership skills.

Finally, Ray Overdorff, a valued mentor (I have been fortunate to meet many wise individuals), said that when you shift your paradigm, the things within your focus will look differently. So, if you accept that time management is about you, your goals and your self leadership skills, you will then have the opportunity to make the most out of every single day.