Stress. The times I have experienced the most negative stress it involved some feelings of being overloaded with responsibilities at home at work- in my community or a combination of all these plus more. When I feel stress, I feel stress!
I am stressed because I running late then get slowed down by someone actually doing the speed limit. Oh, and by the way that supplier I told I would call, yep-epic fail I still haven’t taken the time to call him back.
Each of these stressors has to do with time management. Think about how many issues we all encounter have to do with time.
63% of respondents in a recent CareerBuilder survey said they believe “working nine-to-five” is an outdated concept, and 24% check work emails while spending time with family and friends.
One of the reasons this is because we learned to plan less because we have our trusty smartphones, email access from home, etc…We have learned to do things on the fly because we can. Technology is a great tool as long as we use it properly.
The medicine for less stress and a more rewarding life is time mastery. But here is the catch. Time mastery works, however, it requires discipline and hard work.
Here are five principles I have learned to help you and I master our time as we may struggle with overwhelming occurrences in life.
- Set Priorities-What are the most the most important areas in your life and work you must focus on above all else! Notice how I put life outside of work. Good life out of work usually translates to the good life at work. For example, one of my priorities and it’s my schedule to review and reflect on my week. What did I do well? What areas can I improve one? What are my successes?
- Make it a point to Connect with others-Because all the “external stuff”-material possession fade. But the relationships and impact you can make with others can last a lifetime.
- Schedule Time to Plan– One of my mentors noticed that I seem very harried, and he said to me Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind. He had a point when I took a mere 10-15 minutes to plan the night before I 10x my productivity!
- Organize– I have seen myself fail, and other professionals fail due to not being organized. We all know what it means to lose an account, keys, etc. One way to save yourself time is get organized.
Be Flexible– The reason I say this is because no matter how much you plan no matter how much you organize and prioritize, events can happen that can change everything. Be willing to be flexible.
I will finish this with a time mastery lesson I learned at the gym- in the sauna of all places.
A new father was sharing his story about how much time a newborn baby takes and the demands it put on your relationship and his life. He said, “They weren’t joking when they said, having a kid changes things. Boy, I am tired some days and just want to sit on the couch!” An elderly gentlemen listening asked if he could give him some advice. Being a new father the young man said yes.
“Kids grow up fast, before you know it he will be graduating High School and off to college. I understand there are many times when you arrive home after a long day at work and want to be left alone. I get it! However, the moment you step into your home all your kids want is their dad.
You will be tempted to say, “Give me some time to rest. “ They wait…wait and before you know it’s their bedtime and no play time with daddy.
You want to know why my boys and I have a great relationship? Because I realized that 30 minutes with them made all the difference, even when I was tired! Instead of getting in front of the television I invested time with my boys. Guess what? I would have so much fun playing with them that I would forget all about being tired, yet still to this day they remind me of when I played with them even when I was tired.”
I remember this story vividly. Why? Three short weeks later the young father suddenly died of a heart attack. He was younger than 30.
How we spend our time is important?
In the words of Hall Of Fame Basketball Coach John Wooden
“If you don’t have the time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?
Equip, Educate, Empower
Tony Jalan
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