In this week's Vintage ~WeeklyNRG looks back a couple of years to discuss an age-old problem that many of us face.
Sometimes life gets in the way! We all know how running a business or working hard on your career whilst having a personal & family life can get hectic. Feeling like the hamster wheel isn’t going to stop isn’t fun and can be very draining. Recently, I’ve realized I’d been working hard on personal & family time whilst not necessarily doing as much as I could with my businesses. This had led to me feel like I’m letting myself and others down.
One of the biggest questions UniqueNRG gets asked is “how I can get it all done? Fit it all in without feeling like one part of my life is suffering”. Alex and I at UniqueNRG often hear the guilt in our #gamechangers stories. Achieving so much in one aspect of their life; being so successful at one thing, that the other aspect suffers.
Well, I am afraid to say there is no magic wand. We all have the same 24hours in a day, that’s 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds.
Now of course we must sleep, eat, shower, and brush our teeth, but how can you achieve more in the rest of the day, rather than struggle to fit it all in ?
Here are my 3 Top Tips:
Be Organised – What do I need to do by when?
Understanding what needs to be done by when and how much time you have to complete the task is key. Plan the right way. Yes, to do lists are great, but they don’t help you fit it all in. Understanding how long something is really going to take you and scheduling it into the day will show you if it can be all fitted in. Think more into the future – plan your work/tasks further out. Don’t just look in the morning for today’s tasks – look at this weeks, next weeks and the week after.
I have a master to do list which I used to schedule my activities into each hour of the day, the week and the month. These are all linked to the 90days goals I have. (I also leave 1 hour a day for curve balls – more on that later.)
Be Committed – How can I fit it all in?
Mindset is vital in achieving everything you want in the time you have. I tell myself I’m going to do it all, so I then workout how to do it all. Just by asking how it can be done, you change the focus. Now it is a problem to be solved and we all love solving problems don’t we?
Motivation, if you really want to do it, you will find the time. It’s a cliché but it’s true – how often have you proved this to yourself… think of the last example. Remind yourself why you need to do the thing that needs to be done; bring it back to your long-term plan, your perfect day, your goals, your purpose.
Be Present – Use the time you have as well as you can
Do it at the right time. Understanding when you are at your best and at what time of the day you should do various tasks helps you be more productive and efficient. For me, if I have to write something I do it first thing in the morning – my mind is clearer, and I am not distract by everything else going on. I can write something twice as quick in the morning as I can early afternoon/evening.
2 for, 3 for, 4 for. Try and get more out of the tasks you need to do. Can you combine a task with meeting friends? Can you combine family time with a business task? Can you enjoy some sport with networking (Social & Business)? Can you ask your friends, network to help you solve a business problem? If you enjoy reading, can you read something that will improve your family life or your business?
What happens when a curve ball comes in?
It’s important to understand that in any project, task or activity there are only 3 elements you can change.
TIME - Padding some extra time in each day will help with this – it’s always nice to have some spare time in the day isn’t? This additional time allows for emergencies if required and if not needed you can get in front for tomorrow.
COST - is it a question of throwing some money at the problem and getting someone else to start the work for you?
QUALITY – Can the project be started in a draft format? How perfect does it need to be? What quality is required for success.
When that curve ball comes – look at the elements and see what you can do? It shouldn’t throw you off task, it might slow you down a little but you can still achieve everything if you focus and accountable to yourself to not give up until the tasks are complete.
It is about creating consistency in your day. Building the habits that allow you to focus on the task, planning the work in and understanding how it can all be achieved. It’s also about balance and giving yourself permission to rest and recharge ready for the next thing. (More on that subject next week.)
What are you going to do today to fit more in? Let me know how much more your achieved this week?