Towards the end of 2016, I made a promise to myself to improve all aspects of my life and to actually commit to doing some self-work. I decided to purchase Myleik Teele’s “This Is My Year Journal” to streamline areas in my life that needed more attention and goals that I wanted to accomplish for 2017.
For my self-werque series, I’d like to share certain obstacles that I’ve overcame throughout the year and things that I’m currently working through.
I enable fires when I delay, distract, dismiss or deny.
I’ve been repeating that quote to myself whenever I feel like not executing or trip plans, chores, content creation, and projects at work. This saying has helped me to keep focus and to push through tasks that seem unmanageable. Mastering the art of time management has been my lifesaver this year. Between juggling a full-time job, blog, sorority co-chair duties, moving into my first apartment, being my mother’s caretaker, traveling, being a mentor and my social life, I needed to be more intentional with how my time was being spent.
You have the same amount of hours in the day as Beyoncé…
True, but do you have a team to help you execute? Probably not. However, you can definitely learn how to get things done in real time.
I’ve learned that real time is mental. I can create time and manage it., just like Willow Smith. Since I felt overwhelmed with all the new responsibilities in my life, I knew I had to change my concept of time. I had to remove any self-sabotage or self-limitation around “not having enough time” to maximize every hour in the day. I’ve noticed that there are three ways to spend time: conversations, thoughts, actions. Even though I’m consistently pulled into different directions, I have the power to compartmentalize tasks to ensure that I execute effectively. Although I can’t eliminate distractions and interruptions, I do have a say on how much time I’ll spend on them versus the thoughts, conversations, and actions that will lead me to success.
Master your time with these tips:
Get an early start: I’ve incorporated waking up at 6:00am-6:30am as a part of my weekly morning routine and have seen the benefits of being focused, in control and ready to seize the day.
Schedule your daily to-dos: I’m the #kween of to-do lists! Before I start the day I write down the pressing to-dos that need to be completed as well as my work assignments in order of importance. If to-do lists don’t work for you, I suggest blocking time out on your calendar to complete assignments/tasks. I love using google calendar to remind me of scheduled event dates, phone calls and tasks. When making your to-do lists, be reasonable about the things you can actually execute in one day. Don’t overload yourself!
Engage in the task at hand: Put your phone down and focus. I find myself being really distracted by social media and checking my phone constantly. If you have turn your phone off to focus, do so. Quick hack: At work, I usually keep my phone in my filing cabinet.
Schedule time for interruptions: Sorry boo, unfortunately you can’t plan everything. Interruptions will happen and you’ll be pulled away from what you’re doing often. Account some time in your schedule to put out small fires, while also completing your assignments.
Plan on the weekends: If you can’t get to your tasks during the week, allot 2-3 hours on the weekend to get things done. Trust me, those extra 2 hours over the weekend works wonders.
Make sure your hotline isn’t blinging: Again, try to distance yourself from distractions at all costs. Turn your phone off, unplug from social media and avoid checking your emails constantly. Don’t instantly give people your attention unless it’s absolutely crucial to offer a response. Instead schedule a time to answer emails, social media notifications, and return phone calls.
You can’t do it all: Remember that it’s impossible to get everything done in one day. There’s a silver lining though, 20 percent of your thoughts, conversations and activities produce 80 percent of your results.