Time Vampires - How to Recognize and Avoid Them

Time Vampires

Are just exactly what they sound like... things that will suck the life out of your time management plan. They can, and will, sneak up on you if you're not paying attention.

In this article I'm going to teach you about time vampires... specifically how to recognize and avoid them.

Television

I am not a TV watcher, I never have been but I do have a TV in my kitchen, and I'll turn it on while I'm cooking. I personally usually turn it on the Weather channel but more and more here recently I let my daughter turn it on NCIS. This was not a good thing because I kind of got used to watching TV... okay I got addicted... but only to this one show.

So, while I was cooking I would turn on the TV and start watching this show. The time vampire part comes in because even if it only took me 40 minutes to cook, of course, I had to watch the rest of the 20 minutes and if it was a two-parter... which it always seemed to be when I was watching... then I was really sucked in.

Now that's not always bad but, for the most part, I really don't have time to watch two hours of TV. So I have to be real careful and if I really don't have time to watch I just won't turn that show on.

After all, it's pretty easy to walk away from the Weather Channel if needed.

Email

Another time vampire, for I think most of us, is email. It's become such a problem in my own life that I spent a large portion of the day yesterday unsubscribing to a lot of people. These were people who I had subscribed to for a reason.

The problem was that my life got more and more focused. I realized I just didn't have the time to open these 10 emails each day. Even if I spent only five minutes on each one that would add up to almost an hour a day that I could spend with my daughter or on a hobby. I knew this so I just didn't open them. Unfortunately, that caused a clog in my email and once every 2 or 3 months I'd have to go through and erase them all.

I've recently gotten serious about singing and I'd rather spend that 50 minutes a day singing instead of going through emails.

That's really the crux of it is to think about whether you want to spend time on this time vampire or spend it on something else because you only have so much time and once it's gone... it's gone.

Indecision

One last time vampire I want to talk about and that's indecision. It can sometimes be paralyzing in that you don't know what to do next. You have three things you need to do and you just can't decide which to do so you take off and do something else.

Avoid These Time Vampires

By conscious effort. Give each of these time vampires the proverbial stake-in-the-heart. That's the only thing that will work.

Don't turn on the TV.

Only sign into your email account once or twice per day and then do so with a time limit.

Have a to do list (that may or may not include time for watching TV and checking email).

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas.

Time Management Course - How to Efficiently Manage Your Time

Time is the single most valuable asset for anyone on this planet. It waits for no one and paces on ahead leaving you behind unless you know how to make the best out of it. So no matter what occupation you are in, you need to study effective time management to climb up the success ladder. Many people tend to think that working long hours will make them more productive and successful, but this is far from the truth. It only leaves you tired and stressed out making you incapable for the next day's work. So, if you feel that you need to learn how to use the precious seconds efficiently, then enroll for a good time management course which will teach you to do just that.

Wasting your precious time is like wasting away your life. One of the first things that you will learn at a management course is how to prioritize your tasks. It is very important to sort out what needs to be done first and what can wait for the last. A little thought at your activities of the day will help you sort out what needs to be finished quickly and eliminate all unnecessary activities that take a lot of time and do not yield any results. Personal time management is equally important as this helps you to get to work on time and also manage your professional and personal life better.

At work, time management means that you get more hours to spend to focus on things that are really important. If you work in the upper echelons of a company, then having more minutes can help you interact and bond better with your team members and subordinates. This can greatly help to boost morale and confidence which will only help to generate more work and hence more success. You also get time to focus on your career-related goals and work towards achieving these in the right manner. It is important that you get enrolled in a reputed time management course and not any mediocre ones which have nothing new to teach you.

Such training programs use a combination of seminars, conferences, class room training, debates and also worksheets to help you manage your time effectively. A productive day spent in office also means that you get more time in your personal life with your family and loved ones which only encourages you to work better the next day. Searching online is one of the best ways by which you can find a good time management course to utilize the ticking away seconds effectively.

Prioritizing your activities and learning to manage time effectively can help you both in your personal and professional life. For this, it is important that you learn how to use your hours efficiently and get maximum work done; these are the things that are focused on in a time management course. To know the best courses available in your location, visit http://www.icml.com.au/

How to Prioritize Your Workload So You Can Accomplish As Much As Possible

Too often we make our to do list and, with all the best intentions of just whipping out our trusted pencil and crossing off item after item, we start with the simplest thing because, after all, we can get that done quickly and that's our goal, right? Then we start on the next simplest thing... and on and on.

We may get a lot done, but did we get the right things done? Did we get done the things that will most impact our lives? Isn't that what we're trying to achieve?

In this article I'm going to teach you how to prioritize your workload so you can accomplish as much as possible. This is an essential component in any time management plan.

First,

Have an overall plan. This will include all tasks, both large and small, that you need to complete during your selected time period whether that's over the next week, month, or year.

For most of us, that's going to be a weekly plan. We're just trying to live through soccer season with the twice weekly practices followed by the weekly games.

(I know, as soon as that season is over, another activity kicks in and you have a whole different schedule.)

Second,

With your master to-do list see if you can fashion some kind of workable schedule out of all the tasks you've listed. Literally filling in the spaces in a planner will enable you to see exactly where each task fits best based on what's going on around it.

This will allow you to spread out the tasks that are going to require more time and effort so that you don't end up with several big projects to do on a Friday. Or, alternately, so you don't burn yourself out on Monday or Tuesday thereby making yourself less productive the rest of the week simply because you panicked about getting everything done and run yourself ragged.

Done correctly, you should be able to clearly see where you can interweave big projects with small projects so that your overall day is comprised of larger tasks alternated with smaller ones. This will greatly increase your productivity level while simultaneously decreasing your stress level.

You will get more done and be a happier healthier person while doing it for the simple reason that you're not all stressed out.

So there you have it. We've covered the two steps needed for you to learn how to prioritize you workload so you can accomplish as much as possible.

Now, go be productive.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

Need to Be More Productive? Follow These 5 Tips

Chances are you've complained that there are "only" 24 hours in a day. Between work, your spouse, the kids, and all of your responsibilities around the house, making the most out of those 24 hours is crucial. If you're like most people, your productivity could use a boost.

So, how do you do it?

Follow these 5 tips. They can help you get more done without feeling like you're running around like a chicken with your head cut off!

1. Get up earlier.

This is probably the last thing you want to hear, but being rushed in the morning sets the tone for the entire day - and it's not a good tone. If you currently go running out of bed and into the shower, then out the door with coffee in hand, you're just unnecessarily stressing yourself out. By getting up an hour earlier, you can give your brain a chance to wake up and prioritize the rest of your day - without being rushed.

2. Never multi-task.

Some people brag about their ability to multi-task, but how focused can they really be on six different things at once? If you really want to be productive, focus on one task at a time. That way, you can give you full attention to it - which increases your chances of doing it well. By focusing on one thing at a time, you'll start to notice you actually get things done much faster.

3. Avoid "Smartphone Syndrome".

With all of those apps, social networking shortcuts, emails, and games, is it any wonder that most people are completely fascinated by their smartphones? However, all of the tapping, texting, and browsing you're doing is getting in the way of the rest of your day.

If you really want to be productive, turn off your smartphone and check it on your lunch break. Don't worry... that witty email from your buddy or that funny comment on your Facebook wall will still be there.

4. Hire a virtual assistant.

It may sound like something a celebrity would get, but virtual assistants are easy to find and inexpensive to have. By outsourcing menial tasks, you can focus on the more important issues that require your personal attention.

There are plenty of VA companies out there. Or, you can head to websites like Fiverr to find people who are willing to do easy work for low prices.

5. Give time wasters the heave-ho.

Every office has one - the guy who spends most of his day going from desk to desk, shooting the breeze. Sure, having social interaction is a great way to keep your sanity during the work day, but having too much of it can be a bad thing. If you get distracted by conversations, you're never going to get your work done - and you'll only wind up getting more stressed out.

So, what do you do? Politely tell your office time-wasters that you'd love to catch up later - as soon as you finish your current project. If you want, you can spend your lunch hour chit-chatting with co-workers. If you're consistently polite, you won't have to worry about hurting anyone's feelings - and you won't have to worry about getting distracted from your work.

Tony Mase is a serious student of the works of Wallace D. Wattles and the publisher of the "A Powerful Life: The Lost Writings of Wallace D. Wattles" ebook that includes "Time" by Wallace D. Wattles along with twenty-four other rare books and articles by Wallace D. Wattles. Grab your copy now at: http://www.wallacedwattles.com/

Time Management Techniques - How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty

One of the Best Time Management Techniques

A person can implement is to just say "No." Unfortunately, one of the hardest things for a person to do is...you guessed it... just say "No." One of the biggest reasons is because, in many people, that word conjures up nearly unmanageable feelings of guilt.

If you fall into that category then this article was written for you with the express purpose of simplifying your life, improving your life, and reclaiming some of the time appropriated from you by people who know you as a person who can't say that two letter word.

When you finish this article you will have learned how to say "No" without feeling guilty.

First, Think About Guilt

It's simply the feeling that you are declining to do something you feel you should do. But why do you feel you should do the task? Is it because no one else can/will do it? Is it because you are one of those people who feel you should do everything that's asked of you? Really think about this. Search deep for the reason you feel the need to say "Yes" to things you don't want to do.

Second, Realize What That Yes Means

And that you only have so much time in a day. Therefore, a "Yes" here means an automatic "No" somewhere else. Will that be aimed at your spouse or child? That should give you incentive to learn to say "No" to someone else.

In the beginning when you're trying to get away from agreeing to do things you don't want to do purposely plan something with your spouse or child for the exact same time that someone wants you to do whatever it is you'd like to say "No" to and eventually it will be easier for that word to spring forth from your mouth.

For instance, say a friend asks you to do something on Thursday night at 8 pm. Immediately think of something else you'd like to do with someone else you'd like to do it with and then make the mental plan to do that thing. An example may be read a bedtime story to your child. If you'd really rather be reading to your child at that time then you just made the time to do that.

Another great way to make it easier to say "No" is to have someone...say, a friend...who is pretty much always available for...oh, we'll say coffee and chatting. Have this agreement that whenever someone asks you to do something you don't want to do she'll meet you for coffee. Now you should have no problem saying "No" because there's something you'd really rather be doing.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas.

Time Management and Students: Best Practices

The relationship between time management and students is a tenuous one at best. Ask pretty much any student about their time management plan, and I would bet that the majority of the time you'd get rolling eyes and a belly laugh, followed by a "Yeah right, I'd love to have some time to manage"!

While everyone knows they need to get better at managing their time few seem to actually have the time to devote to creating even a short-term plan. Instead, they run around just surviving (sometimes barely) always meaning to do better tomorrow or next week.

Sound familiar?

There is a concept called best practice which is a way of doing things using some technique that can be relied upon to provide superior results as compared to results achieved by other means. Translated...it's the way to go to get to where you want to be in life. It really is simple...figure out what works and do it. It works for companies and it'll work for you.

What are some of the best practices of time management and students?

· Don't Neglect Your Family- They are, after all, what you're working for. When you can't spend time with them right now make future plans. It will give everyone something to look forward to.

· Make Time for Studying- Part of our self-esteem comes from how we perform in areas such as academics. We identify ourselves to a large degree by our performance (e.g., GPA, Honor Societies) and it just feels better when we do at least adequate in our classes.

· Save Time to Make Time- When you unexpectedly save time somewhere don't just waste it. Use it for spending time with your child or spouse. An example may be there are leftovers for dinner so you will save that time you would normally be cooking thereby making time for family.

· Allow Yourself to Recharge- Sometimes enough is enough. Sometimes you just can't do anymore. When I was a senior in college I had this one class that just whipped my butt. The previous week I'd had a rough week with midterms in my other 3 classes and the bad class's one was coming up on Monday. On Sunday morning I woke at about 7:00 am and began reading. I was beyond exhausted and only studied about half an hour before I laid over on the couch and slept for 2 hours. I woke up studied for about half an hour and fell asleep for 3 hours. I woke up studied for another half an hour and fell asleep for 4 hours. I went to sleep early that night, slept all night and woke the next morning feeling somewhat refreshed. The strange thing was that I did just as well on that midterm as if I'd studied as much as I'd been planning to. It really hit home how I'd run myself down. I never did it again to that extent even though I've pulled many all-nighters since then. It's a different story when it's a short-term situation.

There you have a short list of some of what I'd consider best practices for students where time management is concerned.

Download my free ebook about Time Management and Students where you'll find ideas for time management in several crucial areas where we all struggle. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

Time Management on the Job - How to Be More Productive at Work

Time management is a skill you can improve. To improve your time management skills, you need to know what to focus on, and how to focus.

Here are ten ways you can use to improve your time management skills over time:

Work on the high ROI stuff. Apply Pareto's Principle (The "80/20 Rule"). Work on the 20% of activities that produce the 80% of your results. For example, rather than just do a lot of tasks just because they are easy to do, ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish?" Chances are you can find smarter or better plays, with more leverage or more impact. Trade-up, and do less to accomplish more.
Team up. Pair up with other people and improve your own effectiveness. Ask yourself, "Who can I team up with to get results? How can I build more effective teams? Who should be paired up on the team for best results?" By pairing up, you create a team of capabilities and you can amplify your results. This can also help you get over your own personal bottlenecks, by finding complimentary skills. Worst case, you can make common chores, more fun.
Create clarity. Ask yourself, "Who, what, when, where, why, how?" Having clarity of mind makes it easy to focus on what's important. It also makes it easy to know where you are in the process. The bottom line is, clarity saves you time.
Clear your mind. Carry a small pad for tasks, notes and ideas. When you declutter your mind, you make it easier to act on your ideas, and you have more of your attention available to focus where it counts.
Don't dwell on the past. Catch the next train. Keep your trains leaving the station. When you miss one, don't hold your train back. Instead, catch the next one.
Learn how to scan. Find and focus on what's important faster. By scanning before drilling, you can figure out where to invest more of your time. You can also avoid spending too much time following dead end trails.
Make minor decisions quickly. Don't spend $20 on a $5 problem. Decisions take energy. If you over-invest in small decisions, then you waste your time and energy.
Periodically evaluate how you're using your time. Remember that time changes what's important. Your current schedule may be a slave to your past priorities, or may conflict with your current goals.
Give yourself less time for things. Remember Parkinson's Law - Work expands to fill the time available to completion. To waste less time, give yourself less time.
Use The Rule of Three. Use The Rule of Three to avoid getting overwhelmed. Limit yourself to three things and think in threes. For example, identify three wins to focus on for the day, or three wins to focus on for the week. Use these three wins to improve your focus and create compelling results.

You can apply these tips on a regular basis. One simple way is to keep asking yourself, are you working on the right things, at the right time, with the right energy, the right way. It's an easy way to find opportunities to improve your time management skills while you apply the ideas above. Remember that, a little daily improvement, will quickly add up over time.

About the Author

J.D. Meier created the time management system, Getting Results the Agile Way, which is a simple system for meaningful results. You can take Getting Results the Agile Way for a test-drive by checking out the free time management training system, 30 Day Boot Camp for Getting Results.

Busy Is Seldom Efficient, Effective or Productive

As we near the end of another year; are you any closer to realising your goals this time round? Or do you feel disillusioned, where you feel like you have given your all, spent the year frantically busy, but your results indicate that you have, just been spinning your wheels, yet again. You feel trapped on a hamster wheel of constant frantic activity, overwhelm and discontentment, where each year seems to just blend into the next one and nothing seems to change. Benjamin Franklin said it so well when he said "Don't confuse motion with action"

I want to offer you some practical tools and tips, to help you to finally break free from this frustrating cycle of discontentment and frustration. Your current ineffective, unproductive and inefficient daily routines are clearly not working; it is now time to build a new success habit set that will serve you better and allow you to turn your time and effort into success.

Go back to basics and address, these few crucial issues:

Create a clear vision of what you want to achieve each year.Build momentum and maintain direction, by turning this vision into a set of clearly defined goals.Prioritise and choose only one banner goal or huge hairy audacious goal, which would completely change your life if you achieved it.This one goal is all you are going to focus on this year.Break this goal back into a number of smaller, bite size projects. These projects are far more believable and make achieving your banner goal feel possible. As you travel on your success journey through the year and complete each project, you move one step closer to creating the life of your dreams.Break your year back into four 90 day segments.Choose three projects to complete during each 90- day segment. The secret to finally begin to see results is to focus all your attention on a maximum of three projects at a time.Break each project back and build an action list of individual actions, for each project. These are individual actions that you will take every day, which will help you to complete each project.These action lists are your source documents and are the foundation of the process I am going to describe to you below.

Now that you have documents detailing exactly what needs to be done every day, it is time to develop a daily routine that will help you to consistently carry out these actions. There are three major issues you need to address, to ensure that you actually get to make a difference in your life from this moment forward. The first one is the new habit, where you schedule time into your schedule every day, to carry out the actions from your action lists. The second one is a set of guidelines, routines and commitments you make with yourself, to help you consistently take the actions every day. Finally you need to measure your performance, daily, weekly and monthly, to ensure that the actions you are taking, are indeed delivering the desired results.

Meet Your Future

This is a really simple concept, where you schedule time into your itinerary every day to carry out the activities from your action lists. Each Sunday, during your weekly planning session, set time slots aside every day, in your dairy, to finally start working on your goals. These are unchangeable time slots that are penned into your dairy and nothing short of a fire or major crisis can change them. When you are "Meeting Your Future" every day, close your door, disconnect your telephone and ensure that nothing can disturb you. This is your special time where you work on your future and a crucial part of the reason why next year, is going to finally result in progress. By strictly adhering to this one new success principal, you will finally start to see results and within a reasonable time you will eventually realise your banner goal and completely change your life.

Code of personal Achievement

This is a daily commitment that you make with yourself to carry out five crucial tasks, which will promote your success and allow you to develop a new success habit set. Look at your banner goal and identify five actions, which, if you carried them out every day, would help you to achieve it. Now introduce these into your daily routine and apply sufficient willpower, to ensure that you carry out all five of these activities every day. Your head must never hit the pillow each night until these five activities are complete. How you choose to introduce these new daily routines into your life depends on your own unique circumstances. You could either use the time set aside each day to "Meet Your Future" to carry out these activities or you could make them a part of your normal daily schedule. I have found both have their place and depending on what you are attempting to achieve, either can serve you.

Science has shown that it takes about 90 days for any new activity that you repeat, to become part of your habit set. It will thus take substantial willpower initially to carry out these five activities, but over time, as you get closer and closer to the 90 days, the activities will just become part of your habit set. After each 90 days passes and you will have replaced your old unproductive habits with a new success habit set. If you apply this principal in your life, you could have introduced 20 new success habits into your life each year. Imagine how your life will transform, with 20 new success habits introduced each year.

Performance Management System

Whatever gets measured gets done. This is a simple system that starts during the planning process. A set of measurement criterion are established, to measure your progress, daily, weekly and monthly, to assess if the actions you are taking are keeping you moving in the right direction you want. If your actions are delivering the outcomes you want, keep doing them if not then have the foresight and courage to change them for ones that do. This is an on-going and never ending process of Plan, Do, Review and Improve. As the year progresses, keep repeating this cycle until you complete each project.

This system I have described above is really simple and easy to do. The only challenge you have is that as easy as this process is to do, so easy is it not to do. Make a different choice this year and give this a try, I guarantee you will enjoy far better results if you do.

http://www.andrewhorton.co.za

Hi my name is Andrew Horton; I am an inspirational Speaker, Master Teacher, Radio and TV Host, Global Traveler and Author. My area of focus is in the field of human behavior, expanded awareness and enlightenment. I travel the planet constantly researching, learning and seeking ways to unlock the mysteries of the human mind. I delve into the inner workings of the universe, always looking for ways to understand my role in making things better and contributing to the improvement of the human experience. Please visit my website to sign up for a daily inspirational message, by following this link Daily Inspirational Message. This is your daily call to action, a reminder to do things better each day. Visit my website at http://www.andrewhorton.co.za/

Don't Waste Time With Time Management

We've all heard of the concept of Time Management, but how many of us would claim that we have really mastered it?

How do you succeed at managing your time? There is more to it than simply having and following a schedule, as anybody who has tried this approach knows. Trying to organise what you already do in a day to fit into a smaller space of time will not be possible simply because you type it up and print it out as an itinerary or write it down in a planner. For this reason we talk instead about Time Leverage, a more practical approach to making sure that your time is being used as effectively as possible.

Time is a restricted resource.

Some companies may have bigger start-up funds or a better network of potential clients, but everybody is gifted the same amount of time in a day. Planning how to use the time you are given should not be a matter of working through a to-do list as fast as you possibly can. Whilst this may make you super efficient, it may not be moving you towards your goals. For instance, you may be incredibly organised in checking your mail and emails daily, with a small or empty inbox, but if you never find a moment to email or call a potential new client or an important contact, you simply remain static, performing tasks which will not move you closer to your or your organisation's goals.

Be effective, not just efficient.

You will hopefully, as a business owner, already have identified a set of goals for yourself and your company. Knowing what these goals are can be frustrating if you never seem to be able to spare a moment to take any steps towards achieving them. By implementing Time Leverage, you should be able to get your essential daily tasks done whilst also moving in the right direction in terms of your bigger goals.

If you are not a new business owner, but running an established company, you may be feeling that it is time to try something new. As with all other elements of business, if what you are currently doing is not achieving the results you would like, trying to do the same but in greater volumes probably won't help either. Trying to force there to be more hours in a day is not an effective or viable strategy for getting more done.

Be honest with yourself.

The principle is a simple one, which involves you thinking about your time and your tasks in advance, being honest with yourself and ruthless with your to-do list. You should identify the tasks at which you excel, and those which are pivotal to your daily running and your aims. Another important thing to consider is whether or not a task needs to be done by you. Delegation is a crucial skill to anybody hoping to run a successful business. If you are a small company, you might consider outsourcing certain elements of your company.

By allowing other professionals to take on certain tasks, everybody ends up doing what they are best at, the perfect recipe for productivity and progression. Making use of the skills and knowledge of others in this way (instead of struggling, trying to achieve everything independently), you will free up time and energy, allowing you to manage more of the tasks which will move you towards your ultimate goals.

Be realistic.

Being realistic with yourself is another important part of Time Leverage. Your business is not likely to be the only demand on your time, as everybody needs to dedicate some of their day to other obligations and pastimes, such as family members, running a household, sports and hobbies. If you set yourself unachievable targets, you will never achieve everything that you would like to in a day. This is a bad practice, creating a disheartening moment each morning when you sit at your desk and try to find time to complete the tasks you did not get around to yesterday.

In order to eliminate this sense of remaining static or falling constantly behind, you should identify the most productive actions on your list and discard the rest temporarily. How do you choose which tasks are the most important? Think of your goal and work backwards. Ask yourself which tasks will bring you closer to your aim and which ones don't contribute towards it at all. By doing so, you extract yourself from what you are currently doing and re-focus your thought on where you are headed and how you are going to get there.

Think of a long car journey that you have never taken before.

Would you set off without looking your route up online or studying a map? If you would, you would probably spend a lot of time trying to figure out from road signs which direction you should be travelling, perhaps missing junctions or turnings and having to double back. This is classic time wasting which could be avoided with a little advance thinking and your daily achievements are no different.

Once you know your destination and have worked out your route, you will be surprised at how your subconscious begins to achieve these goals for you. Even in your downtime, you may be able to think through a task, allowing you to complete it quickly when the time comes to tackle it. By breaking down your larger goals into smaller, time-scaled achievements, you can work your way through them and progress towards the endgame.

Trying to manage time is a waste of it.

You have only twenty-four hours in any given day. For most people, just over a third of these will be working hours. You can try to fit more in by working overtime, but this is not a real solution to the problem and encroaches upon the time you require for your other commitments, as discussed earlier. There is no reason for your leisure time to suffer, with the right approach. By identifying a way to plan your time and your tasks which works for you and helps you to directly achieve what it is you want (both in your business and your personal life), you will find that much of the stress disappears out of trying to manage your time. You will see results of a greater impact much quicker.

Laura Ashley-Timms is Director of Business Coaching at BusinessCoaching.co.uk. As well as 1-to-1 coaching, Laura has designed Business Success Strategies - a low cost audio coaching programme to ensure business success

Time Management Tips - Create Effective Boundaries Using 5 Essential Questions

Time management tips give you power. Setting successful time boundaries is one of the most significant time management skills you can develop. Once you cultivate the understanding of how to say "no" to distractions, and make it stick, you own your time.

Boundaries fail all the time, of course. How often do you personally approach setting boundaries with reluctance, with undue force, or avoid the challenge altogether? Well, it doesn't have to be that way!

Your key to success lies in sorting 2 things out:
Where can you put a boundary in place regardless of others' response? Where is it not only helpful but also essential to negotiate with others?

Most boundaries require both independent action and negotiating. So it's for you to distinguish between the two sets of actions. Once you do, you will experience enormous relief! You can then move forward proactively in all areas where that is appropriate, and openly negotiate where you need to. This reduces power-struggling and encourages genuine collaboration.

Earlier articles in this series discuss how to frame boundaries to claim all your proactive power. This article discusses 5 vital questions to help you anchor your new boundary with effective negotiation.

5 Essential Questions for Effectively Negotiating Time Boundaries

To set effective boundaries, you must identify your priorities, your strengths, and where success will require collaboration. Get ready to negotiate by working with the following 5 questions:
What issues are non-negotiable?
Let's say you need two hours of undisturbed time one day a week to function at your best. Write down exactly how this benefits you and your overall effectiveness. The more you focus on the actual goal, the more creatively you can approach how that goal will be implemented. Don't confuse firmness with rigidity!
Exactly where are you willing to compromise?
Listing typical activities you engage in on a particular day can help you spot what commitments you can delegate, drop or postpone during this two hour private time. Again, keeping your long-range objectives in mind might help you rethink outworn routines.
What issues require consensus?
Your commitments help shape your relationships. Respect is just as important as assertiveness when you make big changes. How does your taking a block of undisturbed time affect others' plans? Make a list of potential problem areas. The boundary won't be "watertight" until those issues are resolved.
What sort of cooperation will be needed?
You may not need cooperation to simply refuse to take calls for one day a week. But you need to have an agreed-upon process to handle emergencies. As you clarify what's of central importance to you, others' priorities may become more defined, as well. It's ideal if you can approach setting boundaries as an opportunity to renew and revitalize relationships.
What outcomes can you let go of?
Boundaries are exercises in selective control. Others have the right to try to change your mind (though you don't need to oblige them). Then again, you may choose to delegate tasks you'd formerly reserved for yourself. When you let go of responsibility, you may forfeit control over the outcome. How will you feel if others become more autonomous? Your boundaries may challenge you to grow in new directions, too!

Any number of win/win options exist. So consider doing some extensive brainstorming before setting boundaries. Then you'll be well prepared to craft satisfying resolutions.

So, what is your very first step in setting the kinds of boundaries that really give you back your time?

For a strong start, sign up for our free gift, "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" at http://thetimefinder.com/Template.html

This time template will help you move beyond overwhelm, disappointment, and frustration. Using a workbook format, with room to record your answers, you will discover that 24 hours really are enough!

Offered by Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert.

5 Steps to Take to Start to Prioritize Your Workload

A Must at the Beginning of any Time Management Plan

Is to figure out how to prioritize your workload. While it's not difficult...it can be very intimidating. You've got this list that's only in your head and, because of that, it can appear to be magnified and disjointed and even...dare I say... scary.

The reason prioritization is important is because you really can't figure out what to do first, what can be postponed, and what to let slide until you have...as the old saying goes...your ducks in a row.

In this article I'm going to teach you the steps to take to start to prioritize your workload.

First, Make a List Of Everything You Have To Do...Everything.

You can make this a work-related schedule or...like I do, include all tasks even cooking dinner and picking up kids. Just quickly jot them all down as fast as you can think of them. Don't slow down as our brain works much faster than we can write.

Second, Figure Out the Importance of Each Task

Not all tasks have the same importance. For instance, let's say you really wanted to bake those Christmas cupcakes for your child's class but, with the approaching holidays, you have way too much to do and can't possibly fit it in. After looking at your to do list you determine that...as much as you hate it...that's one thing that could slide if absolutely necessary.

The time savings of making a trip to a warehouse club like Sam's club or Costco (or even Walmart) simply can't be ignored. Console yourself with the fact that your child would probably love to help pick them out too.

Third, Figure Out Where Each Task Fits Best

If something has to be done by 10 am then it fits in the morning...period. Fit other things around that task. Fit as many tasks in as you can. Treat them like a jigsaw puzzle and see how tasks can fit together or flow together.

By fit together I mean multitasking and by flow together I mean one task naturally follows from the first...kind of like scheduling a dry cleaning run after stopping at the grocery store.

Fourth, Delegate If You Can

Spouse, family, and friends can be wonderful help if you ask (which we don't do often enough). Who knows, if you're really time conscious, you may even...unbelievably as it sounds...be able to help them out one day.

For instance, with the cupcakes mentioned above, suppose a friend had time to bake them while she was cooking for her family. You could frost them later with your child and still have that experience and save money at the same time.

At some point you may be able to similarly help this person out. with something such as picking up something from the grocery store for her while you're already there...thereby saving her a trip.

Fifth, Cross Off Your List

Anything that you'd like to do but you simply can't do yourself, delegate, or postpone. This includes tasks that have to be done by a certain time. You know you can only do so much. Just remember, you'll be remembered best (most often) by things you do...not by the things you didn't do. They'll remember the cupcakes no matter where they came from.

If You Follow These Steps

You'll get much more done and isn't that one of the main goals of any time management plan.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

The Most Important Time Management Tips For College Students

College involves a lot of preparations and adjustments. In some ways it is one of the hardest stages in a person's life.

There are some students who face the difficulty of having to work very hard to prove not only to themselves but to other people that they are worthy of getting into college and finishing it successfully with a degree.

To do all that is needed to succeed in college, proper time management is necessary.

You will make college life easier by managing and scheduling your time wisely.

Here are important ways to manage your time successfully in college:

* Learning how to decide which things are most important, and setting up all of the things that need to be done in an order of importance, is learning how to prioritize. Some say this is the most vital part of time management.

* Separately and in addition to a schedule, make a list of the most important things that need to be done, and then place the items you have listed in order from most to least important.

* Do not postpone difficult and hard tasks. Instead, break them into smaller parts if possible. Always make sure to start difficult assignments long ahead of the time they are due, and to devote the necessary time to them on a regular basis until they are completed.

* At the very minimum while you are commuting to your college classes, if you are going on a bus or train (but NOT if you are driving yourself!), you could be "multi-tasking" by reviewing your class notes. This can help you both be prepared for the upcoming class period you are on your to, and also will be helpful to you on your exams.

* Analyze your use of time over the course of an average weekday. Your goal in doing this is to estimate how much time you on average use for your daily activities. You can even extend the analysis for longer than a day, even up to a full week or even more. Another important goal of the exercise is to find and end (or decrease as much as possible) the activities that are wasting time (not including sleeping and breaks, of course).

* Have a time schedule for every day, and do your best to follow it. Include all things on your time schedule, including eating, sleeping, and yes, even the time for short breaks in between studying. You should also in addition to this have a schedule for each week, each month, and even for the entire semester. Viewing the different time frames like that brings clarity and should help you with time management in college.

* Being able to say "No" (politely, of course). There are going to be times when you must say "No" to whatever fun activities someone invites you to, that is at the same time that you for sure need to be studying for the big test the next day.

Learning proper time management for college is very important. Learning these things early on will help you be prepared for the life ahead of you. Time management skills will be important tools in achieving the life of your dreams.

David Love is the author of "Get Good Grades In College Now". Read more about his top ideas for Time Management here.

The Consequences of Inefficient Time Management on the Work of the Average Office Employee

The present days globalized high stakes society requires us to do a lot more. It requires us to generate continuously better overall results.

The reason why this is demanding is the fact that we aren't only required to generate more, but all the things we generate will have to be of an even higher quality.

If you are to be able to deliver more you may either spend a longer time or maybe you could study time management skills and boost your effectiveness.

Either way gets results, but there's a limit to how much time you can work, in the end you simply have 24 hours/day.

The Way I Doubled My Effectiveness

Several years ago I'd been granted the honour to start a new office for my employer.

I went from a common manager role to finding myself in charge of advertising, hiring, sales and all of the fun administrational duties that is included in it.

I know what you're thinking, delegate!

The challenge was that there was no one for me to outsource to, I was all alone at the office.

Everything was my responsibility;

Sure, as we built I'd have the possibility to start delegating, but when I started I had to do the whole thing myself.

I started working my regular 8 to 5 but recognized I simply couldn't keep up.I had no choice but to work for longer and longer, very quickly I worked from 7:30 to 10 every single day (On weekends it was enough with 9-17).

This was absolutely not sustainable and I knew I had to make a change.

I spoke with my managers but the only thing they could do was offer some tips concerning how to work faster, I spoke with my friends who advised me to give up.

Luckily I got advice from one of my clients to read about time management.

I read books by Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy and David Allen. Suddenly I was back on track. I began delivering better and better returns. I could start returning home earlier and earlier, in the beginning 9 pm then 8 pm, 7 and then finally at 5 pm like my associates.

The strategies listed below are those that rescued me. You could be using some right now, however, if you are not using all of them, test them out and you will start seeing an improvement in how much you can deliver.

Plan Your Weeks

Begin by writing down whatever you are aware of will have to be carried out throughout the week (this list can be stored, as the standard week looks largely the same), next, I plan it all out.

What do I do Monday, what Tuesday et cetera.

I have got a standard plan for what I do each day and can from there organize it to make me be as efficient as possible.

The ABC Method - Organizing Your Days

Prioritization is the bread and butter of time management. Choosing your most crucial job and staying with it until it is completely finished could help you save numerous of time.

There are 5 forms of jobs (in order of priority).

A - Tasks with severe long-term repercussions.

They're jobs that, if done, could have a great impact on your long run achievement.

B - Tasks with moderate long run consequences

C - Minor long-term consequences

D - Tasks that should be assigned to other people.

E - Tasks that must be eradicated.

They could actually have a damaging effect on your long term if completed.

Prioritize at the start of your day

Each morning check out the tasks you have planned for the day and allocate them a letter.

When you have multiple of a letter call them A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2 and so on.

Begin with your most important task and work through the list

The Bottom line

If you use these two straightforward methods your days will certainly be a lot more efficient and you'll be able to produce ever more every day. You'll deliver better results which will help you progress forwards swiftly in your job.

Daniel M. Wood is a personal development coach and trainer. He has a background in Psychology, Sales, marketing and sports. Through his work with students around the world he has created the course "The Time Management Expert Course" that has helped hundreds of people decrease stress, increase their motivation and become a lot more efficient.

The course teaches you how to get control over your life and make room to be both spontaneous and relaxed.

Check out the course and see how it can help you.

Time Management Is a Bunch of Nonsense, I'll Prove It!

If you go into a bookstore, you'll notice all kinds of books on time management. Most of them talk about things you can do around your environment such as turning off cell phones, turning off your computer, setting a schedule and following through with it every day. What you'll start to notice is they all say basically the same thing.

I consider myself one hyper guy. I'm constantly moving and having to move. My mind runs in 50 different directions at once all day, so it's tough for me to really focus and concentrate. I needed to learn a better way that would work for me and a way to allow myself to become more productive.

I learned first of all that time management was really kind of nonsense. You may be asking yourself, how can that be? Well first of all time doesn't really exist. Time is something we came up with as humans. The human mind, which is us, created clocks and time pieces that would allow us to keep better track of our day, which allows us to organize.

After many years, it's become so conditioned inside our heads that people actually talk about time like it's the ruler of their lives. I hear people say things like, "I don't have any time." They say, "When I find some time." It's almost like time has become a tangible object, as if we control TIME.

I don't know...what I do know is that when it's 4 pm MST here it's 4 pm the next day somewhere across the world. I also understand that lions, bears and other animals don't wear watches....

I mean, I didn't see my neighbor's dog this morning wearing a watch telling his owner, "WOOF! WOOF! Hey owner, hurry up here, we're running late to the dog park. What's your problem? You act like we have all kinds of time."

The point is that time doesn't really exist. It's almost as if it's an illusion. It's something we've all made up in our heads.

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my...nope they don't use time-they use nature and instinct.

Here's the lesson:

What I've learned is that what we can control is ourselves and it's not really about time management. It's about self-management. Once we learn to master our own lives and our own selves, that's when we start to get things done and we create value to the world and in return, we get more done.

Brian Zimmerman is a top leader in the home business industry. He is known for developing top producers and leaders. His last venture he assisted top infomercial company increase profits by over 300% in less than a year earning well over 1.5 million a week. To schedule an interview with Mr. Zimmerman call 1 720 230 6773. For information on his latest endeavor go to http://www.homebusinesscures.com/

The Magic of Being Early

Some people find it easy to get up early and start their day whereas there are others who are late risers and have great difficulties getting up early in the morning. A report published by The telegraph in the United Kingdom states that early risers are slimmer, healthier and happier than their counterparts who have the urge to sleep in after the alarm has gone off.

The report further states that "morning people" usually start their day at 6.58am whereas "evening people" tend to start their day as late as 8.45 am. "Morning people" could end up doing better in life as they can get their chores and important work done early.

In addition to this, early risers are likely to have lesser stress as they can avoid waiting in lines for things such as coffee or supermarket checkout lines.

Being early enables you to save money as well. There are certain countries which allow you to save on transport fees when you take the subway before 7.30am. By paying your bills early, you can improve your credit rating. There are instances where being early can save you a substantial sum of money. For instance, if you send your car in for a regular tune up early, you can avoid the pain of paying for a huge repair bill if your car is ever caught in the middle of the Las Vegas desert with a flat tyre.

Being early gives you more options. For instance, if you are already running late for a meeting, the best option would be to ride in a cab. However if you are early, you can decide to take the subway, bus or take a leisurely stroll after breakfast. This also applies to your work as well. If you get started preparing for your presentation early, you can have more time to prepare for it, giving yourself time to add anecdotes, quotes etc. etc. However if you were to start planning for a presentation the night before, you will have to rush through everything. If students were to prepare early for their exams, they can avoid the stress associated with last-minute cramming and perhaps enjoy their studies more. Getting started early allows you to avoid deadline stress.

You can increase your productivity, save time and feel more relaxed and calm if you can begin the habit of being early in almost everything you do.

Start early and experience the magic of being early.

Cindy Siow is the owner of the website MyFirstMagicButton.
MyFirstMagicButton is a system that enables virtually anyone to create an extra stream of passive income right from the comfort of their home.
It's like having your own 'magic button' where you can spin off cash almost like clockwork.
For a limited time only, you can claim the blueprints to creating your own 'Magic Button' by visiting http://www.myfirstmagicbutton.com/

How to Set a Daily Routine and Stick to It

One thing we all struggle with is coming up with a workable daily routine. This is like the "Holy Grail" of time management. Some people would even go so far as to say that you couldn't be successful without one.

This article will cover the basics of how to set a daily routine and stick to it along with some mistakes concerning creating daily routines that I've coached people successfully through.

Be Flexible

Realize that just because it's best for you to exercise on Monday at 9 am that same time may not work on Tuesday...or any other day for that matter. But that's ok, it works for Monday.

Also, what I personally do is make sure I have a buffer time in the evening in case something came up during the day and I didn't get everything done that I needed to. I know a routine is...by its very definition...pretty set, but, let's face it, sometimes things come up that are out of our control... a kid sick or a car in the shop, to name just a couple.

So, if I stayed up late Monday night working and sleep in Tuesday morning and miss my exercise time, I have that buffer that evening when I could make it up.

Mistakes

I've known of people who didn't exercise because they couldn't fit it every day into their schedule at the same time. They actually went weeks without exercising until I sat them down and got out a good old fashioned planner and we scheduled every day. One day it may be in the morning, a couple of days in the afternoon, and a couple of days in the evening.

Be Realistic

Don't underestimate how much time you'll need to do a task. Overestimating is better, but best is to be close.

Mistakes

I've seen people have trouble filling in those time slots in a daily planner because they feel they'd be too rushed. They look at each slot filled and feel like their whole day was filled. Well...News Flash!...it already is filled whether on paper or not. You are doing something every minute that you're breathing. It's just so much cooler when you are in charge...when you're actually planning...what's filling those hours.

For instance, I love to read. It used to be that I wouldn't schedule time to read...I'd feel guilty. But, trust me, I found time to read. Now, I realize that I'm important too. Not just the stuff I do, but the stuff I want to do.

So with Those Two Criteria

Go! Create something that works for you...a daily routine that will suit your life. Remember that each day doesn't have to be the same. Heck, each week doesn't have to be the same. It just has to be functional.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

Helping Your Kids Stay Motivated While You Get Though College

If You're a Nontraditional Student,

You already know you're motivated. You may need that boost now and then but the underlying motivation is already in place. It has to be for you to put in all the time and effort that being a college student requires. You'll also have to have motivation to put up with the guilt that comes along with all that too.

If Your Spouse Realizes

What a better job you'll get with better hours and probably a lot better pay there's a good probability they're probably pretty motivated too.

But What About the Kids?

How motivated are they to sacrifice what they're going to need to sacrifice in order for you to go to college? Let's face it things are going to be tight...not only your available time but also your money which will now be spent on $100.00 books you don't even want to read.

Chances are that, by the very fact that they're kids, they're going to require a lot of motivation over the course of your education.

This article will highlight two ways you can help keep kid's motivation up while they get used to having less of your time and monetary resources available to them.

Think about it... that could be rough for a kid. You're not able to take him to the movies like you used to on the weekend because now you have a test on Monday to study for, or a paper you have research. Even if you did have the time, right now you really don't have the money. All this because You wanted to go to college and college takes a lot of time and money. Yeah, you'll need to help them stay motivated and I'll share some ideas here.

Plan Time Together

This could be at some point in the near future. Look at your schedule and see when you have a break in assignments where you could just take in a matinee. Is money tight? Our mall has matinees for $1.50 and if you go on Tuesday afternoons then drink and popcorn are just $1.00 each. Pretty affordable if I do say so myself and I'm a serious cheapskate.

Bonus #1: They get the psychological boost that they're important enough to plan for and that you look forward to time with them.

Bonus #2: Planning like this teaches patience. So many kids are used to getting what they want right now and that's not good for them.

Talk Often

About goals for the future, about how life will change for the better, about how this phase will pass, about all you'll be able to do (e.g., take vacations). Have them pick out a new bedroom set or something personal that they want in the future. My daughter picked out a picture of a bedroom that she wanted and that helped her stay motivated.

Bonus #1: You'll spend time just talking together

Bonus #2: You'll teach them to look toward the future.

Keeping kids motivated can really help our time management efforts while the flip is also true...if kids aren't motivated for us to get through college they can wreak havoc on any time management efforts we even attempt.

Want more ideas on time management? Download my free ebook about Time Management and Students where you'll find ideas for time management in several crucial areas where we all struggle. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

Change Your Life For The Better By Rapidly Completing Unfinished Tasks

Completing unfinished tasks is a great way to change your life for the better. Unfinished tasks are huge silent stressors that steal hours of your precious time. They are energy and productivity thieves, but you can eliminate them.

From a button missing on your suit coat to the mess in your garage, every unfinished task is robbing you blind. Just like someone embezzling funds, these thieves don't steel in big obvious ways. They tug at your attention only for a few moments at a time. Not a big deal. Right? Wrong. Their cumulative effect is staggering. You may have as many as fifty unfinished tasks nagging at you.

Some of these may only take a few moments of your attention. For example, a missing button is a moment of aggravation when you realize you still haven't sewn it on and then perhaps a few more minutes while you look for another outfit. A messy garage might mean a half an hour of frustration as you look for a misplaced tool. Not to mention the guilt you feel every time you walk through it and see the mess sitting there.

Just imagine if each of those fifty unfinished tasks took on the average only 30 seconds of your attention a day. Do you have any idea how much time you would needless lose a year? Try 9,125 minutes. That's approximately 152 hours, or almost four full forty hour work weeks.

What would your business look like if you had 4 extra weeks of creative attention, rather than distraction and stress? What would your relationships with you family and friends be like with an extra four weeks of attention?

So how do you stop these thieves? You do so with four simple steps.

Step 1--Write down ALL of the unfinished task you can think of. Think about work and home and write down every disorganized drawer you have wanted to get to, project you keep thinking you will complete, appointment you have intended to set up, etc. Write down tasks as small as sewing a button on to as big as an incomplete home renovation. Anything that isn't finished, write it down.

Just writing these tasks down will begin reducing the mental and emotional deficit they have been causing you. Congratulations!

Step 2--Next to each unfinished task write down the first action step you must take to get moving. These action steps can be very small. For example, if you keep meaning to get your car into the shop because of some annoying rattle, then write down "call and setup appointment." Or, if you want to store keepsakes in the attic, then write down "pick-up packing boxes on the way home from work."

You benefit from writing down the first step in two ways. First, procrastination is often times due to feeling overwhelmed, so focusing on the first step helps you overcome procrastination. Second, people who write down goals are tremendously more successful at accomplishing those goals than people who don't.

Step 3--Complete the five easiest tasks first. Why? You have been stuck on this stuff forever. Half of the battle is just starting. Knocking out several easy tasks will help you over the mental hurdle that has been holding you back. Each success will add momentum.

Step 4--Check off each completed task and immediately schedule the next action step you will take to complete another task. The biggest mistake people make after writing their list is shoving it to the side and never looking at it again. Avoid this mistake by using the completion of one task as a trigger for the next task. The key is scheduling. Do not ever allow yourself the costly luxury of not having your next action scheduled. This is the defining difference between stressed-out people with furrowed brows and peaceful people with completed lists.

You cannot imagine how much you will change your life for the better just by eliminating unfinished tasks until you do it. So don't hesitate. Start making you life better right now by creating your list of unfinished tasks and plow through it using these four simple tests.

Allyson Lewis is a renowned author, motivational speaker and time management expert who has trained thousands of people to achieve greater productivity and create a more meaningful life by prioritizing, organizing and simplifying. If you seriously want to change your life for the better, Allyson has numerous free tools to get you started today. You can get immediate access to free worksheets, webinars, checklists and more with the click of a few buttons by visiting her website http://www.the7minutelife.com/. At her website you can also find out about her revolutionary time management system, The 7 Minute Life TM System or her groundbreaking unique daily planning tool, The 7 Minute Life Daily TM Planner.

Scary Office Monsters - Here's How to Defeat Them!

Monster: The paper pile of doom

It haunts your nightmares, it taunts you while you are awake. No one knows exactly what they will find in the paper pile of doom... an unpaid bill, that missing meeting agenda, the menu for the Chinese restaurant down the street? The pile is constantly growing and like a gremlin spawns baby piles that start to take over every vertical surface in your office.

How to defeat it:

The paper pile grows because it is the easiest place to put "stuff and/or it is the default place for things you don't know what to do with.

To defeat the pile of doom you must stop feeding it.

1) Make it easier to file or throw away than put it onto the pile. Try moving your most used files, trash, shredder, and recycle bin within arm's length of your desk. If you are right-handed, preferably put them on your right hand side.

2) Analyze what ends up in the pile. Make sure you have an easy to get to "home" for each of these items (documents you're currently working on, client files, etc.)

3) Stop using the pile as "don't know, do later" pile. Conquer indecision by asking yourself "what do I need to do with this?" and "do I need to keep this?"

Monster: The Bermuda Triangle of computer documents

It's were documents go and are never seen or heard from again. Ever hear yourself say "I know I saved it here somewhere"? You're computer has developed a Bermuda Triangle.

How to defeat it:

1) Decide on the default location for your documents. Items get lost when some things are in "My Documents" and others are on the server.

2) Create broad category folders that make sense for the way you work. Drag your files into these folders. Make sure that there are no duplicate or similar folders names to avoid confusion. Create sub folders if there are a lot of documents in the main category folder.

3) Moving forward, use descriptive file names and save files immediately into the correct folder.

Monster: The never-ending meeting

It's like the Twilight Zone, you're stuck in a meeting that just won't end.

How to defeat it:

1) Ensure the meeting starts on time. Try assessing a "fee" to anyone who shows up late.

2) Appoint someone to run the meeting. When the meeting gets off track have them lead the meeting back to the agenda.

3) Set action items throughout the meeting. Sum up the action items and who is responsible at the end of the meeting. In the next meeting have a recap of the status of each action item to ensure accountability.

About: Erin Hoffman is a Productivity Specialist and the president of Optimum Productivity. She helps busy professionals and businesses save hours each week by showing them cost saving time and email strategies.

Her company, Optimum Productivity, offers company training packages, speaking and individual coaching.
For more information visit http://www.optimumproductivity.com/

Want to learn how to increase productivity by up to 25%? What to learn ways to use your time and your email more effectively? Check out a FREE webinar from Optimum Productivity.

How to Beat Procrastination and Get Organized

You have mail and paper everywhere. You resolve weekly to organize your home filling system. It just never happens. Why? You may have nothing but procrastination to blame.

Do I Procrastinate?

Being a procrastinator can stand directly in the way of getting organized. Some people have no doubt about it, they will loudly and directly label themselves procrastinators. Others are less willing to take on the title. So what exactly makes you a procrastinator?

Just because you are keeping busy doesn't mean you are avoiding this pitfall. If you compile a to-do list for the day do you begin by completing all of the smaller, "less important" tasks? If you want to stop procrastinating you have to admit that you are putting of your big, more important or crucial tasks. With what seems like less and less time in the day to get done what we need to accomplish putting off important tasks until a mythical "later" can have a large negative impact on us.

Is There a Reason?

There are a number of reasons we put off projects that need to be done. Knowing why you do it is a big step in the fight to stop procrastinating. Let's use your home filing system as an example, but these reasons can apply to other projects as well!

• I don't know where to start: Big projects can be complicated. Do you have papers stacked all over your home because you haven't set up a home filing system? Many people find the process of setting up a filing system daunting. Break up larger tasks into smaller steps, this will make it less intimidating.

• It is no fun: Let's face it for most of us working on our home filing system is not a fun activity. So we put it off. We do tasks that we enjoy more, or at least projects that we think we can finish faster! The truth is we need to stop procrastinating less appealing activities because they still need to be completed! Plan a motivator for yourself. Sometimes you need a reward to get yourself going. For example, when you clear the papers off your kitchen table you can go on a pleasant fall walk, eat that piece of chocolate you've been eyeing up, whatever you find motivating. Try to choose something that won't take you away from your task too long, you don't want to lose steam or get hopelessly distracted.

• I'm afraid of failure: This freezes many of us, whether we realize it or not. If we don't try to complete the task we won't fail. The truth is your first try at a home filling system MAY NOT be successful. Perhaps that is how you ended up with papers all over your home to start with. It is ok, stop procrastinating and get started! Sometimes finding just the right solution to a problem can take a couple tries or some time spent researching. There is a lot of help available out there once you take the first step and get started. If you are really stuck consider calling in a professional organizer for a few hours to get you started.

• I got distracted: The truth is that this is soooo easy to do. While the internet is a fantastic tool it also offers us an almost unlimited supply of distractions. Maybe you were just going to check your email, real quick, and then post a Facebook status, and right after that you will get started with your home filing system! Two hours later you forgot exactly what it was you had started doing but found a fantastic new blog and bought a pair of great shoes!

When you have a project to complete limit your distractions in the environment. This might mean powering down (gasp) your phone or computer for a while. Try this trick once you have a home filing system set up, don't stop moving with the papers in your hand to file. Don't put them down in a "waiting" location!

Bring in the mail and make decisions. Junk goes straight into recycling and the rest of your mail should be shredded, filed, or put into your active paperwork space. If you put down a stack of papers you are greatly increasing the chance that this pile will do nothing but grow as you give in to distraction after distraction.

Stop the procrastination today! The faster your home filing system gets organized the faster you'll start feeling better.

Heidi DeCoux is a professional organizer specializing in organizing paperwork and creator of The Fast-Filing Method home filing systems helping you stop procrastinating today. To get a FREE Home Organization e-Solutions Kit, which features the audio class: The Fast & Easy Way to Get Organized and Stay Organized Forever, visit http://www.clearsimpleliving.com/.

Time Management - Is Technology Hurting Or Helping Us?

The question of whether technology is hurting or helping us is not an easy one to answer. In fact, if we were to spend any amount of time whatsoever honestly evaluating this subject I believe we could make an effective argument for either case.

To prove that point let's consider a couple of the ways that technology can hurt us in our time management plan followed by a couple of the ways that it can help us.

How Technology Hurts Us...

One of the biggest ways technology can hurt us is by making things too easy. It's a proven fact that your brain gets stronger with use. When we rely on technological advances, whether that's defined as a computer-based program or the use of something more mobile such as our cell phones, we run the risk of harming our memory simply by letting it go lazy on us.

Another way technology can hurt us is it can cause us to over plan our lives. We can look in our handy-dandy cell phone and see that, if we're real careful at sticking to our schedule, we just might be able to squeeze in that time to volunteer for that project. I know I have personally done this and thought afterwards that if I'd not been able to look at a glance and see that 1 hour opening I would've had an hour to relax or just not be so rushed. If I'd not had my schedule at-a-glance I would've deferred answering and I would've had more time to think about whatever request was posed.

How Technology Helps Us...

One of the biggest ways technology helps us is by making things really easy for us. In the short-term this can be a plus as it just simplifies our already over hectic life (though the flip side minus is mentioned above). It's easy to take out our cell phone and program in a task so we don't run the risk of forgetting it. In that way, we can effectively carry our planner with us tethered to our side and be able to see at a glance whether we will have time to bake those cupcakes for our child's class or at least swing by the local warehouse club and purchase some.

Another plus is that it can help us keep from over scheduling our lives. We can see immediately if we have time to do this or that.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas.

Strategies to Avoid Wasting Time - The Benefits of Multitasking

In Today's World

It seems that more and more we run around just trying to catch our breath. Life just sometimes seems way too packed for comfort. There is a better way to live but it takes some thinking.

In this article I'm going to give you some strategies to avoid wasting time by utilizing the benefits of multitasking.

I Learned a Long Time Ago

That multitasking is best done by pairing tasks that need my attention with tasks that don't. One of the best instances I can think of is doing laundry while cooking because cooking requires my focus and attention (unless I really want burned food) and laundry doesn't require any more attention than just hearing the alarms and then going out and switching it or laying it out until I can fold it later.

There Are Only Two Pretty Simple Parts to This Strategy:

First, think about your high focus tasks of the day and then your lower focus tasks of the day.

Second, see which of these you can pair.

If You Can Master Those Two Steps

Then you can really reap the benefits of multitasking which include:

· More time for your family and friends-Who doesn't want more time for those we love. The relationship with our spouse needs to be cultivated no matter what's going on...and sometimes especially because of what's going on. And don't forget the extra time you'd have with kids who will be gone way too soon.

· More time for hobbies-It's important to keep growing mentally and hobbies are one of the ways we continue growing. And they're great at reducing stress too. Hobbies are especially welcomed for we women who are conditioned to come home from working 8 hours and start cooking, after that the kids need help with homework, then it's time to oversee bathing then it's bedtime for them, and then it's housework for us. Hobbies are things we do for ourselves even if they do ultimately benefit the family.

· Less stress-Multitasking, when done right, automatically reduces stress by allowing you to get more done in less time. Beware! Done wrong, however, and it can add to your stress level.

· Getting more done-It's really rewarding to get more things done during the day and not wonder where your time went and how you didn't accomplish this or that.

Setting a good example for your kids-We all want to set a good example for our kids. They are, after all, a reflection of us and our values. Whether they consider you Super Mom or Stupid Mom you impact them. If you give them an early exposure to multitasking then they'll have a head start on being a time conscious adult.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas.

7 Ruthless Time Management Tips For Mobile Marketing Professionals

It is no secret that how you manage your 168 hours per week will influence your income. Some people wonder why they never manage to accomplish their goals. Others have found a way of skillfully navigating through the day making the most out of it. As you might guess their bank accounts are swelling each day. How can you eliminate time bandits while remaining cool?

1) Do an honest time audit.

You may not have realized it, but you could be having many time-wasting activities in your average day. The only way to find out is to be self-conscious. Do a time check on all your activities. For instance, how much time do you spend on social media sites? How about emails and personal phones? You need an accurate picture to help you cut down on time stealers.

2) Have time management goals.

The best way to slash time wasters is to change habits. Focus on things that matter while ignoring distractions. For example, have a goal of spending no more than 30 minutes on social media sites. Decide that for the next 7 days your phones will be off for 3 hours each day. During this time you work without leaving your station for more than 5 minutes.

3) Employ time management tools.

You could use a simple 'to do list'. You may go for software programs that suit you. Some are very useful and remind you of events in advance. Whatever you choose, it is preferable to plan your day each morning or the previous night. At the end of the day use your tools to review how much you achieved.

4) Determine your priorities each morning.

Not all task have equal priority. I mostly find that the most important activities are also the most difficult. As human beings we mostly move away from pain to pleasure and will most likely start with the easy things. To avoid this and have the most out of your day, start with the most difficult tasks. As a mobile marketer, think of writing first thing in the morning.

5) Delegate or outsource non-core activities.

It does matter the size of your business, there is something that is of low return. For instance, why should you go to the post office? Why should you be the one buying the printer cartridge or papers? These are low return activities a family member or neighborhood child can do for you. You can batch all activities and have someone come in for one hour per week to do them. Online, there are thousands of people who can write articles, maintain your website or answer your emails at far lower than minimum US wages.

6) Never ever waste time waiting.

Always carry something to read or listens to whenever you leave home. Balance your checkbook while waiting for the doctor's appointment. Listen to mobile marketing audio while at the airport transit lounge. Plan your next marketing campaign as you wait for your client. Technology makes it easy to work from wherever you are. Take advantage of it.

7) Stick to routines.

Answers all emails at once at a specific time. Write a report at 9 am every day. Write one page of your next New York bestseller book every day before going to bed. Good habits are important to your success in every area of your life not just mobile marketing.

Mary Wilhite is a Mobile Marketing Specialist, also known as the Mobile Marketing Queen. Teaching small businesses, entrepreneurs, and internet marketers how to attract better customers with mobile marketing devices. Get more of her mobile marketing tips, tricks, and strategies today. Just click here http://marywilhiteblog.com/

How to Become Better at Multi-Tasking

One of the Main Things

I get asked by people is how to become better at multi-tasking. This is actually one of the simpler time management techniques to put into action and in this article I'm going to outline the steps needed for you...yes, even you...to become a champion multi-tasker.

First of All, What Is Multi-tasking?

It's simply doing more than one thing at a time. Now, I'd never been good at that until I got a little older and realized what I was doing wrong. When I was younger and tried to multi-task I tried to do two or more things that shouldn't have been paired together. They were two things that both needed my full attention...for instance, trying to read and watch kids. Now, You may be able to do that, but I couldn't...especially not at the beach.

When I Finally Realized What I Was Doing Wrong

And what I needed to do in order to do it right I made some changes and, as a result, I've been a very successful multi-tasker ever since...and you can too.

As a result, I get much more done, my stress level has decreased, and my day runs smoother. So are you ready to learn how to become better at multi-tasking? Here are the steps:

First,

Write down all you need to do that day...everything.

Pick up dry cleaning

Lunch with sisters

Pick up stuff to bake cupcakes

Bake cupcakes

Fix dinner

Pick up kid from school

Practice choir songs

Laundry

Kid's soccer practice

Read research for class

Help kid study for spelling test

Second,

Figure out which of these you could pair together. Successful pairings would be high focus tasks with lower focus tasks. The rest can fit in wherever and whenever. So, here's how I'd pair them based on my typical day:

I'd pick up dry cleaning before lunch (it's close to where I'd be having lunch). Then meet sisters. Sisters need to do some shopping so we all do ours together.

Then, I'd pick up my child so they could help with baking cupcakes (quality time together).

The cupcakes would be in the oven while dinner is cooking (I'm already in the kitchen).

I'd also have laundry washing while I'm cooking and my child doing their homework in the kitchen with me so I can help them study for their test.

All day in the vehicle I'd be practicing my choir songs while I'm driving.

I'd put clothes in the dryer on my way out to soccer practice.

While my child is at soccer practice I'd be in the car reading my research paper (they should be practicing...not wondering what I'm doing).

When I got home from soccer practice, I'd run the clothes just 10 more minutes to dewrinkle (they've been sitting there for an hour or so) and then go ahead and put them up...after all, I've been sitting and could use standing up for a while.

If You'll Notice

These are all things which can naturally be done together...singing in the vehicle, sisters shopping together, kid baking with us and then doing homework while we're cooking, etc.

If you'll take the time to think of multi-tasking in this way you'll get so much more done in less time and with less stress.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

The Roots of Procrastination

Procrastination is a life-ruiner. But it doesn't have to be that way. Recovery is a well kept secret.

If you have ever truly entered into the dark heart of procrastination you will know that time management training, action plans and reward schemes are not the answer. Sometimes painful, even devastating consequences, are not strong enough to take on the power of procrastination. For it is a veritable superpower in the battle to get stuff done.

Procrastination is an enigma too. It resides within yet it feels like an invisible, outside force that physically bears down on the afflicted to keep them from the tasks they themselves have elected to do. This is the hardest part to fathom - it is not just the distasteful or the difficult task that is put off - but also the long dreamed of one. The mind divides and turns on itself.

Of course people do procrastinate what is disagreeable to them, what serves another but not them, what appears complex and burdensome. This kind of procrastination can have serious consequences but it has shallow roots. It is amenable to reform through strategies, training and reward or the simple revocation of the task as a goal - I no longer wish to do this! This kind of procrastination is objectively and emotionally logical.

No, the procrastination of which I speak - though it may also share those characteristics - springs from a deep underground source. Undoubtedly it has a logic but the rationale is hidden. That source is a place where to strike out and write the essay, complete the paperwork, set the wheels in motion is as impossible as if one were indeed being held down. The lucky ones will be visited by the spirit of productivity just in time but will be hurt and saddened by the inferior outcomes and the anxiety-soaked weeks that preceded action. The unlucky ones will watch their hopes and dreams, even the mundane chores that make up a life, slip away. In time, the promises to start tomorrow will cease to be given as they reluctantly conclude that some people just aren't meant to have a life. At its darkest, procrastination is an emotional suicide.

And yet, there is a way to overcome it, to reach down to the deepest roots and pull them out for good. A little-known group of simple (yes, simple!) techniques called energy or meridian therapies have sprung up over the last 20 to 30 years and they penetrate the unconscious by calling the problem to mind while tapping or holding points on the face and hands. Problems do not have to be relived, or endlessly discussed - they just dissolve. Of course, just as becoming a procrastinator was a process, so it is a process to 'unbecome' one. Shallow roots may be pulled in just one or a handful of sessions but deep ones will take a number of sessions to eradicate. There are now many of these EFT, TFT or TAT practitioners around the world. Many work over the 'phone or by skype.

I urge anyone who sees themselves in this article to get help now. If you sit on it for another year the only thing that will change is that you have lost another year and you will be one year more regretful. Your life is waiting for you and it is a beautiful place.

Eimear Mc Allister is a lawyer and a meridian practitioner who specialises in helping people overcome procrastination. When she worked for the Law Society advising and inspecting solicitors, she saw up close how devastating procrastination can be for all concerned and resolved to help people overcome it. Her unique combination of investigative skills gained at the Bar, intuition and energy methods make her a superpower worthy to take on procrastination. Find her at http://www.freedomfromprocrastination.com/. Give her your take on procrastination or ask about her services. She is based in the UK and works in person and by Skype.

Controlling Time Like A Super Hero

I'm not sure if any of you ever watched the show "Heroes" when it was airing but I absolutely fell in love with the character Hiro Nakamura. All the characters found that they were developing special abilities like super heroes and Hiro's ability was that he was able to control time and teleport.

I have good news for you today!

You also have the ability to control time (well... your perception of time) and I'm going to share my secret with you.

Have you ever had those days when time just flew by and you looked up at the clock and realized that work was almost over? Don't you just love that feeling?

There's a really easy formula for making that happen for yourself during every single work day!

I know it sounds really crazy and you may be sitting there thinking - "Ya, right this guy is a total kook", but by putting this short visualization activity in practice you can really change your perception of time throughout your day.

I usually do this when I'm driving to work, but you can take your time and do it before you leave or even in your office or car.

Imagine yourself going about your day doing everything you might do in a normal day of work, but see yourself doing it in very slow motion.

Next, imagine everyone else moving around you in fast forward like on a video tape sped up super fast.

There are just a couple distinctions I would like to point out also.

First, make sure that the picture you are imagining is in first person view, watching your slow motion actions as if you were looking out from your own eyes (like Wolfenstein 3D).

Second, when you are doing this visualization it really helps to clearly imagine all of your senses input. In your mind really hear, smell, touch, taste, and see everything you would if you were in that moment.

If you find that it is difficult for you to visualize this with your eyes open please do not do this exercise while you are driving!

It's really fun to see the results of this exercise of controlling time and it really works well. It's an old trick from the science of neuro-linguistic programming that I have continued to use over the years. I hope you find that it works really well for you also! Have fun with it and always enjoy yourself in everything you do!

Jon Gentry lives in Texas with his loving family where he practices and teaches martial arts. He has worked as a fitness trainer and a fitness consultant and uses martial arts as a tool for self discovery and personal development. He has a passion for life and sharing his philosophy with others.

3 Tips on How to Prioritize Your Work Load

There are many ideas on who, what, when, why, and how you should prioritize. It should go without saying that what works for one person may not work for you...so you should definitely try different methods and find out what works best for you.

Too, what works this week may not work next week. So any take-a-way should also include the understanding about the need to remain somewhat flexible and have a few different methods in place from which you can choose.

With that said, I'd like give you my 3 tips on how to prioritize your work load. It's the same system that works for me the vast majority of the time.

Tip #1-By Order of Importance

Obviously some things are of greater importance than others. For instance, in my case, I may have 4 tasks to accomplish on my to do list today such as:

Write 5 articles-This really is a priority task.

Record for 2 hours-This is also a priority task.

Answer coaching client's questions-This, too, is a high priority task.

Answer personal emails-This may have to get pushed aside if time is running short in my day.

Tip #2-By Deadline

It would seem logical that something with a deadline, by default, needs to be handled quickly. I remember when I was applying to college that there seemed so many deadlines for this and that it about drove me crazy.

What I do is take all my tasks that have deadlines and then go ahead and schedule them on a calendar for certain days so that they all get done before the deadline.

I am...ashamedly...sometimes a procrastinator on those tasks which, yes they have a deadline, but I'm still just not keen on doing them. For example, recently 2 of my grandchildren were doing a fundraiser by selling the magazines (yes, I hear the groans). I put that off for 2 weeks and finally thought to look at the deadline. It was for that very day.

Phew! I made it...barely. I ordered 2 magazines from each of them so now they'll each get a Spongebob Squarepants shirt.

Tip #3-By Greatest Impact

I have many tasks that I can choose from each and every day. The trick is to choose the tasks which will have the greatest impact on my life or my work in general. For instance, I don't want to waste time on tasks that won't provide a decent return for my time spent.

Watching TV, surfing the internet, reading the newspaper, spending a lot of time chatting on the phone...these are all big time-wasters in my mind and if you're serious about time management you absolutely must get these time suckers under control.

I hope these 3 tips on how to prioritize your work load have been, and will be, helpful to you.

By the way, do you want to learn more about time management? If so, then download my brand new free ebook about Time Management. Or, visit me at Must Be A Better Way

The Skill of Relaxed Efficiency

Stress is a plague in today's society.

The side effects of stress are many;

It weakens our body which then causes illness, owing to stress, people generate significantly less and when stressed, people are less creative, the list goes on and on.

Problems due to stress cost society vast amounts of dollars each and every year.

On the bright side this is a excellent chance for anybody who can lower their levels of stress and produce at a higher level, continuously year in year out. Those people will be the most valued assets in a firm.

Thinking of the long run

On the horizon their doesn't look like any end to the stress; firms and firms keep expecting more for no more, which means we must work harder, generate more and better results.

Which means if we are to solve the situation we can't turn to the outer world, we will need to look inside ourselves and make a change.

While I mastered the 80/20 Rule

Many of us focus on jobs that actually don't have much of an influence on our future.

20 % of the activities we perform account for 80 Per-cent of the results we deliver.

A different way of putting it, is that if you have a list of Ten actions, Two of them will have a greater affect on your future compared to other Eight assembled.

When I looked over my time-table it was really obvious.

I worked back then as a sales manager with Five sales agents beneath me, my task list was the following:

1. Making sales phone calls
2. Coach Sales representatives
3. Sitting in conferences with my managers
4. Prepare advertising and sales strategies
5. Answer and reply to messages
6. Write standardised offers
7. Create campaign banners
And some other insignificant tasks.

When I looked through this list I saw that Eighty percent of the benefit I created for my company came from;

coaching sales agents and making my own sales calls.

Many of the others were trivial or easy to delegate.

Once I started concentrating on those 2 jobs my statistics and value increased which in turn rapidly got me a promotion.

Tips on how to focus your efforts

Not too long ago I was shown a great way of lowering stress, this guide can help you, through getting thoughts, deals and commitments out of your mind and on to paper, a place you know you will be able to go back and review it often so you know you won't forget it.

By not having to hold everything in the mind you can observe it and judge what are the 20 % most important actions and will also be in the position to concentrate single-mindedly on those tasks without having to keep in mind many other thoughts and ideas.

Step 1 - Precisely what is using plenty of your focus and energy?

Put on paper a long list of everything you are thinking about and stressing about.

Step 2 - What would be considered a positive end result to this situation?

To each and every point listed write and visualize what a perfect solution would be and record it.

Step 3 - How important is it that this task is finished?

By responding to this question you learn if this task is something you need and should do or if it really isn't that important and can be eliminated.

Step 4 - What action could you take to move the project towards that goal?

Once you know that the idea is an important one write down what the next action you can take to move the goal towards its perfect solution.

Step 5 - Decide when you are going to do the action

Write it down in your calendar.

Let go and relax

D o you feel how much you can relax now that you don't have to remember all your ideas? Now that you know that they will be done? Now that you know how they will be solved?

This exercise has helped people all over the world get their ideas in writing, find actionable steps to take on them and start moving towards their achievement. It is a great cure to procrastination and a great way to increase your productivity and decrease stress.

Daniel M. Wood is a personal development coach and trainer. He has a background in Psychology, Sales, marketing and sports. Through his work with students around the world he has created the course "The Time Management Expert Course" that has helped hundreds of people decrease stress, increase their motivation and become a lot more efficient.

The course teaches you how to get control over your life and make room to be both spontaneous and relaxed.

Check out the course and see how it can help you.