| People might say to me, "Chuck, it's nice to say that | | | | possible. |
| we learned all this great stuff about planning and goal | | | | B's are secondary, |
| setting, but let's face it, I don't have time to do this on a | | | | C's are items I will get to when I have extra time. |
| regular basis!" | | | | These groups are then further prioritized with a priority |
| So, (one might ask) how do we get all this done and | | | | code of 1 - whatever. |
| still have time left at the end of the day for ourselves | | | | 1. being the most important, |
| and our family? | | | | 2. being second, and so on. |
| I know that you have heard about time management, | | | | Always work on the most important item first and |
| but do you really know how easy it is to do? | | | | stick with it. Don't be seduced by doing the easiest or |
| Do you know how much time you can actually save | | | | the most fun thing first. If something stays on my list |
| by applying it? | | | | for more than a month, it can't be that important so I |
| If you do, why are you not applying it? | | | | eliminate it. Every time I finish a task, I scratch it off of |
| If you don't know how much time you can really save | | | | my list and it is forgotten. This last step also gives a |
| and do something you enjoy with it, charge ahead and | | | | sense of accom¬plishment and satisfaction. |
| learn how. | | | | So go ahead and take ten minutes and write down |
| Have you ever heard the old saying that: "If you want | | | | the things you need to do right now. Start small; just do |
| to get something done - give it to a busy person?" | | | | the top six things that really need to get accomplished. |
| How can that be you ask when God gave us the | | | | You can increase your list length when you get into |
| same 24 hours in a day? The secret is not how much | | | | the habit of following this routine. Yes, this needs to be |
| time we have, but how we use it! | | | | a habit. Go for it! |
| What are the reasons that people run out of time and | | | | Once you have determined your "A", "B", and "C" |
| don't get much accomplished? | | | | priorities and then sub-prioritized them 1 to whatever, |
| Many people spend time on things that are not | | | | you can then figure out how long, approximately, each |
| important. These concerns may seem important at the | | | | project will take. This estimate will help you to plan your |
| time, but I am reminded of what my pastor loves to | | | | day and/or week. |
| ask, "What is the better question?" The better | | | | Make life a lot easier right now, get out your day |
| questions is, "What is the most important thing that I | | | | planner and schedule time to work on these, priorities. |
| should work on right now that would advance my | | | | This next suggestion may seem a bit extreme, but the |
| company or get me closer to my goals?" | | | | most successful people I know do the following; they |
| Often people spend a lot of time worrying about the | | | | block out time for appointments, sleep, daily routine, |
| problems that occurred because they didn't plan! When | | | | family time, and leisure time. They also include travel |
| you are busy putting fires out because you didn't | | | | time if appointments are away from the studio. |
| spend the time to properly organize, you end up | | | | It is also a good idea is to block out time on a |
| running around a lot more, don't you? | | | | consistent basis so that you will be available for |
| Another reason is that people spend trying to decide | | | | consultations, photo sessions, and sales sessions. |
| what to do next. Now that excuse sounds silly, but if | | | | Making this schedule will help you be "in the zone" |
| you think about it, if you don't know where you are | | | | when it comes to being creative, or selling, or doing |
| going, it is difficult to decide which way to take, isn't it? | | | | your studies. Many people find it very difficult to |
| Often, people remain undecided to the extent that they | | | | change mindsets on the fly whereas others find it |
| don't have time left over to do things they should do. | | | | energizing. Which are you? |
| A really common reason people don't get much | | | | There is a powerful psychologically impact achieved |
| accomplished is that they let other people dictate what | | | | when you concentrate your appointment so that your |
| they should do. How often do you hear someone | | | | clients arrive at the studio around the same time. If |
| come up to you and say, "We have a problem"? | | | | your clients see others coming or going when they are, |
| Usually it is their problem, but they expect you to help | | | | they will get the impression that you are very popular |
| them solve it. | | | | and busy. Those may be the only two appointments |
| Last, (although there are a lot more), if you don't plan | | | | you have that day, but your clients don't know that. |
| your time, it is really easy for other people to take it. It | | | | Finally, concentrating appointments together frees up |
| is so easy for you to get distracted by someone else | | | | bigger blocks of time so that you can accomplish a lot |
| when you have no real hard and fast reason to get on | | | | with minimum amount of interruption. Doctors, lawyers |
| with what you are doing, other than the fact that you | | | | and dentists do it all the time, why can't you? |
| are doing it. If you had a plan, it is so easy to tell | | | | Focus on only one job at a time. If you start something |
| someone, "I'm sorry but right now I need to get this | | | | finish it. If you are pulled away from it for whatever |
| done because I have an important deadline to meet." | | | | reason, get back to it as soon as possible and finish it. |
| Doing so is made much easier by the fact you have | | | | Don't start "B" until you have finished "A", unless you |
| set both goals and a date by which you want to | | | | are one of those people who love to have lots of |
| accomplish them. Moreover, your confidence is | | | | unfinished projects around everywhere! |
| boosted by your certainty that those plans and goals | | | | Overcome procrastination. Remember the slogan - |
| are important! | | | | DO IT! What¬ever you are working on will not go |
| International training company Priority Management | | | | away by ignoring it. DO IT NOW! |
| systems has poem in their daily planner that is quite | | | | When the mail arrives, we know that you have |
| appropriate: | | | | already blocked off time in your schedule for sorting |
| Take time to think. It is the source of power | | | | through it, haven't you? Scan through it quickly and do |
| Take time to play. It is the secret of perpetual youth | | | | one of three things: |
| Take time to read. It is the fountain of wisdom | | | | Toss out the junk mail immediately, preferably into the |
| Take time to laugh. It is the music of the soul | | | | recycling. |
| Take time to work. It is the price of success | | | | Have a file system so that you can put the mail in the |
| Take time to give. It is too short a day to be selfish | | | | appropriate place to be dealt with in the time you have |
| Take time to pray. It is the greatest power on Earth | | | | scheduled for it. |
| Time management is comprised of these 10 essential | | | | Bills go in the folder to be given to the bookkeeper or |
| factors: | | | | for you to enter into the computer. |
| Clear Specific Goals: know what you want. | | | | Cheques should be recorded immediately - getting paid |
| You already have these written down from Chapter | | | | makes us feel good! |
| Two On. Doesn't that feel great to know? | | | | Magazines should be scanned for articles of interest, |
| Have clear specific plans on how to get your goals | | | | and these should be read in the time you have set |
| accomplished. | | | | aside for reading. (By the way, most really successful |
| Wow. You have done this too. | | | | people read a book a week. Learning something that |
| Make a list every day of all the things that you must | | | | can be used for business, marketing, or general |
| do. | | | | interest to broaden their horizons.) |
| The best time to do this is at the end of the day. | | | | If all possible, telephone calls and salesmen should be |
| Pick the six most important things that need to get | | | | screened by your receptionist. Only on rare occasions |
| accomplished and write them on your list of things that | | | | should you take the calls immediately. |
| need to get accomplished today. There are three | | | | Have your receptionist say that you are in an |
| great benefits to this: | | | | ap¬pointment - which you are because you have |
| You won't lose any precious sleep thinking about what | | | | scheduled one for yourself. |
| you have to do because your subconscious will know | | | | Inform the caller that you will phone back at say |
| that you have them all listed and it won't worry about | | | | approxi¬mately 4:00 p.m. Hopefully that will be |
| forgetting them. | | | | satisfactory. Then make sure that you return all your |
| You won't be running around trying to remember what | | | | calls at 4:00 p.m. If it isn't satisfactory, ask the caller for |
| you had forgotten because, since it was written down, | | | | a time which is preferable or you can ask them if an |
| there is no need to waste time trying to remember. | | | | email will do the trick. |
| You won't clutter your mind with a lot of details or | | | | More time is wasted on the phone than one can |
| petty information - once you write it down you can | | | | imagine. It is also a good idea to plan your telephone |
| forget about it. If something comes up during the | | | | conversations so that you have control over them. For |
| course of the day, rather than doing it or forgetting | | | | example, you can write down the questions that you |
| about it, write it down on the bottom of your list so that | | | | want to ask and make sure you stick to those. |
| it can be included on your list of priorities for tomorrow. | | | | Remember to keep a phone log handy. |
| The critical idea here is to keep focused and working | | | | If you plan and budget your time, you will find that you |
| on the most important items. | | | | achieve more and that you will have more time to |
| Prioritize each item on the list in order of importance. I | | | | yourself. Try it! You might like it! |
| actually have a list with everything that I need to do. | | | | Permission to use the poem was granted by Dr. Dan |
| I list them in groups of "A", "B", and "C". | | | | Stamp of Priority Management Systems. |
| A's are essential and must be done as soon as | | | | |