The Number One Problem You Have With Time Management

Today I want to talk to you about time management -well first of all we had better put a skewer through the term ‘Time Management’ because you cannot manage time - all you can ever manage is the way that you use time.

But we still use that label. Traditional Time Management techniques may make you more efficient but there is always a limit to how far those techniques will take you. What we need to pursue is being more effective not just more efficient.

Years ago, Henry David Thoreau said:

It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is what are we busy about?

Part of the reason why we have so many challenges around improving our use of time is that we hold a popular ‘myths’ that block the progress we would seek to make.

The myths can take many forms, but they all have something in common: They are beliefs that actually construct a barrier to us moving forward and achieving the results we truly desire.

You see beliefs, lead to actions and ultimately actions lead to the results. We all seek a change in our results, and we know that in order to do that, we will have to do some things differently.

The challenge is that our actions are generated or filtered by what we truly believe. However, we don't focus on the beliefs that generate our Actions.

We have found there are at least five popular myths (or beliefs) that leaders hold onto that block them taking the actions they need to take in order to achieve the results they truly desire.

Now I don't have time to go through all five of these today, but I do want to go through one of them and it's one that I hope it's you right here:

Time Management Myth #1: “I don’t have the time.”

Now you’ve said it - maybe even today - and I've said it.

We often say things like:

• I don't have enough time…

• I didn't get a chance to…

While we may not have control over some of the circumstances that we find ourselves in - we always have control over what we think and what we do.

No, just because I can have control over what I think and what I do - doesn’t mean that I am actually exercising that control. While I may not like the results of making certain choices. I still have the ability to make that choice.

When you say things like ‘I don't have the time’ you're actually playing the victim.

Now you and I both know that playing the victim will never lead the results your truly desire, but when you reinforce a belief that you don't have enough time, it may feel good in the short term, but it will almost always rob you of your greatest asset: The confidence that you are in charge of the decisions that you make.

The truth is that you are not a victim - so stop saying that you don't have time and start admitting that you didn't make the time or that time particular thing/person is not a priority at this time for you.

A little sidebar here - this truth is for internal dialogue only - do not start telling others that they are not a priority!

In order to make progress on your goals, you must make choices about how you are going to use your time. Ultimately it is your choice to make - don't fall victim to giving up your personal power and making comments like ‘I did not have time’.

Next week we're going to talk about one particular strategy that you can do to get more control of your time.