Common time-drains and what to do about them

By Brian Maynor

 

 

Where has the morning/afternoon/day gone?

I know I’m not the only one who has ever felt this way, because according to Gallup 61% of working Americans feel they don’t have enough time to do what they want.  However, what’s worse is looking back and not having something amazing to show for the lost time.

There are a lot of legitimate demands on our time, but there are also some hidden time-sucks that are draining precious minutes from our day.  Here are a few of the most common ones that often go unnoticed and how to address them:

1.   Poor Email Habits.  This drain goes beyond the simple volume of emails we have to contend with every day to how we actually handle them.  On average we spend 6.3 hours a day checking our email, and most of that time is unproductive because we take too long drafting them; spend too much time responding to threads or get distracted by unproductive contacts.

Some tips to reclaim a portion of this time would be to set limits on how long a thread goes before we cut it off; how much time we spend drafting an email, and resolve not to open unproductive emails while on the clock.

2.    Not sticking to our limits.  Intentions are great, but they aren’t very productive if we don’t stick to them.  Whether it’s time spent on email, social media or games, when we establish time limits we need to abide by them.  Social media and games are designed to capture our time and attention.

If we find the lure of technology too appealing and sticking to our self-imposed limits too difficult, there are settings on our devices we can use as well as additional apps that will help us keep our usage in check.

3.    Taking too long to make decisions.  We all have to make 100s of decisions a day on a variety of levels, but most of us spend too long being indecisive.  Every minute we spend waffling on a choice is a minute wasted.  Part of this indecision problem lies in not trusting ourselves enough.

An immediate way to gain time is to simply make a decision and move on, trusting we’ve reached that decision after sufficient data collection and analysis so we can stop second-guessing it.

4.    Not taking enough breaks.  It’s counterintuitive to think that we should be taking more breaks in response to losing time, but it’s a proven fact.  The idea of skipping lunch or pushing ourselves to work another 30-45 minutes longer in an effort to be more productive actually has the opposite effect.

Working too long without a break can make a 30-minute task take 45-minutes or longer to complete.  That ‘extra’ time adds up fast.  Ideally the work/break ration is to work for 52 minutes then break for 17, but that’s not always practical.  The reality is that we simply need to take more breaks during the day and not feel guilty about them.  Look at them as productivity boosters, not detractors.

No one is going to complain about having too much time, but it can be hard trying to find huge blocks of time we can reclaim.  Instead, our focus should be on all of the little minutes we waste throughout the day, often unknowingly, that add up to big chunks of time.  After all, having enough time isn’t about the number of hours we have a day, but rather how we use them.

 

 

 

I am always curious to hear about your weekend wardrobe dilemmas and help make your work wardrobe pull double duty.  Email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected].  Also find each of these storyboards at http://brianmaynor.polyvore.com with links to purchase each item.

 

About Brian Maynor

Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.

 

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