Get more done in less time

By Jerry Bellune
March 31, 2014

It’s not about time management
None of us can manage time. It just keeps on ticking.
What we can manage is ourselves.
It takes courage, commitment and diligence.

I recently bought a timer. Yep. A kitchen gizmo.
I use it to set time limits on such tasks as:
1. Checking email. You can spend hours on this.
2. Writing projects. I know what time I have.
When the bell sounds, I stop.
If it is imperative I finish, I reset the time and dig in.

Many of us complain about having too little time.
We know we have the same amount as everyone else.
How do so few do so much with their time?
Why aren’t all of us able to do what they do?
It starts with the basic belief that time is precious.
Income and wealth can be inexhaustible.
Not time. Or energy for that matter.
The old saw is that time is money.
It isn’t. It’s more valuable than money.
For most of us, time isn’t the problem.
It’s how we use — or abuse — it.

Time Vampires are one of our great challenges.
They stop in and greedily suck up our precious time.
One way to stop that is to have rules.
People can’t just call or pop in on you.
Make appointments convenient to both of you.

If you have employees, you know how this works.
Brown Noser Bob sticks his head in the door.
“Got a minute, boss,” he asks.
Being a democratic boss, you accommodate him.
Then you wonder what happened to a precious hour.
I learned long ago to set time for my people.
But they can’t impose on my time.
You must let them know when they can talk with you.