Saving Time-The Struggle
Managing time is a prime challenge for many business owners. A need to save time, never enough time, not the best use of time, the list and the struggle continue. The question keeps coming up, what is The Answer to cracking the code and getting in front of time versus constantly battling it?
The Coldplay song, “Clocks” captures the sentiment with “…Come out upon my seas/Cursed missed opportunities am I/A part of the cure/Or am I part of the disease…”.
Photo by Alex Perez
So how do we let go of the disease and find the cure? In this quest for solving the time-tension dilemma, we often look for superficial fixes. There are so many tips, tricks and tools out there; if you’re like me, you’ve read books or articles, bought apps and tried various concepts. Still, the same issues, due to the time-is-scarce mindset, linger. An important realization is that employing any of these time management tools could be likened to putting paint over a non-prepped surface. Without first looking at the quality of the wood, filling holes, sanding, priming and so on, we’ll likely be unhappy with the results. Same with time management.
Until we explore and understand our beliefs around time, we may continue to feel the deficit and not reap the benefits.
For myself, I dug deep and discovered that I had been putting a lot of value around checking to-dos off a list. I was spending time on the what, more than on the why. I realized that my list was like a report card and I wanted an "A". I valued the quantity of the checkmarks more than the quality of my actions. I determined this pattern was unproductive and energy-zapping. I fixated on the entries rather than the big picture and the pay-off. So, I stepped back, refocused my efforts and took accountability for my allocations of time. I made conscious choices and zeroed in on my business priorities. My shift enabled me to build a sustainable approach to time management.
If time is a challenge for you, here are foundational steps to consider:
Investigate your beliefs around time and pinpoint where those beliefs come from and why.
Determine if these beliefs serve you and your business now. Do they support or sabotage your vision?
Adopt, solidify and/or release beliefs, enabling you to move toward your goals.
With old thought patterns and beliefs released, the way is clear for new learning and the development of long-lasting habits. It's now time to explore and incorporate time management tools or tips that will support you.
Remember that while time is finite, opportunities are infinite. When we uncover, understand and reframe our beliefs around time, we can begin to see all the possibilities ahead.
“It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested.” -Lucius Seneca the Younger, Statesman and Philosopher
Conflux Business Coaching is about merging the best of who you are with who you want to be. Let’s connect and explore your beliefs around time. Together we’ll uncover what’s getting in the way and what changes you want to make to support your vision.
