Saving Time: Do Less with Less.

It's all about taking action…

There is never enough right? I sometimes wish there was just one more day in the week – but then I know I would fill it up just like the other seven. No, it’s not more time I need; and it’s not about doing “more with less” (we call that multi-tasking right?!).

I believe it’s really about doing LESS! That is, managing our time so that we actually accomplish more and spend less time – and stress – getting there. To optimize efficiency and doing more with less time requires that we take actions that give us the results we seek. Being resolute about moving forward helps us feel we have more control of each day and of our responsibilities.

First take an Inventory: for 3 days keep an absolutely detailed calendar and list what you do every single hour. After the 3rd day:

• 1Sort the items into 3 categories:

  • urgent and necessary (needs to be done on the spot)

  • necessary on that day but not urgent (like email)

  • no urgency or necessity but desirable (like facebook)

• Note other categories pertinent to your life

  • List your most productive time of day (which hours you got the most done) and list what was accomplished

  • Least productive and what was not accomplished

Now that you have uncovered some patterns take action on a daily basis:

Set goals. Remember the rules:

• Make each goal specific and state it “as if” it happened: “I have written this blog post.

• Create a separate short term list and a long-term list and write specific dates/day for each goal: “I have written this blog post before 11:30 AM”

• Define a specific strategy: "I turned off my email pings and written an outline for the post; did my online research; wrote 3 paragraphs; found an image for the post; posted it to my website, linked it to social media."

Identify your most productive time of day and tackle the most mind-consuming tasks then and set your daily To-Do plan around that

Set the goals to a calendar or at the least a daily and weekly list “To Be Done By”

• Start each day by making your checklist for the day

• Anything you did not accomplish: re-list on the following day

• Check it off when accomplished (that feels good!)

• Schedule one to two hours a day for "catch up" tasks such as work overflow, returning phone calls, answering emails, etc. If you pencil time into your calendar, you're less likely to let the nonurgent (but necessary) tasks pile up, or, do those nonurgent things first and forget about the really necessary ones.

• Have an assembly line mentality. Complete like tasks together such as:

  •  returning phone calls, answering emails, sending out invoices, etc. You'll be much more productive.

  •  Sort mail immediately. Mail can quickly become beastly, taking over every nook and cranny. When you get your mail each day, open it directly over the recycle can. Most likely, the bulk of it can be dropped right in. Determine what action needs to be taken and deal with the keepers.

• Give everything a place. Don't waste your time trying to find items like keys (and that goes for in your purse – always put in the same compartment). Organize your workspace so that every item has a home. It'll make locating items a snap and save you time!

• Be prepared. Reserve 5 minutes at the end of each day to review your schedule and checklist for the next. Those 5 minutes can set you up for a smooth start to the new day – and help you sleep better.