Time Management? It’s a Waste of Time. Manage These 4 Things Instead

IT’S ALL ABOUT TIME MANAGEMENT

Most people agree that they’d like more time in the day.  Folks seem to think that would make a difference.

It will not.  There are 24 hours in a day and there is no question if we suddenly had 36 hours a day that we’d be right back asking for another 12 because the problem is not how many hours there are in a day…….it’s me.

I really felt for years that managing my time better would improve results.

• Made changes….
• Rearranged the desk
• Implemented systems
• Been through the ‘aligning priorities’ stuff
• Got different planners
• Read all kinds of stuff about managing time.

It simply does not work….I know that and deep down inside you probably know that too.

I felt once someone learned the skills to succeed in their business all they had to do was learn to manage time.

Time for Wifey, the kids, worship, fun, hobbies…..never what I wanted it to be….never enough time.

ONE SENTENCE CHANGED MY WORLD

One sentence changed a life?

Exaggeration?

Nope.

Here it is:

You can’t manage time, you can only manage yourself.

It stunned me, I almost fell over.  It was at a Marriott in Peabody, MA.  Just a casual statement I overheard while at a business meeting.

I knew, instantly, that business would go from good to great and it did.

I discovered within a week the 4 keys to managing myself had always been there, I knew them, I was just focused on the clock instead of myself.

THE SET-UP

Before we get to the 4 keys we must examine the axis they revolve around…..meaning….these keys will not work unless this becomes the context you make your decisions from.

Steve Jobs, [Apple], recently stated this thought at Stanford during his commencement address.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life….Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.  Don’t let the NOISE of others’ opinions drown your own inner voice.  “And,” Jobs continued, “most important have the courage to follow your heart and intution..they somehow already know what your truly want to become.  Everything else is secondary.”

We were lucky, I knew what I wanted and wanted to become.  The 4 keys to managing ourselves are simple things we will not do if we are not pursuing our bliss…..

This means it’s gotta be about more than the money…..once you find that one thing these simple things to manage ourselves are easy and everything else becomes secondary.

If we manage ourselves we have more time than we ever could imagine….it’s really foundation of the nickname I picked up…World’s Laziest Networker…..we tripled our income and knocked our work week back to 10 hours from 50 plus…..giving me time to do the things I loved that were not work related…..with the people I loved…..and….as a benefit I could not have imagined, I got better at my work.

SELF MANAGEMENT – KEY 1

Keep First Things First

Write out your goal statement and have a family meeting.  Let them know why you are working extra hours and share your vision with them.  Tell them, as badly as you want to make this happen nothing is more important to you than they are.  Prove it by making a date with the family collectively and individually.  Your husband or wife may be shocked at first that you are ‘dating’ again….but ….trust me, they’ll appreciate it.  Do the same with the kids.  These do not need to be BIG things.  A walk, playing catch with your son, an imaginary tea party with your daughter….no matter.

Repeat this every week….and soon the compounding effect will create a new culture in the home….and you’ll need the kind of support they will be happy to bring.  When you are working they’ll know they just came off a date and another one is scheduled….they will trust you value them over everything and they will value you more.  Get them together every Friday and tell them you are getting ready to make your work schedule but need to plan dates with them first.

The reason they’ll trust that they come first and be willing to sacrifice some of you to your new venture is that you are providing evidence of their significance.

You’ll feel better about you and that always makes us more productive.

SELF MANAGEMENT – KEY 2

Be Prepared

The Boy Scout Motto pays massive dividends.  Was supposed to make calls with two news rep one night.  First one tells me he has to reschedule when we hooked up at the appointed time.  I get on the pity pot and wait another hour for the next rep….who makes some lame excuse about not having any names together yet.  I pout some more.  Got nothing done for 2 hours.

I was angry and behind on my objectives.

Why?

That stuff happens all the time and you know the stuff that happens in your business all the time that impedes productivity….forces overtime….bang….your time-management is out the window.

That night I was able to see that I was not prepared.  The prepared person would have a list to call if one or both sets of calls went sideways.

About a week later I had an appointment in a coffee shop with a prospect.  They did not show at 1:00 PM.  I had my list with me, got in my car and during that 1 hour set aside for the appointment, I set 3 quality appointments…..I was prepared, not PO’d.

A crucial factor in being prepared is ….and this is HUGE…..taking 20 minutes at the end of the day where you shut everything down, review what needs to be done tomorrow and cleaning up and setting up.

Most people start home-based businesses part-time and coming home to a mess just zaps the excitement out of it and makes us feel like unprofessional losers……no one can produce feeling that way.

Clean up, sort out the notes, look at the schedule for tomorrow and get everything lined up so you can walk in and hammer.  You feel like a pro, like a winner and production goes up, no question about it.

SELF MANAGEMENT – KEY 3

Balance

Vince Lombardi is probably the most misquoted person in history…..all that stuff about ‘winning isn’t the most important thing, it’s the only thing’ …and ‘show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser’ is what he said but it is out of context.  He was talking about a game.

Here is the context all Lombardi quotes need to be heard from….

“Gentlemen” he would tell them constantly, “Take care of your relationship with God, then your family….after that you belong to the Green Bay Packers.”  It is this quote that is left out all the time.

Take care of your spiritual life….first….we’ve talked in Key 1 about your family and then it is work.

Take 15 minutes every morning ….get up early….and sit for 15 minutes still in a state of gratitude, grace and connect with your spiritual life, guide, beliefs…..whatever they may be.  The better you get at this the better you get and a better you produces better results.

SELF MANAGEMENT – KEY 4

Discipline

It is never about talent…..OK, OK….playing 3rd Base for the Boston Red Sox takes some talent….but there are plenty of guys who had the talent but lacked the discipline.

In the home-based arena…..it’s never about talent.  Believe me, I have very little if any talent….nothing that would cause people to pause and say  ‘wow, that guy is really good at that.’

Discipline yourself to make the first 3 keys a ritual….to Balance, Preparation and Family.

Discipline yourself to keep first things first….while you are working….surfing the web, checking things on eBay and what movies are coming out this week is not working.

Discipline yourself to attack the part of your business that creates traction and income first…..to stay in income producing and goal advancing situations.

Discipline yourself to learn the skills you need to talk to people more effectively.

Discipline yourself to practice.

Discipline yourself against distraction

REVIEW & BIG BANG

We think we do not have time now…..how can we think we can add a couple dates with the family, 15 minutes a day to connecting spiritually and 20 minutes a day to clean up and prepare?

Simple…..by investing in your spirit, your family and your preparation…… you improve …..and…..by being better all around we don’t need to distract ourselves looking for short cuts……

BIG BANG ::::> The short cut is managing yourself.

Those who have recently joined the Master Key Master Mind Alliance are already learning this skill.

believe

mark januszewski

world’s laziest networker