3 Ways to Boost Your Time Management Effectiveness and Enjoy A More Fulfilling Life

There’s an old saying that if you want help with getting something done, ask a busy person to help you. Everyone knows at least one person like this – the person who always manages to cross everything off their list by the end of the day or week.

Part of their ability to consistently manage their time effectively is based on the fact that they have a system they follow. The better the system, like with the Pareto Principle which states that roughly 80% of our results come from 20% of our work, the more likely someone is to look like they just have a talent for managing their time.

Professionals have used this principle to mercilessly reschedule their time and whittle down their client/customer lists to build a stronger business platform. But truly rounded professionals have learned that this principle can be applied to their personal lives as well. From a strictly time management perspective, what activities are you participating in outside of work that have a positive impact on your life?

Would it surprise you to learn that the average person spends almost 5 hours a day in front of the TV? Perhaps, if the whole family is watching TV together, it could be called “family” time, but let’s not kid ourselves. Until we’re ready to take an honest look at the way we spend our time outside of work too, we will continue to miss opportunities for identifying the 20% of our activities that will bring us 80% of our happiness, relaxation, joy, love, sense of contribution, and peace. Here are 3 ideas that might help you identify your outside-of-work 20%.

1.  Make a list of all your family and friends and decide which category each person fits into. This can be tough to do, but asking and answering these questions will help. 

• If you knew you were going to die tomorrow, who would you pick to spend today with? 
• If you were going to live another 80 years, who would you want to spend all that time with?

2.  Remember that you are either in or out of someone else’s 20%. Sometimes we just assume we’re in simply because we’re family or a friend. But think about what you’re bringing to someone else’s table. Do your family and friends know how you feel about them? And even if you’re not great with saying the words, are you doing a good job of making sure the people you care about know you care about them? Anyone can add this to their busy schedule. It takes less than a minute to make sure someone gets the message that we care.

3. Make sure your work schedule includes enough time for you to enjoy your life right now. Even if you’re putting in long hours in at work for all the right reasons, there’s no greater regret than knowing that we willingly let the important people and moments in our lives slip by without a second thought.

The truly wonderful thing about waking up each morning is that it’s another opportunity to do a little bit better today, than we did yesterday. Broaden your perspective when it comes to your time management strategies and you will have every reason to smile, every morning.

Alan Luoma: I am a Sales Coach with extensive experience in industrial sales, sales management, new

product development, sales and product training. I work with a great national sustainable packaging company and their exceptional distributors to increase sales. My success has been and is in utilizing the Pareto 80/20 principal in business and life. I have become an expert in seeking out and eliminating behaviors that prevent business people from being successful. I am a member of the Hartford Springfield Speakers Network, The National Speakers Association and New England Speakers Association. You can view my profile on LinkedIn, or contact me at Luoma@snet.net

An Easy Way for Professional Speakers to Explode Referrals from Each Speaking Gig!

My speech was over and audience members were filing out of the room.

Over 100 people had just experienced my signature keynote on The 7 Deadliest Communication Sins.

One woman, with her business card and a completed feedback form in hand came up to speak with me.

She said “your topic is something we need at our company and I’d like to see about bringing you in for a program. Of course, I have to authority to that." Of course.

That’s always the good news/bad news of some of the people in audiences.

They loved the experience of what they just heard and have absolutely no hiring authority.

It didn’t matter, really, because the second best reference for me to get other speaking gigs is that person who was so inspired by my message.  They are ready, willing, and able to introduce me to the person with the authority.

We’ll be speaking next week.

Now that was one percent of my audience actively came up to me with an opportunity.

I’d have to speak to a lot of audiences to build my speaking business at those rates.

The other good news is I have a process to improve those percentages.

All audience members are incentivized to submit  my “feedback form.” And, this feedback form doubles as a lead magnet in two ways:

1.     There is a box that reads “I am interested in more information about having Skip present a similar program to a company/organization with which I am involved.”

2.     There is a space for attendees to submit a question they have that they didn’t have an opportunity to ask during the session.

Historically, about 5% of the audience will check the box for more information on having me speak somewhere else.

And, secondly about 10% will submit questions they’d like my help with for situations they’re dealing with in “real-time.” These questions allow me an opportunity to engage with them via email and can lead easily to other opportunities.

In an audience of 100, where one will come up to speak with me about referring me in, the two other feedback form strategies raise that number of potential business opportunities 16 (5 from the check-off box and 10 from the question submission).

The moral of the story is to always have some way for session attendees to request more information from you. And, make it easy for them to do so.

My incentive to submit the feedback form is typically three or four free digital gifts related to the session. About 30-40% of the audience will request those free gifts and they need to provide their contact information to get it.

If you would like a sample of one of the feedback forms I use email me at Skip@WorkplaceCommunicationExpert.com

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 Skip Weisman is The Workplace Communication Expert and a member of an elite group of international World Class Speaking Coaches.

Skip works with aspiring speakers to improve their presentation skills and programs around content, organization and delivery, while also working with the owners and CEOs of small businesses with between 6-60 employees to improve communication in the workplace.
 
The work Skip does with his small business clients can transform work environments in as little as 90-days to create a championhip company cultures that are more positive, more productive and even more profitable.

For more tips on making your speeches even more dynamic go to www.PresentationPowerForLeaders.com.

Less is more. I’d been confused by that statement on more than one occasion. Every time I think I really do ‘get it’ another opportunity comes along so that I can ‘get it’ at a more significant level. This has a lot of meaning to a lot of different people. I have a friend that contemplates her own mortality now that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and had procedures. To her it means having less stuff to keep, clean, care for and moving of said stuff which equals more living to be had.

Wiki tells me that simplicity is preferable to complexity. I myself have found that often too many words complicate a description or explanation. Fewer words equal more understanding or at the least less chance for confusion. I’ve also seen it used to describe interior decoration and architecture design. Less clutter equals more aesthetically pleasing rooms and lines. Less time equals more focus. Less restriction equals more freedom. What does it mean to you?

In which ways could you change things in your life from less to more? Would you use fewer words? Would you unclutter your space? Perhaps you would pass on some of your belongings. What would you have less of and how would that produce more for you?

I’d love to engage with you on this subject. Please add to the comments or reach out to me personally through my website.

Lucinda Smith

Coach ~ Speaker

Life Transformationalist
Soulutions for Living

www.lucindasmith.com

THE NEW MANAGER ROCKS THAT CONTEST

Once you have agreed on a budget and achievable results with your own Powers That Be, and have committed to holding a contest,  you can move forward with the details. What behaviors do you want to elicit? Which ones do you want to eradicate?

Rule number one is to reward the positive in any contest. Never attempt to punish the negative. See 01.17.16 blog

For example, perhaps starting time is 8 AM for everyone, and you are not achieving compliance. Rather than disciplining late arrivals, consider holding an impromptu Mini Contest. One morning you announce, at 8:30, “The following people were already seated at their stations at 7:59 this morning. Their reward is…” and now it’s up to your own ingenuity and knowledge of the rewards they value, such as:

·         They have earned an extra 15 minutes for lunch today.

·         They may choose a prize from your reward box.

·         Or maybe you simply hang a WINNER! sign at their station for the day.

Hint: You wait until 8:30 AM so that the late arrivals hear the praise. When they explain that they didn’t know, or produce an excuse for their tardiness, you respond with assurances that they will have other opportunities~~and make sure there are other opportunities for them to earn rewards and recognition.

You know your budget, your staff, and your challenges, so let your knowledge guide the process. Craft your contest rules with great precision. Give yourself loopholes in case you have inadvertently written a rule that sends you over budget, or that doesn’t produce the desired results.

Compute some variables: Is the contest challenging enough for your team to have to stretch? Are there rewards for your reps who may not be stellar, but who are steady and dependable? Are the top prizes reasonably attainable? What does it cost you if you have several top prize winners? What are your worst and best case scenarios? Before you announce the criteria, run your stats~~and then run them again.

Transparency and immediacy are key. Post updates as soon as they occur. Make statistics available at appropriate intervals, and continue to discuss their progress with them in positive terms. 

A successful contest is one that unites the group, rather than separates them. Each member of your team  surely excels at something, has some particular talent or quality that makes them valuable to the department. Celebrate them, and watch their contributions soar.

And remember: You are always the ultimate winner of any successful contest you hold!

Jeannie Newman, Chief Solutions Officer of JZN Associates, is an experienced creator of many successful and fun-filled department contests, across several different industries. She is available to  advise you on your contests, and to save you from pitfalls both obvious and hidden. Connect with her on LinkedIn or at http://jznassociates.com.

What is Your Leadership Score?

 

How often do you think about the skills and abilities that make you an effective leader and team member? How often do you assess what you do well, and where you could use additional development or a refresher?

Interacting with others effectively and efficiently is based on technique, experience, personal styles and temperament.   What are your strengths? What are your areas for development?

Rate yourself:  5=Always; 4=Often; 3=Sometimes; 2=Seldom; 1=Never​

Question	Score
1.   I am committed to developing my staff, realizing it builds bench strength, grows the bottom line, reduces attrition, and overall makes the company stronger.
2.   I address non-productive behaviors in a respectful way and still hold people accountable.
3.   I take time to focus on the bigger picture, not just day-to-day priorities.
4.   I am inspired and energized while at work, and know how I contribute to the bottom line.
5.   I clearly communicate my point of view/perspectives, and feel I am listened to (not necessarily agreed with).
6.   I have an open mind and don't get stuck on how things used to be, versus how they "could" be.
7.   I listen to opposing viewpoints and take time to process and reflect on them.
8.   I look for the best possible outcome and keep from blaming even when a mistake was made.
9.   I am "self-aware".  I understand my strengths and my areas requiring development, and leverage my strengths to support the attainment of goals.
10. I accept responsibility for my mistakes.

Did you give yourself 1, 2, or 3?  Think about learning more about leadership.  A strong leader can increase production and profits.  4 and above?  You’re on the right path to effective leadership!

If we asked others in your organization to rate you, would their scores be higher or lower?  These questions are a few used in a “360 Leadership Feedback Survey” as part of the initial phase my coaching program.  It can be both revealing and affirming. It's a great place to start the coaching process.

I am Ann Meacham, president of Leadership Dynamics.  Check out my Coaching Program  Dynamic Leader Program on my website or email me  ann@leadyourteams.com to talk about a sample coaching session. 

It's an exciting approach to a better way of doing things!