Time Management, Blah, Blah, Blah

It seems like everyone has something to say about time management these days. 

“If you manage your time right, you can get everything done on time.”

“Time management starts with determining your priorities; determine what is most important and go from there.”

Yeah, well, blah, blah, blah to you, too. As the Geico commercial points out, “everybody knows that.”

After being inundated with information on time management this week, I did just what they all wanted me to do: I started looking at my own time management practices.

Granted, life is always busy for one or more reasons, so taking a look at your time management process and practices every once in a while is not a bad idea. I equate it to reviewing your strategic plan periodically to ensure you are on the right track. If you need to make adjustments, you can, and then keep on moving along.

No man goes before his time – unless the boss leaves early.

–Groucho Marx

One of the more interesting articles I saw this week included one from Sue W Chapman and Michael Rupured at the University of Georgia, who listed 10 strategies for better time management:

     1. Know how you spend your time

     2. Set priorities

     3. Use planning tools

     4. Get organized

     5. Schedule

     6. Delegate

     7. Stop procrastinating

     8. Manage external time wasters

     9. Avoid multi-tasking

   10. Stay healthy

After taking a look at their list and comments on each one, I can now see where my time management issues are. I just need to move #6 up to #1 and get going.

What about you? 

What works for you and what would you suggest to someone who came to you for advice on managing their time better?

I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions, so please comment!

"Time Waits for Nobody"

In the words sung by the immortal musical genius, Freddie Mercury, “Time waits for nobody.”

I don’t know about you, but the next 6 weeks for me are absolutely crazy, and it’s like this every year. With so much to get done, there is just never enough time. There certainly wasn’t enough time for Freddie, who died from AIDs-related pneumonia at the age of 46 this week in 1991.

Looking back on the lives of those who have shaped your life, and your world, the question begs to be asked: What will you do with yourself, your family, friends, talents, business, and your ability to make the world a better place before time runs out for you?

Not to be morbid, but really, what CAN you do to make a difference?

Do you carve out dedicated time for your family and friends? By all means, and absolutely, YES! 

Do you share your talents with up and comers, or just focus on moving your own organization forward? What about your staff and partners? How can you – together – make an impact on the world in which we live?

Answering the question you say, "Our mission is to “blah, blah, blah, blah; that’s how we make a difference.” Really? Great! How can those efforts, combined with others, be used to make an even bigger impact?

As the year-end holidays begin this week with Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, consider how you and your team can work together to make a difference in a new way. Here are a few ideas:

• Conduct a short fund-raiser for another organization, such as the Red Cross; given the unprecedented need in the world today, every dollar counts. 
• Call your local food bank and ask them what specific food items they need. Don’t just assume they need turkeys and cranberry sauce. Not everyone in need celebrates Thanksgiving in the US; really.
• Schedule a team-building (or family only) exercise by calling your local homeless shelter or hot soup kitchen to volunteer to serve on a day or week outside a holiday. They need help every day – not just on holidays. 
• Keep in mind that every group's needs are different. Who knows, they may prefer that you bring specific items or donate cash instead. Again, never underestimate the power of a single dollar for a nonprofit. 
• Work with other local groups, such as your church or synagogue, and identify a local nonprofit to adopt for the year 2014 and beyond. Consider free health clinics, under-privileged housing, after-school programs, etc. Imagine the impact they could make with your help.

This Holiday Season, as you celebrate Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or a holiday I unintentionally left out; consider finding a way to share the joy of the Season with others by building a years-long partnership with your local nonprofits. 

In doing so, you can unequivocally make a huge impact on the lives of so many others. If you have other ideas, please feel free to comment. That, too, can make a big difference! 

Remember, “time waits for nobody.”

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.