Key components of any good time management
system are; planning ahead, prioritizing, and
using and maintaining a complete to-do list.
But sometimes when you look at your “to-do”
list you get overwhelmed. It’s as if you have
more on your plate than one person can accomplish
in a lifetime. If that’s the case, maybe it’s
time to start a “Not-To-Do-List.”
A “Not-To-Do-List” allows you to be more aware
of where you’re wasting your time and gives
you more time to spend on things you need or
want to do. Or in the words of Timothy
Ferris, "What you don’t do, determines what you CAN do.”
A few suggestions for creating your own “Not-To-Do-List”:
I will not say “yes” to everything
that is requested of me – Otherwise
known as:
“You can do anything, but you
can’t do everything,” - Author Unknown.
Some suggested ways to say “no” to things
are:
- “I’d love to work on your committee, but
not at this time, I just have too much on
my plate.”
- “That sounds like so much fun,
but not at this time.”
- “I’d love to help you on that project,
but I also have my own projects, and if
I do yours, I’ll never get mine done.”
- “Thanks for asking, it’s always an honor
to be asked, unfortunately I can’t do that
this year.”
- “WOW! You thought of me first, that’s
very flattering. It’s just not the right
time for me.”
I will not be plugged in 24-7 – The world
is a busy place, and being “connected” is a
great way to stay on top of things. But there
needs to be a limit. With the amount of daily
information coming at you from your cell phone,
landline, voicemail, e-mail, the internet,
Facebook, Linkedin, etc., it’s often impossible
to keep up with it all. Recognize that things
can wait. Unless you’re the leader of the
free world or a doctor with a patient’s life
hanging in the balance, nothing that terrible
will result if you return an e-mail or phone
call tomorrow.
I will not put all of my own priorities
last – If you’re the type who’s always giving and
doing for others, what price are you paying?
Are you always overworked, overwhelmed, and
exhausted? No one is telling you to be a selfish
narcissist, but everyone needs time for themselves;
to regroup, to refocus, and to recharge.
I will not try to be a one person
show – As
much as you try to be strong and independent,
trying to do it all yourself is not the way
to go. There will always be things that left
in the hands of someone else; they will be
done better and more efficiently. Asking for
help is not a sign of weakness, but rather
it shows that you know what your priorities
are and how to accomplish your goals.
I will not give in to self doubt – Negative
talk from your inner voice can often leave
you feeling paralyzed and unable to move forward
on what you are trying to achieve. Are you
procrastinating on something because you’re
afraid you might fail? Try to imagine the
worst that could happen and you may realize
failure might not be that bad, but success
could be HUGE! Or break the project down into
smaller steps - once you get past the first
step you might just gain the confidence you
need to move forward on each successive step.
Try coming up with your own “Not-To-Do-List”
and discover the impact it will have on your
own time and productivity. Hopefully you’ll
be able to shorten your “to-do” list and breathe
a little easier.
All the best,
Lori Krolik
650-856-2282
www.moretimeforyou.net
