Time is on Your Side: Leveraging Time Management to Achieve Any Goal
In case you haven’t already figured it out… I’m a big fan of perfecting my time management.
Sure, this could be due to my type A personality. You know, that low hum of anxiety that requires a certain level of control…but, to be honest, that’s only a small piece of it.
The real reason time management plays such an important role in my life is because of the power it has to help me accomplish any goal.
Because of this, I truly believe time is the most valuable asset we have at our disposal.
More valuable than money, you ask. You bet! Lose money? You can earn more. But time is finite. Lose time? You’ll never get it back (despite what the meeting host says as you wrap up a meeting 5 minutes early and she offers to “give you some time back…”)
The asset of time can be used to accomplish anything. Yes, anything.
Don’t believe me? Let’s check out some common goals that might be on your bucket list and how time management could be the key to finally achieving them.
Goal #1: Improve your health
This goal likely sneaks into every New Year’s resolution or Sunday night reset after a weekend of being not-so-kind to your body.
A goal of “improving your health” could take many forms. Maybe you want to lose weight, run a marathon, or hit a new squat PR in the gym.
No matter what the health goal might be, do you want a surefire way to accomplish it? Good time management!
Good time management can be used to ensure you plan for and make a workout happen in your schedule.
This could look like getting to bed early enough to wake up in time for a morning yoga class. Or scheduling an afternoon slot to take a run around the block during your lunch break. Or managing your time so you can actually log off by 5 PM to brave the after-work crowd at the gym.
Scheduling it makes it real. It will make it easier to keep this health commitment to yourself when you practice following your calendar and keeping these commitments daily.
Good time management can also be used to fuel your body in a way that aligns with your health goals.
For example, you could schedule time on Sunday to prep meals for the week. But definitely don’t let this be an all-day activity! Outsource some of the work. Buy frozen veggies and pre-made meats, grab some meal prep containers, and within 15 minutes you could have meals prepped for weeks. (Or, better yet, outsource completely by finding a company that can ship you premade meals.)
Scheduling time to prepare your meals not only saves hours throughout the week by removing the constant cooking and cleanup activities, but it can also be beneficial in reducing the emotional element that often comes hand-in-hand with this health goal. You’ll reduce the brain drama of debating stopping through the drive-through at the end of a long day because the time spent cooking sounds too exhausting. Or stop yourself from questioning whether you should stick to your eating protocol for the day or not. Your meal’s already prepped, decision made! Use your brain for more valuable tasks!
Bonus:
Time devoted to exercise can contribute to elevating your overall productivity. Exercise leaves you more focused so you can get more done throughout the day. You are essentially supercharging your productivity when you take time for your health goals. (That’s a side effect worth keeping!)
Goal #2: Make more money
What would you do with a little extra cash in your pocket? (I mean, the obvious answer here is more shoes, of course…but you can pick your poison.)
Maybe you’re looking into a side hustle or a promotion to start getting you to those money goals.
So how do you get there? Good time management!
Organize your schedule to make time for just a few hours each week to brainstorm what a side hustle might look like. What unique skill do you bring to the table that you can monetize?
Once you’ve decided, use this weekly time to research and learn: business setup, marketing, sales…whatever it is you need to know to turn that idea into a money-making machine. You can learn anything with just a few bits of time devoted here and there.
Or if you prefer the idea of letting your current career get you to those goals, use this time to learn a new skill or obtain a new certification that’s relevant to your current field. You could even schedule lunch with a colleague to connect on a deeper level and make sure your amazingness is top of mind.
When you are judicious with how you spend your time and where, it’s easy to carve out a few extra hours per week to devote to these areas of growth instead of letting that time be eaten up by unfocused priorities and unmanaged time.
Bonus:
Use this extra money to buy more time by taking things off your plate. Think house cleaning, yard maintenance, home repairs…etc. As you start raking in the extra bucks, find those areas to outsource so you can continue to re-invest time in things that bring you more joy.
Goal #3: Pursue your passions
We all have passions and hobbies that fuel us. The dream activities that, if only, we could do full-time and call it a career.
For the lucky few, that may be reality. For the rest of us, we’d just love to feel like there’s enough time to write that novel, paint the next great Picasso, or finally learn how to play guitar.
How can you do it? Good time management!
Schedule your hobby and passion time before you schedule anything else on your calendar. That way, you can work everything else around it, instead of hoping for leftover minutes throughout the day to spend on the things that you enjoy.
Commit to an hour or more each week to do what makes your heart sing. Make it a regular occurrence during the same time or day so everyone knows you’re unavailable during that slot.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out where to fit this time in, take a good hard look at what’s currently occupying your schedule. Have you said yes to things that prevent you from taking time for your passions and hobbies? Hand out a few more no’s to make sure passion and hobby time can be a yes!
Bonus:
Who’s to say the skills and knowledge you build in your devoted passion time aren’t money-making machines? Use this as your inspiration for your potential side hustle and combine your time management skills to achieve both goals.
Goal #4: Connect with loved ones
The one thing you could convince me to put as a more valuable asset than time…? Relationships.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development is the world’s longest study of happiness, running for 85 years. The study revealed that the key to a happy life is quality relationships. Seems like a pretty solid goal.
So how do you make it happen? Good time management!
First and foremost, prioritize the relationships in your life. Decide that these connections deserve a top slot on your to-do list and consciously plan for them in your schedule.
Once you’ve made relationships a priority, put your time management skills to work.
Get specific on what you want this connection to look like. What activities could you do? How much time do you want to devote to this connection while still feeling satisfied and balanced with your other priorities?
Then schedule recurring time to connect with your loved ones. That may look like weekly phone calls, a monthly book club, or maybe even a yearly trip with your bestie who moved too far away in a different state (no, I’m not bitter…)
A little thought, planning, and, yes, time management will ensure you’re cultivating your relationships and finding that piece of happiness in life.
Bonus:
Don’t worry my fellow introverts. If the thought of all this peopley time has you in a panic, when it comes to relationships, it’s quality over quantity. The Harvard study showed that even 1 or 2 close connections are enough. Introversion may even be an advantage since introverts may not require as many connections to feel fulfilled. (Deep sigh of relief.)
Goal #5: Work less, travel more
Traveling the world is a great way to experience different cultures and learn more about yourself. You can gain new perspectives and open up to new opportunities.
And, let’s be honest, after a few long months at the office, who isn’t craving a week on the beach?
But I can hear you arguing. Who has the time? Work is too busy. Life is too busy. Traveling is for retired me.
How can you accomplish this one? One final time… Good time management!
Don’t convince yourself vacations are a burden that will require too much overtime prepping for and returning from to be worth it.
Some easy pre-vacation time management planning is all you need.
Write down all the things that “must” get done before you head out for a little fun in the sun. Then edit. Remove any “shoulds” from this list. Focus on the deadlines you’ve already committed to and what will still be realistic to complete leading up to the vacation.
Then, schedule your calendar for the week before you leave. Fit in everything that was on the must-do list you created above. Edit again. If something’s not fitting into your schedule, reprioritize or delegate.
Finally, schedule your calendar for the week you return. This one is a game-changer. If you want to avoid that overwhelming dread of the first day back in the office, make sure you know exactly what you’ll be doing when you’re back. Include time to check unread emails and IMs first thing so you’re all caught up. Schedule in time for the projects you know will be a priority. And, most importantly, include lots of flex time to fill in unknowns throughout the week.
Bonus:
Traveling and taking vacations are important for personal and professional growth. They allow you to step back from your daily routine and responsibilities, and engage in activities that can help you feel more relaxed, refreshed, and focused. So get rid of the guilt and overwhelm and make it happen. (Read more on the productivity benefits of a good vacation.)
These are just a few examples of leveraging your time management skills to help you accomplish ANY goal. Dream big. Make a plan. And use those good time management skills to make it happen.
Need some help making a plan to accomplish your next big goal? Check out the 7 Days: Consider it Done! Workbook. Stop the overwhelm. Overcome the procrastination. And prove to yourself you can accomplish anything you put your mind to!
