Lack of hours in the day isn't the problem... it's you!

Are you a Firefighter? Legend? Faffer Or The Time Water? Take our test to find out where you are investing your time.
'I don't have enough time'… It's not the lack of hours in a day. It's actually you that is the problem!

Time is not something that can be managed (no doubt you have heard this before). There are the same number of hours in a day for every single one of us. Then, why do we make BS statements like 'I don't have enough time' or 'I am too busy'?

Here's why…

Basically, what you are actually saying is, 'it's not a priority for me'.  Whatever you aren't doing or that thing you are putting off doesn't rate as a matter of importance to you.

Time and energy are our most precious resources, yet so many of us burn it like it is nothing.

Why are some people so efficient with their time, and others seem to get three-fifths of eff all done?

CHOICE!

Yep, all it comes down to is choice. People who are less effective and efficient spend too much time CHOOSING shit that is not important or 'like' over and above the tasks that really need to be done.

Covey has stood the test of time (yes, pun intended); let's have a look at one of his models to get you thinking about how you are using your time.

Covey's Time Matrix
Are you a Firefighter? Legend? Faffer? Or The Time Waster?

It is so common to feel like everything is URGENT AND IMPORTANT. When in fact, a very small portion of what we do is urgent and important.

This matrix is something you should utilise to monitor everything you are doing.

If you were to make a list of all the things you spend your time on - what types of tasks would they be? Use the matrix to evaluate all the tasks you are doing (or should be doing)

Look at each task.

Then identify is it a Firefighting task? Or a Faffing task? Maybe it's Time Wasting? For some of you, the Legends tasks will undoubtedly prevail.

Be careful when you categorise tasks as urgent and important. As coaches, we discuss in depth the differences and get our clients to dig deep on what is genuinely urgent vs what is truly important.

What tends to happen is that we put things in the 'urgent' basket because somebody external to us has made it feel urgent to us, for example, customer requests.

In every situation, we need to manage our time accordingly and avoid distractions like phone calls or emails or other devices pinging at you.  MAKE time for what is important but does not feel urgent… this is where the legends live!

Try this little exercise for a start - but really - the gold is in the discussions in our Amp It Up sessions, so make sure you jump on them!

- Write a list of EVERY task you do in a day, a week, a month

- Put each task into one of the four categories in the Covey diagram

- Review the list and decide - am I using my time wisely? Or frittering it away?

If you fell short of the Legend status, take a read of "Tradies, letting go is hard...but it's so worth it."

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