How do you know what's the best use of your time right now?
Link your daily behavior to your purpose.
You'll make better choices and see the value in seemingly insignificant or trivial tasks. It keeps you focused on doing what needs to be done to get what you say you want.
It's one thing to say what you want, to choose projects that will get you what you want, and set goals that will achieve those projects. But, you still have to do the work. You still have to pay the price by just doing it.
Linking your purpose to your daily behaviors underlines the responsibility and the discipline you need to complete your projects.
Having an overall objective and doing what needs to be done gets priority. You can make your choices about what you are doing consciously, knowing that every little bit helps.
For example, one of your projects in support of your purpose of a successful one-person business may be getting a web site to promote your business.
Choosing to bring your lunch rather than spending eight dollars at the café every day is obviously the right choice. By doing the math, you quickly see you'll save about $150 a month on lunch. Putting that money aside will get you your new web site that much faster.
It's the little things done consistently and persistently that make the huge difference in achieving our projects, whatever our projects are.
Even with marketing and sales. New behavioral research has shown smaller tasks done more often are more effective in reaching your goals than larger projects done less frequently. Even if a larger project puts you in front of more people, it still isn't as effective as more frequent, smaller contacts.
Build in momentum sustainers. If you're like most people you start out a new project enthusiastically, and then lose track of it in the bustle of all your other obligations.
By building in appointments with people to check in with, and appointments with yourself for review, you force yourself to be accountable. You might want to set up weekly goals for yourself, or make an agreement to accomplish specific tasks by your next check in date.
Additional techniques for linking daily behaviors and long-term projects include:
(c) 2004, Pat Wilklund. All rights in all media reserved.
About The Author
Business coach Pat Wiklund works with entrepreneurs who want to make and keep more money from their businesses. Assess your one-person business with her free business tune up ecourse: pat3-32222@autocontractor.com.
Contact Pat at pat@leadinganorganizationofone.com.
How much time do you spend on Mastering Your Time?... Read More
When a good friend asked me to contribute a little... Read More
How often have you tried to manage your time in... Read More
One of the issues most often raised by my clients... Read More
Does it seem like there is never enough time in... Read More
"Slaves to the clock" was the cover story in the... Read More
Let's say that you have a software project that's under... Read More
"It's just been one of those days?I can't seem to... Read More
Determine Your Procrastination PersonalityBrook Noel is the author of The... Read More
It is not enough if you are busy. The question... Read More
It's 6:00 a.m. I'm awake. I'm pumped! I'm ready to... Read More
How many of us are guilty of "Putting the cart... Read More
There is an old way of goal setting and a... Read More
Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up... Read More
Zak is my three-year old godson. He is the apple... Read More
* spreading yourself too thinTaking on too many things at... Read More
Many of us spend long hours at our desk. To... Read More
Time - it is the one thing that we are... Read More
Most of us have a to-do list ? some of... Read More
An expert in time management was speaking to a group... Read More
1. Do tasks less frequentlyClean house every 10 days rather... Read More
Are you obsessed with getting everything just right? Do you... Read More
How do you know what's the best use of your... Read More
"I find it interesting that the very cape I tried... Read More
Still awaiting the birth of my baby (I am overdue),... Read More
In this fast and crazy world, we want to multi-task... Read More
How many people do you know who are so busy... Read More
One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools... Read More
Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is... Read More
Balancing Your Work, Family and Social Life... Read More
Does choosing which time we do an activity really make... Read More
Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More
Are you working a "day job" while building your home-based... Read More
Fitting an education into a busy lifestyleMany people have aspirations... Read More
Nowhere is the line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains'... Read More
An appointment is simply a mutual agreement to meet with... Read More
Does it seem like there is never enough time in... Read More
Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More
Determine Your Procrastination PersonalityBrook Noel is the author of The... Read More
We live in a world where more is expected of... Read More
Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More
One of the biggest problems most people have when it... Read More
A year and a half ago I was introduced to... Read More
As a business owner, wouldn't it be great if you... Read More
Do your dishes really need to be dried, or could... Read More
It's 6:00 a.m. I'm awake. I'm pumped! I'm ready to... Read More
Clarity brings accomplishmentOne of the most important things you can... Read More
Here's a smart system for doubling or tripling your daily... Read More
"At my back I always hear time's winged chariot hurrying... Read More
When you decide to become self-employed, you automatically become the... Read More
Tring ? Tring the alarm rings?but did you fail to... Read More
It is not enough if you are busy. The question... Read More
Almost everyone in business knows the balancing act between the... Read More
Would you describe yourself as extremely busy? Do you often... Read More
My job in Chicago began with three months of probation.I... Read More
?busy, busy, busy, busy, busy?busy, busy, bus? OK, slap me... Read More
We all get overwhelmed from time to time, and sometimes... Read More
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow... Read More
I've divided my tips into two sections - 5 ways... Read More
Work life balance is the new Holy Grail; that search... Read More
Where does your time go? We all know we are... Read More
It's amazing how many sayings there are in our culture... Read More
You can use the Power of 90 Seconds to transform... Read More
In working with and coaching people across the country, one... Read More
The most powerful resource that we have is time. Everything... Read More
Time Management |