The Power of Time Management

By Melissa Webb | writeonwebb.com

Time is your most precious resource. It is the most valuable thing you have. It is perishable, it is irreplaceable, and it cannot be saved. ~ Brian Tracy

Have you heard or read the book Eat that Frog by Brian Tracy? It’s a book written for people wanting to make the most of fleeting time. A funny title, right? It is based on an old Mark Twain quote.

If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first.

Back in the late 1800s, Twain dealt with many of the same things we face today. There are things we love to do and things we don’t.

The goal is to get all things done - even eating the frogs!

Allow me to summarize some of the key takeaways.

There are three main points I’m implementing now to improve my time management skills. Best of all, they're working!

1. I write things down. Getting things out of my head and onto paper truly helps. Whether I have daily fitness goals, a list of household chores or my 2019-20 homeschool lessons to write, getting them down on paper is a great place to start, but I don’t stop there. Next, I prioritize each item. Brian Tracy has a great ABCDE process worth googling (p. 37). After that, fitting them on my calendar is a must and being specific matters. I block out the exact hours I’ll set aside to accomplish each task. This is something I make time to do each week. Sunday afternoons work great for me.  
2. I make the most of my “unproductive time” throughout the day. For some that may be hours spent driving. However, for me, it’s time doing laundry, cooking, or cleaning. Whatever it is, it’s the perfect time to “work while working”(p. 53). Productivity can skyrocket when I do this and so can my mood. For me, this means listening to an educational, inspirational, or informational podcast while getting some weeds pulled. And, folding and putting away laundry isn’t so bad when I am enjoying countless numbers of audible books - some for pleasure and some for business or self-improvement. Work-work and win-win!
3. I know my strengths and weaknesses. There is no doubt that I am a morning person. Getting up at 5:30 AM to a quiet house is delightful! In those early hours, I am uninterrupted and able to focus. However, in the evening, once the dinner dishes are put away and everyone is home relaxing, my focus becomes bleary and blurred. Clearly, I should plan to eat my frog first thing each day! Tracy calls this time to “look into yourself” (p. 73).

Okay. Enough about me. What about you!? What are your frogs?

I think examples can help. 

Let’s say you love the idea of planning out your fall lessons now so summer is stress-free but actually planning those lessons IS the frog!

No problem. Try this.

1. Write things down. Look at your June calendar. Write down every fun thing you want to enjoy on that first week. Put that beach or pool day down for Tuesday. Pencil in the kids’ sleepover on Thursday. Don’t forget a date night with your honey! But after that, block out a few hours on a couple of days for academic lesson planning. Super. It’s on paper now.
2. Over the next few days, during your “unproductive time” start listening to some educational podcasts to engage your lesson-plan-thinking muscles. Are you sitting in the car waiting for your daughter's dance class to end? Great. Read that curriculum book you bought LAST summer but didn't use. Keep a notepad nearby! You will get ideas. Just jot those down in the same place every time the lightbulb goes off. ​A collection of ideas will begin to grow. 
3. Think about how you work best. Do you do better to buckle down, close the office door, have meals made ahead of time so that you can be left alone for hours on end? Or, do you do better in short 15-20 minute bursts of time? Can you concentrate with noise going on around you and notifications ringing on your phone, or do you need to fully and completely remove yourself from such things? Honor yourself and every part that makes you unique and special. 

Just applying these three activities to your life will make a change in how you manage your time.

​Promise!

Your productivity will increase.

Promise!  

And, you’ll go on improving your life in so many ways.

I sincerely hope!

And, yes, of course I want to help. Here is a year of writing lessons, a great book, and an educational podcast you may enjoy. Just click on the images for the direct link.

Do you have great time management hacks that make your days and life more productive and less stressful? I’d love to know. Please feel free to share in the comment box below.

Enjoy your stress-free summer, my friends!