Tips for Managing Your Time at Work and at Home

By Sherry Ray, CWCC Board Member and President of Sherry Ray Consulting

You all know the scenario.  There is a task to complete, you sit down to begin, you take a peek at your email, you have five hundred messages in your inbox and maybe you should clean a few out.  The phone rings it’s your best friend, then someone stops by your office to chat about another project, now you have no idea what to do next and have completely forgotten about the task you started to do!  How many times a day does this happen to all of us at home and at work?  Right now I’m looking at the piles on my desk as I write this and want to start on them but I know I am on a deadline and will feel much better when I get this article done.

Managing time is a struggle for most of us in this age of multi-tasking.  The list is long of all the things that we think need to be done, it is daunting to think about.  More time is spent worrying and dreading tasks then it actually takes to do them.  I like to refer to the worry as an air mattress with a pin hole in it.  The escaping air is an example of the energy in our bodies being slowly drained from us.

The most important aspect of time management is self respect.  If you don’t stop and ask yourself what do you need to do to feel good about managing your time you will forever be unhappy.  Here are just a few suggestions to help you get started.

• Make a plan and stick to it.  Many of my client’s make their list before they go to bed so that they know their agenda for the next day and can sleep well knowing they won’t forget anything.
•  Decide what you will say yes to and what are you willing to say no to? Only take on the things you really want to do.  Be willing to speak your mind if someone asks you to do something that will create internal stress for you. Do not commit to things you will dread or don’t want to do.  They will stay on your to-do list forever and continue to drain your energy.   This means paying attention to your body and how it reacts when tasks or events are mentioned.
• Be willing to shut your door, turn off your phone and the sound on your computer so that you can fully concentrate on the task at hand.
• If it is a large project chunk it down into manageable tasks or set a timer and spend thirty minutes a day until you get it done.  You will feel good knowing you are making progress.  Often we continue to avoid the big projects that seem too difficult to get our arms around.
• Find the fun factor!  Time flies when you are having fun. Play your favorite music or look forward to a reward you have set for yourself at the end of each task.  Celebrate your accomplishments every day you deserve it!

Specializing in CONFLICT RESOLUTION Sherry brings over 20 years of experience as a top sales professional. She has run operational divisions of Fortune 1000 companies and had her own recruiting firm. For the last eleven years, Sherry has been a motivational speaker and certified business/life coach. She is a Reiki/Master teacher and raced sports cars for many years. Her experience, energy, humor and great sense of compassion makes all of her topics and work sessions exciting. She has the ability to make each person in the audience feel like she is talking directly to them. Participants will walk away having laughed, possibly cried and definitely pondering what could be different in their lives as they use their new tools.

If you would like to learn more about Sherry or sign up for her newsletter go to www.sherryray.com