Where does all the time go? How do some people get so much done and accomplish all their goals?
Here are a couple of activities to help you visualize (and manage) your 24 hours per day and monthly goals.
Everyone gets the same 24 hours.
- Start with 24 small items – beans, pennies, …
- Put aside a bean for every hour of required activities – sleep, family obligations, work, school classes, commuting
- Put aside a bean for every hour that you usually spend exercising, visiting with friends, online socializing
How many do you have left? This represents that time you have left to allocate to other projects to accomplish your goals. Don’t think that is enough time do something important and interesting?
Revisit your other uses of your time. Rethink your priorities. Are you getting “value” for the time you are spending on activities not related to accomplishing your goals? Can you change your thinking on your priorities? Do you need to change your time use? It is up to you. This is your 24-hours. You have to decide what to do with them.
5 Goals in a Month
Make a list with five things that you want to accomplish in the next month. You don’t have to wait until the first of the month to start. Begin TODAY.
- In a jar or container, put in 30 beans or pennies – some small items to represent “days”.
- Every day, take one item out of the jar.
- Review your list of goals. Spend time working toward them.
When you have completed a goal, Celebrate! Good for you. Now add a new goal to your list.
When the jar is empty, review your situation. How did you do? Did you accomplish some or all of your goals? How did that make you feel? How about the size of the goals – could they be achieved in a month? Do you need to break the goals into smaller ones, so you can have success and make progress towards a bigger goal that will take longer?
Repeat the process. You are on your way to reaching your goals and learning successful time management skills.