Are You Managing Time or Managing Yourself?
It makes me laugh when I hear people say, “Oh, I have so much to do today–I need to really make time to finish everything!!” Or, “I really don’t have time management skills, that’s why I’m always late!” Okay, so, A) Please explain to me how to make time. Is there a special pot that I can buy from Williams-Sonoma that will allow me to mix cosmic ingredients for my savory time stew? And, B) If you are perpetually late, LEAVE EARLIER!
Here’s my point: Learning to manage yourself, rather than time, is an essential lesson to learn for all budding entrepreneurs. Those who do not learn this lesson early on are bound to lag at the back of the pack.
When I first started my entrepreneurial quest, I came to the realization that in no way can time be managed. Time is not a physical entity; however, you, as a human being, are. You can be altered, flexed and accelerated. So, based on that assertion, you have the capacity to be completely accountable for all the things on your TO DO list by managing yourself, rather than time. As a new entrepreneur, I had to choose a company name, create a website, purchase a laptop, design a business card, select my business entity, transfer my 401(k), buy a new cell phone … all while I was finishing up my last two weeks of work. True, Franklin Covey planners and PDA’s help, but truly a positive, “can-do” mindset and careful planning will keep the pistons firing in your engine.
Call me weird, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as crossing something off my TO DO list. And that’s how I start every day. My advice to you, budding or established entrepreneur, is to create a TO DO list for yourself every morning, and set reasonable goals for the completion of each item. You’re starting or running a business; so there’s no doubt in my mind that you have a million tasks on your mind. Pace yourself, but move steadily.
And, if all else fails, look up that recipe for time stew.
2 Comments
David Askaripour
August 8th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
My feelings exactly: too many entrepreneurs complain and complain about not having enough time or how the will “eventually” get to something…and in the end, things simply don’t get done. I won’t lie, I do that from time to time, but what really helps is like you said, writing a TO-DO list. I like to use a large 4×6 whiteboard that hangs directly over my desk. Every morning I wake up and write down what needs to be done. It’s in my face all day, so there is no escaping it — plus, I love what I do so that helps, eh? Great post.
Monica Bowers
August 15th, 2006 at 6:05 pm
I keep my smartphone and laptop synced, so that I always know where and when something is happening. Technology is helpful, however, I used to carry around pieces of scrap paper with lists on them. I love lists, and use them for everything, including my household chores!
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