Making the Most of Time

I'm always complaining about time, or more specifically, lack of time. But one thing can be said of time... it's fair. Every day we get 24 hours. It's up to us to use it in the most efficient way possible.

This week, two of my fellow bloggers referenced Laura Vanderkam and her book, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. Both Michelle Rafter and Mikaela at La Belle Dame de Merci discussed Vanderkam's thoughts on time management.

One thing I know about myself... I'm most efficient in the beginning of any day. As each hour passes, more distractions and unexpected issues arise. The more things I can accomplish before the emails start dinging and the phone starts ringing, the better.

But, similar to Mikaela's musings, I am not always at my wittiest and most inspired first thing in the morning.

What to do. What to do.

In her post What Successful Writers Do Before Breakfast, Michelle Rafter took it a step farther and interviewed successful writers to find out what they try to accomplish before breakfast. I found the answers further inspired me to buy Vanderkam's book and consider a new morning routine.

I just downloaded the book to my Kindle. As soon as I read it, I will write a post on my thoughts and share my new morning routine.

Do you ever get to the point where you know what you ARE doing isn't working, but you aren't sure what to change to make real improvements? I'm there. But I usually make things worse by trying too many new things at once.

My new focus, thanks to some excellent advice by my wonderful ROW80 friend, Kim Switzer, is to take things in small chunks. As small as ten minute increments. I hope to combine this concept with Vanderkam's morning ideas. Wish me luck.

What do you accomplish before breakfast?

For some quick guidelines from Vanderkam's book, please visit her post on Fast Company: What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast.

6 Ways to Best Use Time

How do you make time for writing or blogging when life gets in the way? Time is not friendly, but it's fair. You get 24 hours a day whether you need them or not. Problem is, most of us need those hours plus more. Like it or not, we do have to fit in some food and sleep along the way... and some time and attention for kids, husbands, families, housework, jobs, etc.

I love organization and finished projects, but sometimes the best I can do is plan. It's called time management for a reason. You get a set amount of time, all you can do is manage it. You can't create more.

Ways to Best Use Time:

1. Set a Timer
Set a goal and a time limit. For example, I'm going to spend the next twenty minutes cleaning the house. Set the timer and stay focused. When it buzzes, walk away. Move to the next task.

2. Prioritize
For me, writing comes first as a daily goal. I focus on the writing projects in order of importance, paid versus unpaid, and deadlines.

3. Plan Ahead
I often cringe looking at my calendar. Some days are simply crazier than others. Plan accordingly. One day, when the creative juices are flowing, stock up a couple of posts. Use them as needed.

4. Ask for Help
When you get in a pinch, ask friends and family for help and reciprocate when needed. We've all got friends waiting to help, but they don't know how. Reach out. For blogs, guest posts can be a wonderful addition and fun for your readers.

5. Support
Find a network. I'm a better parent when I surround myself with parent friends. Same is true of writing. Find writers online or in your community. Support each other.

6. Combine 1-5
Some of my writing friends get together online for sprints. Set a time, check in on Twitter, and write for a solid hour. Report word counts at the end and cheer each other on. In one hour, you've combined all the steps above.

“Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back.” Harvey MacKay

At least for me, the worst thing I can do is not have a plan. My desk is a mess of piles and things to accomplish. If I sit down and stare at it, that's all I'll do for way too long. I'm easily distracted when not following a schedule.

Don't forget to make time for fun. Life is all about balance.

But, as the quote suggests, once you've lost time you can never get it back. Use it wisely. It's one thing you can count on, limited but trustworthy.

What's your best tip for time management?