TIME STEWARDSHIP PART THREE: TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TIME

We kill it, we save it, it’s robbed, and we lose it. We all have the same amount of it, yet not all of us benefit the same from it. 

I’m talking about time. 

It’s the one commodity everyone in the world gets in equal measure; but is utilized in varying ways. So often we feel rushed and overwhelmed; wishing for 30-hour days to accomplish tasks on our to-do lists. However, when you step back and break down your 24 hours, you begin to find pockets with minutes and hours that are drifting towards unproductive areas. When time is invested in the right way, the rewards are great.

Having a high value of my time has always been a priority for me and understanding how best to make use of it is essential. In the blog Time Management Part 2 – The Irreplaceable Power of Delegation, I give more details on how to do this. 

Today, I’d like to share with you a few approaches I use to maximize my time. These are spaces and places I’ve identified within my day that can still be used for productivity:

CREATE TIME IN THE VACUUMS

When you’ve got a lot on your plate, utilize your “down time” strategically. Time on planes, driving, the barber’s chair, the exercise bike, the waiting room, etc. can be doubled up with work activities that typically consume valuable work or family time, like dictation, reading or answering emails. Plan ahead and bring work with you in case free time unexpectedly shows up. Avoid feeling like you are “wasting time” during an unexpected delay, as this causes unnecessary frustration.

DICTATION

Dictation is an essential part of my world. I’ve never been a great typist, and I’ve found that dictating notes, memos, emails, etc. to be later typed up by my support team (or outsourced) has been a far more strategic use of my time. For many years I used a dictation device, and I purchased several as I needed them in key spaces – such as my car, my office, at home, my backpack when I travel – there was always one around when I needed it. Now thankfully I use my phone; it’s always with me and the Voice Memos app is easy to use; plus it allows me to edit, review, title and send dictations via email directly to my typist.

My commute to the office is about four minutes. Typically, I dictate a letter every day on the way to work and another on the way home. Driving is generally unproductive time for me, so I’ll use that to complete something. Dictation is also useful when I get a thought, or need to remember something, I can dictate it and release it from my mind as it’s been captured.

For several years I used a service named Rev.com for typing up dictations and they charged a reasonable fee. Now I source typists from Upwork.com – this is an excellent website where you can connect with professionals in several fields. You send out your request and individuals send back detailed proposals that include previous work, charges and so on. I have been very pleased with the quality of individuals I have found there for very reasonable rates.

 Though dictation may not specifically apply to you, don’t be afraid to get creative about some of those tasks that you spin your wheels on, or those that simply take longer than they should.

MAINTAIN WHAT’S MEANINGFUL

Seize the opportunity to have your assistants handle personal errands when possible. Remember: time is your most precious commodity. However, don’t extend this practice to meaningful items like purchasing a gift for your wife – gifts from the heart merit your full attention.

STAY FOCUSED

It’s easy when you create pockets of time to fill them up with more work or tasks that could easily be accomplished by others. Remain focused and be intentional about how you utilize your time. When you work smarter, you also become more productive and efficient. Consistently giving a little time each day to the critical areas will over time yield significant results.

USE THE MORNINGS WISELY

In our family’s life, I realized that being at home in the mornings added no value to our kids’ lives, whereas being home by 5:30 in the evening was of tremendous value. Starting to devote my early mornings to the office was useful in a number of ways:

• As an introvert, I was able to have some time to “charge up” for a few hours before others came into the office with questions and needs.

• It gave me time to think outside the box, broadly thinking both on the business as well as in the business 

• Living on the West Coast, it was incredibly useful to be in early to reach contacts on the East Coast first thing when they arrived at their office.

SET ALARMS

In addition to the normal calendar reminders, I use the alarms on my phone. When I have a very important meeting, I will set two alarms in case something goes wrong with the first one. A missed meeting is a missed opportunity. I also leave written notes on the floor. This way, I have to step over the note and in turn, I will be reminded to get something done.  Forgetting to do something at the optimal time or causing things to be rushed later is unproductive.

TAKE NOTES

I make sure I have a way to take notes during any meeting I attend, even if it’s just a one-on-one meeting.  Often, good thoughts, ideas and action items come out of a meeting, and I like to make most of my time with someone.  Also, I believe it demonstrates respect when you show you are prepared to take notes – it honors what the other person is communicating.

PRIORITIZATION

Prioritization is probably the most important concept to remember when it comes to time stewardship, so be diligent with the how you approach it. I prioritize everything I need to do into different categories so that I get the most important things done first, the next important next, so on and so on.  I have things I need to review today, in the next two days, that week, that month and when time allows.  Prioritizing ensures I get the most important things done the soonest.  My assistant and team also follow the same system.

DON’T ANSWER THE PHONE

Call back instead. I often will wait until I am in my car to return calls that aren’t urgent, which allows me to make better use of my time while at my desk.

WRITE IT ALL DOWN

Our minds are powerful tools, but they can’t always be trusted to remember details. To avoid any future confusion, I’ve learned to regularly reduce important items to writing. Doing this allows me to think through it and helps for future reference when needed.

Taking the time on the front end of your workday to implement some of these practices can yield even greater fruit. Sticking daily to these habits will make you more focused and as a result show you other areas in your day that you can carve out additional time. More time for you means more opportunity to spend it on other areas of importance and growth. 

ACTION STEPS:

Revisit the above list, select two tips and commit to implementing them this week. At the end of the week, take time to review and audit all that you’ve accomplished as a result of them. Make any necessary adjustments and apply them to the next week. Continue with this until you feel it’s working efficiently for you.

I’ve put down some more useful notes in the handouts titled Staying Organized. Please take the time to share any useful thoughts or insights you may have in the comments section.

This post is the final one in a three-part series on time stewardship. The previous two installments focused on why time stewardship is important and the key to great delegation.  

If you’re new to the blog, we heartily welcome you.  My name is Paul Neff, and I have devoted the latter part of my life to mentoring younger men who desire to live further into God’s purpose for their lives.  This blog is an extension of my heart for helping others grow.  God has richly blessed me, and my hope for my life is that I could make good on the investment He has given me by offering something to the next generation of leaders.