Do you read your e-mail before doing your housework? Do you try desperately to get things done but experience constant interruptions? Removing any of these top 5 time wasters and how to avoid them can clear your schedule so you can get to work and stay focused on what needs to be done.
Procrastination – I have lost count on the many hours I spent trying to figure out what to do best with my day and how to make the most out of my time, only to -find out my day has ended and I got nothing done. So frustrating!!
How To Avoid Procrastination – Your planner should be your best friend when it comes to managing your time. I get the most out of my day now that I use it religiously. Put in all your appointment along with your travel time and prep time for each, then add in any errands that you have to do that day, then look at your to do list and figure out your top priority for that day and add it in. If you do this simple task every night for the following day then you should know what you have to do and when to do it.
Social Media & Emails – These should all come with a warning, once you sign into Facebook, Twitter or your email, and then your time will pass twice as fast. A few of my coaching clients have told me that they didn’t realize how long they spent on social media until I asked them how much time do they spend on it, and most were totally shocked.
How To Avoid Wasting Time on Social Media and Email – It is impossible not to spend time on social media and email now of days but it is important not to let it take over your life. Set a time two to three times a day to check your social media accounts and email. It also worth remembering that everyone can wait and a few hours will not hurt.
Irrelevant Phone Calls – My biggest pest peeve is when I am trying to do housework or work on my blog. People who call you except you to answer it and drop whatever else you are doing and sometimes waking you for no other good reason except to sell you something.
How To Avoid Irrelevant Phone Calls – To be honest I have answered my cell and my landline only if I know who is calling. Otherwise, I will let it go to voicemail and I get back to them at a suitable time. I have been amazed at how more productive I am. I run my coaching business from home and I sometimes get calls from telemarketers who are sometimes hard to get off the phone. Some of my coaching clients tend to email me rather than the phone and those who do call me leave me a message. This really helps me a lot because I can focus on my work and then make calls at the end of the day when I am ready and in that mode.
Doing Things At The Wrong Time– You have a long list of things that you need to do in one day. You haven’t planned out the best time to do them and you are just working through the list. You get to the end of the list at the end of the day and you have to make an important phone call to get some information. The person that you need to speak to has left the office for the day. Grrr. It is your fault, but with a little planning this could have been avoided.
How To Do Things At The Right Time – It is good to check your planner the night before and see that everything that you need to do is done at the best times. As long as you schedule things for a time when you know you will have everything you need to complete the task/project/phone call; then you should be fine.
Interruptions – Doorbells, friends, children, family, delivery phone calls ect, can eat into your day and before you know it you haven’t gotten anything done.
How To Avoid Interruptions – I am not saying that you should avoid interruptions altogether (emergencies to happen) but you should try to limit them when you can so you can get what you need to get done. Schedule in times during the day for interruptions, which means you will not get as stressed and then you will hopefully still be able to get everything done that you wanted.