Secret #1: Be in the moment, every moment. Are you thinking in the present, one minute at a time? Successful people keep their eye on the task at hand. If a task does not merit your full attention, then it is not worth doing. Do you make those around you feel special by giving them your full attention? Your children, your spouse, even your clients can tell if you think them worthy of your efforts and focus. Show them your true priorities by giving your best. If, at any moment, you are consumed by frustrations over a past event, or dwelling on worries of a future deadline, you are not making efficient use of your time. Your life is an overloaded train poorly performing at reduced speed. How can you speed up your success? By releasing worries over what you cannot control, and facing challenges without distraction. By staying in the moment, you will lower stress, accomplish exponential growth in productivity, and enjoy a more peaceful existence as you confidently complete each task.
Secret #2: Make every moment productive. Instead of wishing for more hours in your day, create more day in your hours. Get up early, get started with strength for the day ahead, and you will see immediate results. Put this into practice even if you are not a “morning person” at heart, decided to rise early enough to have quiet devotion time every morning and to have extra hours to accomplish goals set for the day. First thing in the morning pray, strategize about the day, envisioned the big picture, and even added some exercise to get your adrenaline going. You will be amazed at how it changes your entire day! You feel better, have a better attitude, are more confident, and accomplished more than at any other time. Take an extra 30 minutes to an hour in the morning to situate yourself physically mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for the day. Starting the day with quiet time—one on one time with God— will increase productivity immediately, lower stress levels, and help you be more prepared for the unexpected. Then get to work, and see how far you go!
Laziness does not yield success. What are you accomplishing right now, and why? Are you putting off today what you will only dread tomorrow? “If you ever want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, simply put it off” (Olin Miller). Successful people take care of what is important immediately. Efficient time management dictates that you conquer your fear and live courageously, completing what matters most as soon as you can, not as late as possible. Procrastination is what limits success in your future and lessens happiness in your present. Procrastination is the author of regret. There are different forms of productivity to your life: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual, and they all need attention in balance.
Secret #3: Balance your life. There is a beautiful illustration of balance in time management that has been formed into many analogies. Stephen Covey uses one such illustration. This is a shortened variation of the popular story, which makes a crucial point: take care of first things first. For those who like to follow along while doing the exercise and live the experience, you will need a large jar, some large rocks, some pebbles, some sand, and some water. On each large rock (10-12 of them, depending on your jar size), write something important to you, a major priority in life (such as a deadline, a goal, an event, clients, loved ones).
Now imagine you are sitting by rocks and sand in front of a beautiful ocean (no surprise why I picked the beach setting). In your hand you have a large empty jar. Fill it with lots of sand until it is completely full. Sand includes all the little things you have to do. Now pour a lot of pebbles onto the sand, and try to fit as many as you can, until you can fit no more. Pebbles represent what you enjoy in life. Now try to add your large rocks. How many can you fit before they spill over? Few, if any. As you imagine this (or better yet, do this), think of ways your life resembles your jar. Are you trying to squeeze the major rocks into an already full jar, hoping it all holds together for one more day? Are there important matters and people who seem to get the leftovers of your time?
Let’s try it again. Empty the jar into a bowl (you will use the ingredients again). This time, pick up as many large rocks as you can and place them in the empty jar. Now add even a few more on the top. Notice you can fit even more than you expected, when the important parts of life go in first! Next, pick your small pebbles out of the sand and add them to the jar. Add as many pebbles as you can until the jar is full again (it is okay to shake the jar until they fit). Do you see how many more pebbles fit this time? You get more joy out of life when these “happiness” pebbles come next. Now, add your sand. Pour in as much sand as you can until the jar is full. Notice how the sand seeps in to the very bottom, surrounding all the empty spaces?
The sand represents all those chores that have to get done, and rather than taking up your whole life, can easily fit in between the rocks and pebbles. Notice how much your jar weighs. Lastly, pour in water, filling the jar until it can hold no more. Now lift the jar. Feel the difference? Water represents all the ways you allow burdens, worry, and stress to seep in and weigh you down. Your jar is your life: what is yours saying? Are you made of sand and water (with a little rocks and pebbles in the way) or are you made of rocks and pebbles (with sand filling the empty parts and the occasional water seeped in)?
Successful people are not always busy, and busy people are not always successful. How you handle balancing the rocks, pebbles, sand, and water of your life can propel you towards success or stop you cold. Live a balanced life. Are you letting your time be wasted? Technology can be your avenue to prosperity or it can siphon the life out of you and your prospects for the future. You decide which it is for your life every minute you spend connected to the world wide web, watching t.v., reading, going to the movies. Be sure your habits fit in balance with your life strategy. Your body will run as well as you treat it. Are you running it down with bad habits now, draining it of a future? Do you have a regular sleep pattern? Are you eating right? Your body is a machine and needs regular nutritious fuel (and rest) for optimum performance.
Every day should contain time for business, refreshment (play, rest, eat), strategy (reflection on the big picture, goals, priorities, self-improvement, confidence, and spiritual strength), chores (managing the necessities and blessings in every day life), and relationships. How you handle these components of your time defines who you are.
Do you spend time talking with those closest to you? If not a spouse, a mentor, or close friend—give yourself time for friendships that last.
Do you spend enough time with loved ones? Even if it is just a few minutes take time to say a kind word of encouragement or do lunch.
Do you have intimate (if you are single will you take time with your spouse daily) time with your spouse daily? We are just talking about sex. Take time to cultivate a lasting relationship through thoughts, words, and actions.
Secret #4: Learn to say no. It is not selfish to say no, but rather is a healthy form of time management that draws others in. When you overbook your schedule, you say to your commitments “you are not worth my best effort”. Saying no tells others you know your limits and abilities, and you can be trusted to do what you promise. Being trustworthy is an effective tool to keep loyal clients, and a great parenting tip for building strong relationships with your children. Be a person of integrity, and do what you say.
Keep your focus on the big rocks to determine what to throw out. Are you keeping busy hoping to make it somehow, or are you focused on a goal and guiding yourself to it with every minute you spend? Every action accomplishes some goal, the question you must ask yourself is what goal is this action taking you towards. Your schedule defines your priorities, and your priorities define you. Why you choose your big rocks is often as important as what they are and how you deal with them. Do you have a grasp on your life purpose, and are you seeking ways to contribute to the world with your talents and your giftings? Have a strong foundation anchored in to succeed through the storms of life.
Pass your time wisely. If you live in the moment, stay productive, balanced, and live according to your priorities and God’s plan for your life—you will succeed!
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