What's More Priceless Than Your Time?
Time Packets: A Priceless Gift
Time packets are a discreet block of time on your calendar, devoted to a single purpose. They’re the gift you receive and give to others, when you choose to schedule out parts of your day and reap the benefits of a proactive day. The more focus you put into determining what tasks are most urgent, and filling your calendar with these first will set you up to accomplish whats most important first. Start Small. Plan one “time packet” a week ahead, something you know is weighing on your mind with the intention of making you accountable to your calendar and a better result.
Let’s talk about some possible ways to create your calendar events or “time packets”:
Schedule according to your internal clock, when you know you’ll be most productive. For example, Tuesdays are most productive for the majority. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Be honest with yourself about when you’re most capable of completing the hardest work, and framing around that if possible.
Don’t beat yourself up over something that doesn’t seem to get accomplished every week. Instead, if you find its repeatedly getting put off.. delegate it if possible. This may be an opportunity to recognize something you can hand off, that a coworker or employee may enjoy doing more.
Try not to fill your day up entirely. Leave breathing room in your schedule, so that when delays arise you’re not setting yourself up to fail. It’s important that you leave time for the cup of coffee in between, to find balance and recognize how good it feels to be in control of your own day.
Turn the day into time slots. Things you can regularly schedule like checking email, running certain reports, or maintenance tasks set a reoccurring event for a time or day that you know is feasible.
“If you don’t pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.”
