The Time Manager® Results Philosophy
In order to create results you need to do 3 things:
1. Know your goals
You can only reach your goals if they are absolutely clear to you. If you are not constantly reminded of them it is not very likely that you will do anything about them. They are "out of sight, out of mind".
Most people have far more goals and wishes than they can fulfill. It is necessary to set priorities and decide: Which goals are the most important? and Which can wait?
2. Determine your tasks
In order to reach your goals you need to determine which tasks to complete. You need a decision base for utilising your time and a task list that should be:
- Complete - Containing everything that you wish to spend time on.
- Clear - Giving you overview of your duties and tasks grouped logically.
- Specific - Containing information to clarify the object of the tasks: what, who, when, how, and how much.
- Practical - Easily accessible and easy to store, transport, update and work with.
3. Spend your time on these tasks
If you are to reach your goals it is essential that you spend your time on the things that lead towards them. You need to translate long-term goals and intentions into 'here-and-now' tasks. This is why the decision 'what to do now?' is so essential to your personal effectiveness.
In order to achieve results, you need to build a bridge between your tasks and your diary. Your time planning should be based on the goals you wish to achieve, not on the demands placed on you by other people.
In each of your planning periods, the year, the month, the week, and the day, you have some booked time and some available time. The time that is already booked is no longer of much interest in your planning unless you decide to change your plans. It is the use of your available time that decides whether you reach your goals. In your current planning it is therefore essential to maintain overview of your available time.
Use your available time to do 'the right things', the things that lead to results.