Three time-saving ideas — that don’t take much time.
Time and money. They get talked about a lot and are often the big payoffs in product and service pitches – “save time and money!” We see that line every day.
And they are often portrayed as having equal value, however that’s not true. While money can be stored and regenerated, time cannot be stored or regenerated. Time is the ultimate perishable product. There are 86,400 seconds in a day and they are vanishing as you read this!
So if time is the more valuable asset, then how do we best protect and preserve it? How do we get the most return for our time invested?
Here are a few ideas for not just getting things done, but getting the right things done – for making the most of your time.
Three-Part Grouping
FranklinCovey has touted this for many years as one way to organize your day. The first group–the A group–consists of items that should be completed that day. You can list these priorities as A1, A2, A3, etc. Items in the second (B) group, have less urgency, and are listed B1, B2, B3, and so on. The final C group is for items that you want to get done personally.
Now your day might look something more like this:
A1. Finish proposal.
A2. Send invoices.
B1. Review new case study design.
B2. Place ad for new salesperson.
C1. Get a haircut.
C2. Get car serviced.
Schedule Meetings in 15-Minute Blocks
Most people think in terms of 30-minute chunks, but like anything else in excess, it can get wasted. Start with 15 minutes and add another block if necessary.
Plan, Grow, Produce
I break up my own business world into these three main activities. I’ve found it helpful to set aside specific times of the day and week to focus on them intently. What direction should we be moving in this week, month, or year? What new business development activities are most important and how do we accomplish those? How do we take care of clients and deliver top-notch work?
Remember, time is the only asset you cannot get more of, so use it wisely. Study it, guard it, and spend it like the gold that it is.
Have a great week.
photo credit: flickr.com/photos/mbgrigby/6896054295/
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