The other day I read an interesting post on entrepreneur.com around time management. Most times I scan through articles and take a few mental notes before moving on. However, this one was extraordinary and so I had to print it off for my planning.
Recently, I have been teaching full time, personal training, writing for four different website and mobilizing a small startup from my place of residence in Nova Scotia. All of this has compounded together in the past month causing me to think strategically about my time management. No matter who you are, time management is not an easy thing. If you have kids and a spouse and travel a lot for work, you may want to use this blog as a good reference to schedule your days. If you are single and working two jobs, keep reading…
Since reading this article, I have implemented two things in my day that are changing my life. From family time to work time, everything seems clearer and more effective. Here are a couple strategies I am implementing everyday to balance my life.
- 15 and 30 minute time blocks
First, I have broken my mornings into 15 and 30 minute time blocks. each morning I wake up at 6am. I have ‘Ryan time’ between 6am and 8am (prior to school). So here is my morning.
6-6:15: Check emails and respond
6:15-6:30: Schedule all social media/blog posts for the day
6:30-6:45: Check on year plan, goals, etc. and plan for the day
6:45-7: Read one of my books
7-7:30: Jogging or resistance training session
7:45-8: Prep all food for the day
8:15: arrive at school ready for the day
Now, most of you are probably thinking that I live a boring life. However, the important thing to keep in mind here is this is the plan that works for me given my goals and my priorities in life. I always was a morning person, but this 15 (and sometimes two 15min blocks) minute block strategy has lessened my stress, allowing me to focus during my workouts and while reading. My mind just seems more organized both emotionally and intellectually for the day. Finding a schedule that works for you is important so don’t be afraid to try different things to see what works to keep you balanced with your priorities.
2. Post it notes
The second thing I implemented from this article was the ‘post it note’ strategy. This is basic, easy to implement and very useful. It helps me balance my ambitions and passions! Each night prior to bed I take only one post it note and write down all of the things I want to accomplish the following day during ‘ryan time’. This list is centred around my priorities aside from my regular teaching job. It also allows me to remain focused if the day gets out of hand with tasks and errands. Once all tasks are completed on the post it note, I recycle it and create a new one before bed for the next day. Limiting myself to 5-7 post it notes per week keeps my task management proficient and my effectiveness towards others very high.
Ryan Fahey
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