With so many demands on our valuable time, Coaching to Success thought it wise to share their hit list of 9 Slipups people often make when it comes to managing what they have to do in the time available!

And to insure that you have the time to follow these steps through and give them time to work, we’re going to introduce 5 now with the other 4 following in a fortnight.

1. SETTING PERSONAL GOALS

So what do you need to achieve by the end of this month? How about 3 months? End of 2015 or what about 5 years? This is one of the things that got me into coaching as I saw so many people and companies failing to look ahead. The expression “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail” comes to mind. It is imperative to set a destination to work towards and from this, timescales become much easier to plan.

2. UNSUCCESSFUL TASK SCHEDULING

Some like to work into the early hours of the morning, others like to get up early to start. What is your most productive time of the day? Use this knowledge to set time to manage those aspects valuable to you and your business.

3. NOT PRIORITISING

“Really? How am I supposed to do that when everybody is demanding my time to do things” is a phrase I often hear. You really have to know what is important and prioritise them otherwise more interesting or, what appear, urgent tasks take grip and those that are truly important slip or aren’t managed correctly. A tool we often use is the Time-Matrix tool which helps gain priority.

4. INADEQUATELY CREATING/KEEPING TO-DO LISTS

I often say to clients “Get it out of your head and down on paper”. By creating weekly and daily To-Do lists, you help suffocate the battle that commences in our heads over all the things you need to do! No matter how you create and use a To-Do list, live by it and make it work towards #3

5. VOLUNTEERING FOR MORE WORK!

It can sometimes be difficult to say “No” when the boss or client asks for things to be done and it always seems urgent! Alternatively, maybe you’re not the best of delegators and have to be part of every activity that’s happening in your organisation? What do you actually ‘Need’ to be involved with and what can you trust others to truly handle. Be open and honest with line managers when it starts to become too much, explain when you have too many tasks but that you can do another and ask which other one you should drop?

These are just the opening statements and each one can be expanded to a full programme for which Coaching to Success can certainly assist in helping you maximise what you can achieve in those 24hrs in a day or 168hrs in a week. Good luck and for those wishing to join the other members of business who have excelled through engaging with a business coach, just contact Neil on 07761 187238 or neil.nutburn@coachingtosuccess.co.uk to see how a little time can produce amazing
returns.