Time (II)

So does my views in the 1st installment on this topic mean that I manage myself perfectly within the time I have and achieve all that I set out to within deadlines, arriving in time for all appointments?  Not really.  But I certainly feel more in control of myself, my emotions and stress levels.  I will share with you an 8-step outline of how I manage my self within time.  It is cobbled together from my ideas, spirituality and experience, Mark Forster’s Time management system and Duncan Coppock’s approach in his book, Self Factor

  1. Realising that I am a very small part of an infinite whole, daily, I commend my best intentions and efforts to fit into the larger whole so that they would flow and feel easier.
  2. Take a week-to-week approach to time, viewing, planning and reviewing actions in this light
  3. Identify one main focus for the week
  4. Daily reminder top personal values
  5. List all planned activities on Monday and update as new items arise during the week – work and out-of-work
  6. Beside each activity, indicate its level of importance to me, taking into account, personal values, impact on own intentions, its urgency and workload
  7. Indicate a realistic estimate of the duration for each activity.  Keeping  a time-log for two weeks is helpful for estimating durations.
  8. Start with the most important activity and on completion, move to the next most important.  The importance levels may be dynamic in response to external factors.

Whilst this system may not work for everyone, I find that it simplifies my life promoting a  holistic balance because I achieve more easily on a broad spectrum.  Try it for 2-weeks to see what you think.  I found it to be a powerful tool for managing self within time.