5 Tips for Maximum Impact in Less Time
Let’s face it. Life is becoming increasingly complicated and our available time is shrinking. Every year when I think I have finally gotten over the molehill, some other crisis pops up, enter COVID. We are now faced with having to maintain our jobs, school our children, entertain our families, and stay healthy without the conveniences we were once accustomed to. With everything we need to do, how can we fit it into our packed schedules? We are, as women, superhuman, but sometimes we cannot accomplish everything. Below are 5 tips I use daily to help organize, simplify, and maximize my schedule in less time.
1. Preparation, preparation, preparation!
I have found the more prepared and ‘scheduled’ I am, the more impactful and intentional I behave. I used to put everything into my smartphone calendar, thinking that was being organized. That still led to overbookings and missed appointments. Even worse, it resulted in me never having downtime or self-care time! So, I went back to the good old-fashioned analog calendar. I plan out my schedule 30 days in advance, and the FIRST thing that goes into my calendar is ME TIME. Everything else must be planned around that. Remember, you must take care of yourself before you can care for others.
I also spend Sunday evenings planning out my week, down to 30 minutes. I schedule things like drive time, lunch, and blocks of time that I am free to schedule other things.
On Sunday nights, I make a list of goals I wish to accomplish or things to focus on for the week to prevent distractions. This could include healthy eating, sleeping 8 hours, hitting the gym 3 days a week, or even meditating each day. This keeps me focused on the right things for the week instead of wasting time on social media or on reality tv. It is also important to write a to-do list for the week so you do not forget to get important things done.
2. Outsource the 80%
The 80/20 rule applies to all aspects of life. From nutrition to wealth to personal daily management, we need to always keep this ratio in mind. 20% of our daily activities generate 80% of our success. That means, the other 80% of duties do not generate massive impact, therefore, we must outsource these tasks. This can include house management, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, scheduling etc. Believe me, the first time I was told that I needed to hire a personal assistant, I almost fell out of my chair. I took it as almost an insult! What do you mean I cannot do it all? I felt it was my duty to uphold my household, take care of my husband, and run a dental empire. But what I didn’t realize is by doing all of that, I wasn’t doing any of it particularly well and often became frustrated with my husband when he didn’t help out with chores. Since hiring out the 80%, my relationship is better, I have more free time, and my businesses are booming, even during COVID.
3. Time Management
This is the most important secret in ensuring you have maximum impact in less time. We only have 24 hours in a day, and hopefully, you are sleeping 6-8 hours a night which leaves only 16 hours of functional time. How do we maximize this?
Work in blocks of time to increase efficiency. Schedule your time to check email from 8-9 in the morning and 5-7 at night. This will increase your efficiency since you’re not returning to your email every 30 minutes, despite the notifications! Schedule meetings and phone calls between 10-12 every day and ensure you stick to your schedule! I do quite a few interviews for my dental offices. I allot time on Mondays between 10-12 and Fridays from 1-4 for interviews. If they cannot make those times, they aren’t serious about the job! These are just some examples of how to work in blocks of time.
No multitasking! We were taught growing up that if you can multitask, you will get more done. This is totally false, as we now know. Complete each task fully before beginning the next.
Be fully present during each task/block of time. When you are working at the office, make sure you are focused on your patients and your team, not checking email or online shopping. When you are working out, put down your phone/email and focus on your fitness. When eating dinner with the family, be present for your spouse and children’s stories of the day.
Protect your schedule! Once you have your 30 days and 1 week planned out along with your ‘flex times’, stay committed to the schedule! If something does not fit within YOUR set schedule, move it to next week. If it is something that does not help you achieve your values and goals, politely decline.
4. Use downtime effectively
I spend a bit over an hour in the car each day driving to and from work. I use that time to listen to leadership podcasts/books and the news. While sitting in the waiting room for an appointment, I may use that time to do my one to two social media checks per day.
5. End of Day Reflection
Daily reflection is beneficial in many ways. It helps us learn from the day, soften our minds before bed, and helps us refocus for tomorrow. Ever want to get out of the hamster wheel? This is how you can do it. Take time to think about the day.
What did I accomplish?
Where did I get off track?
What do I need to do tomorrow?
What surprised, challenged, inspired, or touched me?
The challenge to fit more in less time is not going away any time soon. We will constantly be thrown curve balls and challenges that we must overcome in order to still have an impact. I hope these suggestions will bring you organization, patience, and effectiveness.
We are women, we are strong, we are ENOUGH!
