Are You Spending Time or Investing It?
In a recent discussion with a successful professional, I heard him say, “we need to be good stewards of the moment.” Good stewards of each moment. Good stewards of our time. Such a simple statement, yet I needed to process it. Turn it inside out and research this simple, yet thought-provoking, statement.
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to have more time than others? Do they? I bet if you compare their minutes to your minutes, we all have the same minutes each day. Even smart watches do not create longer minutes for their owners.
So what does it mean to be good stewards of our time? How do we keep time from slipping through our fingers unappreciated and underutilized? How can we strive to be more mindful of how we spend (or invest) those precious minutes?
Time stewardship refers to the conscious management and allocation of time in a way that promotes productivity, well-being and fulfillment. Material resources can be replenished or saved for later. Once a moment passes – well, it’s gone.
What can we do to capitalize on our precious gift of time? This is what my deeper dive into this subject revealed:
Prioritization – Identify and prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency. Using the four quadrant matrix helps categorize tasks. Is it Urgent/Important, non-urgent/important, urgent/non-important or non-urgent/not important? A very useful tool.
2. Goal Setting – Utilizing SMART goals (popular for use during performance evaluations.) However, you can set SMART goals for yourself personally and professionally. SMART = Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, with Timing stated.
3. Time Blocking – allocating specific blocks of time and dedicating uninterrupted time to tasks, minimizing distractions and gaining momentum.
4. Eliminating Distractions – hmmm—distractions. Facebook, texting, messenger, binge-watching whole seasons of our favorite mind-numbing series. Oh – and did I mention Facebook? (This is a confession moment for me!)
5. Reflection and Adaptation – regular reflection on how we invest our time helps in making necessary adjustments and provides insight into habits and areas for opportunities.
Being mindful of our time can enhance creativity and innovation. In a world that values productivity, good time stewards can set themselves apart by having more time to invest in those areas that are important – to themselves as well as to others.
Cultivating an appreciation for the value of each moment, each minute, and wisely investing is a great place to start.
If helpful, check your paradigms about your time. Perhaps reframe your thinking. You do have just as much time each day as others. Invest it wisely.
How can we help? Are you spending (wasting) a lot of time cleaning up miscommunications? Are you doing a lot of work that could be delegated?
Is it easier to be an individual contributor than it is to lead others?
Check out our program offerings at https://www.thequalitycoach.com/programofferings … this will be time invested well!