Success Through Time Management

As a new mom, I’ve suddenly been forced to become an expert at time management.

When my son was 3 months old, I decided my network marketing business wasn’t going to suit my needs, and I started an entirely new business online.  I work from home with my son and our two dogs, who at times are more of a handful than our baby, and I’ve been able to build a successful business in a very short period of time.

It’s been quite a journey – I didn’t figure this all out over a week’s time. Little by little, I incorporated different strategies into my day which have made a huge difference in my productivity, my stress level, and my overall success.

In Jack Canfield’s book, The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be, he  states that in order to become a success, we must take “100 percent responsibility” for our lives. What that means is that everything we experience -- our results, our achievements, our failures, our relationships, our income, our health, our debts, our feeling -- everything is a direct result of our actions or our inactions. We actually create or allow everything that happens to us. Instead of making excuses or blaming others for what happens, the book suggests that we instead ask ourselves, “How did I create or contribute to that? What did I say or not say? What did I do or not do to get that result? What should I do differently next time?”

This is the key to time management, because managing your time effectively requires that you take 100% responsibility for your life. You’re taking the actions -- or responding in a particular manner -- which puts the outcomes of your life into your own hands, and this essentially guarantees your success.

So let’s get into it. What I’ve done is I’ve gathered 20 ways to improve the time management in our lives, so that we’re taking control of our days and at the same time, taking control of our outcomes, and our success.

1.) Be organized. Nothing destroys our time like disorganization and confusion. Our desks, computers, documents, files, pens, books, receipts -- everything needs to have its place where we can find it at a moment’s notice. This may mean investing in a file cabinet and a desk organizer, and spending some time organizing our computer documents into different folders. It’s actually been proven that a messy environment takes up productive mental energy, even if we’re not focusing on it at the time. It literally takes up mental real estate. I still struggle with this one, often!

2.) Create a schedule. Be specific about the  hours of the day that you work and hours when you don’t, so that you have adequate time for work, family, exercise, and time for yourself. Be sure to plan your activities so you select the best time of day for the work required. For example, I find myself with the most energy in the mid-morning and early afternoon, that that’s when I do the majority of my business, especially phone calls. Other people are night owls and prefer to do their work in the evening. Stick to your schedule and keep it handy so you and your family always knows what’s going on. Everyone will be happier because they know what they can expect from you.

3.) Set goals. Who needs time management if we don’t have goals? Most importantly, goals need to be written down, written as if you’ve already achieved them, and have specific completion dates, such as “I weigh 140 pounds. March 15th, 2007” or “I earned $20,000 with my home business. January 30th, 2007.” Goals need to be right for you and believable, and they need to be in reach of your confidence. If your subconscious doesn’t think you can make 20 grand a month, then you won’t. So set goals that fit you, and edit them as your confidence grows. But don’t set them too low or you won’t have the motivation and excitement to help you reach them. Stretch yourself, but don’t be completely unrealistic.

About the Author: Kara Jankowski has been an entrepreneur for five years. Her passion is helping others find success at home by sharing her knowledge, experience and support. If you'd like to learn more about Kara, visit her personal web page at www.FollowALeader.com. If you'd like to learn more about Kara's business, please visit www.FollowALeader.net or call her directly at 603-664-3553.