The Time Efficiency Lesson

The Time Expert

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget.  As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, “Okay, time for a quiz.”

Then he pulled out a one-gallon, wide mouth Mason jar and set it on the table in front of him.  Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.  When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?”

Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”

Then he said, “Really?” He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.  Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the space between the big

rocks.

Then he asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?”

By this time the class was on to him. “Probably not,” one of them answered.

“Good!” he replied.  He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand.  He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.  Once more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?”

“No!” the class shouted.

Once again he said, “Good.”  Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Then he looked at the class and asked, “What is the point of this illustration?”

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, “The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!”

“No,” the speaker replied, “that’s not the point.  The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never get them in at all.”

What are the “big rocks” in your life?  Time with your loved ones?  Your faith, your education, your dreams?  A worthy cause?  Teaching or mentoring others?

Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you’ll never get them in at all.

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Be Militant About Your Time

Just a short rant about why we don't get more disciplined when it comes to mastering our time as Business Owners. In my travels and discussions with business owners I always seem to hear 'I don't have the time', 'there's not enough hours in the day', 'I haven't had a day off in months'. Additionally its not unusual to hear stories recounted of holidays which have been plagued with calls from the business on a daily basis, or frankly I haven't been able to take a holiday in years.

What was the purpose of entering into business on your own; a lifestyle choice most likely. Wanted to be my own boss, decide when and what hours I work! I bet for many that's a far off and distant dream now! Well folks you need to get some self discipline, you need to get militant about your time. In business time is after all money!

Here's a notion....there's no such thing as time management, there is only SELF MANAGEMENT. That's right you can manage the time you have with simple self discipline. So here's a few tips to get you started on time mastery:

1. Prior preparation prevents a poor performance, plan in advance, plan tomorrow today. Be clear in what you are to achieve the next day.
2. Urgency versus important, here's the thing, if you deal with all the important issues and task you'll avoid urgent stuff cropping up!
3. It goes without saying use GOALs to gain razor like focus and drive.
4. Have a default diary, scheduled your activity.
5. Get organised.
6. Increase you productivity by identifying when your business prime time is and when you are at your most productive.
7. Delegate, delegate, delegate!
8. Remember timings are critical not flexible........how do you feel when staff are late or you are late for a client!
9. Get systems in your business.
10. Say NO, don't allow unnecessary meeting to waste time (take the chairs out of a meeting room and see what happens), avoid getting caught in trivia.

Remember ultimately be militant about having your time wasted, get self determination, be tuff on those who undervalue your time and be tough on yourself!

If you are really ready to get productive in your business then join me on Wed, Feb 26, 2014 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM GMT for a webinar on Time Mastery follow this link: 

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3826703242211939329

In this short video Brian Tracy talks of some great strategies some of which I have touched on: