EP #12 – Taking a Proactive Approach to Managing your Time

Have you ever started your day with the intention of getting certain things done, only to have accomplished nothing on your list 8 hours later? We all have, and we’ve all experienced the frustration that comes along with a workday like that. Here to help us is Jones Loflin, an internationally recognized speaker and the co-author of three books. His first is the award-winning book Juggling Elephants, a witty and profound parable about one man’s search for solutions for the struggle of too much to do. The second book is Getting The Blue Ribbon, a unique story offering simple strategies to get better results in your work and life. And the third book is Getting to It, a book that has received rave reviews as a field guide to accomplishing what is most important. In this episode, Jones shares his approach to being more intentional with your plan for your day and how to focus on the most important tasks you want to accomplish each day. Essential Learning Points From This Episode: * What is chunking? * What are the 3 key “rings” of your life, and why should you care? * Why you have to be in touch with yourself to impact others. * How can you help someone develop a skill to help you? * How and why to be more intentional about your time. * Much, much more! You won’t get everything done every day, and that’s okay! In fact, you can’t get it all done and you don’t have to beat yourself up about that fact. We all have limits physically, mentally, and emotionally, and we have to honor those limits. When we don’t we wind up feeling exhausted, frustrated, irritated and angry. Avoid reaching those limits.  Jones suggests creating a morning ritual that helps you start your day with some kindness and love for yourself. Those first few minutes of every morning are extra crucial.  If you can nurture yourself with that time it’ll truly help you. If you aren’t sure of what you can do to jumpstart your day in a positive way you can follow what Jones does every morning. He gets up early, makes time for quiet reflection and time to read something that enriches him. Then he spends an hour working on one of his “big rocks”: like writing his next book or creating his upcoming speech or presentation. After that, he checks social media, then exercises and has breakfast with his family. By the time he finishes he is prepared to go into the office and hit the ground running. When he gets to work he focuses on two or three things he’s going to accomplish with his morning. He then sets out to do them and does the same for his afternoon. He schedules those two or three “to do” items around the other commitments he has. Even if you only have control or influence over 15% of your work day Jones says to focus on what you’re doing with that 15%. Are you looking at what will move you forward, and doing that? Or are you finding small tasks that you can simply get done so you can check something off your list? While it’s important to have accomplishments for your day, things you can celebrate when your workday ends, it’s even more important to make sure the tasks you accomplish are furthering your big milestones and your big goals. So be proactive about the time you have available and make the best use of it by scheduling it. Another topic we discuss on today’s show is why it’s important that leaders like you o...