Sean Tarpenning - Time Management Tips for Achieving Your Goals

1. Sean Tarpenning - Time Management - How to Manage Your Time Sean Tarpenning, When I think about time management and how to manage your time, I think about one of the funniest things I ever heard. Someone I was working with said they didn't have time to take a workshop or learn any of the tips for better time management. Really? That's when I thought, "Keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you've got". That quote applied to them, for sure. When people have issues with time management and how to manage their time one of the things that may help them gets through the day is learning how to say "No". Saying "no" doesn't always mean that it won't get done. It can mean that the task won't get done at that moment. Saying "no" could mean talking to a manager or co-worker first. Then after that conversation, all could agree that the task will get done at a later time. Or, it could mean that everyone agrees that that

2. particular task doesn't need to be done after all. As each day goes on, there are many times when things that were important at the start of the day become less important by noon or mid-afternoon. The idea of time management and how to manage your time also means that one person doesn't have to do everything. A person may be part of a team. A person might be a family member. They might be the head of the house. Or, they could be the manager of a department with a deadline to meet. The bottom line is there are other people around who can do their part to help with getting things accomplished. A lot of times we think that the quickest and easiest way of accomplishing something isn't talking it over with another person to help complete the task. A lot of the time we say "oh, I'll do it myself" and we believe we can do it when we say it. Unknowingly, we could

3. be saying it 4, 8, 10 times a week. We probably never connect our willingness to "do it myself" with the headache, stress, and sleeplessness we may also be experiencing. This is when having great time management skills is important. Part of getting everything done includes getting help from all of the resources we have. Resources include co-workers, friends, siblings, family members (including children and teenagers), and anyone else who will benefit from the task being completed. Sharing the time it takes to get a task completed gives everyone more time to do things they want to do, as opposed to being consumed with doing the all things we have to do. It can also allow more time to do some of the other things listed on our To-Do list that needs to be done. (You do make a prioritized To-Do list every day, right? If the answer is no, this is a simple time management tip that can help you get things done more effectively.)

4. When folks start to get stressed, or when they don't get everything was done that needs to get done... when they see that others around them aren't as busy and they seem to be doing everything... it's time to stop and think. "Did I make a prioritized To-Do list? Did I ask for help? Did I plan for how to get this task done with other people's help? Do I feel stressed out?" If my answers are not "yes", "yes", "yes" and "no", then it's time for a change. It's time to do some real- time management and learn how to manage your time. Getting things done on time with less stress should be the #1 priority.