Setting Smart Time Limits
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Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.
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PROJECT OF THE WEEK
Setting Smart Time Limits
We talk a lot about priorities and the importance of determining where we spend our time. How much time we spend on a project or activity is just as important as where we spend our time.
Today we are going to talk about being thoughtful when deciding how long to spend on each priority.
Even if you are a planner, and you pride yourself on strong time management and prioritization skills, you may be skipping this simple, yet powerful, step in the process.
When you schedule a meeting, do you take a moment to consider how much time is required to accomplish your objectives?
When your phone rings, and it's from someone that you have been trying to connect with, do you kindly let them know how much time you have available?
Before jumping into a task, do you take a moment to decide how much time is right for you to spend on the task right now?
You can be choosing the right priorities AND not choosing the right length of time to spend on each priority.
In fact, I think this is one of the most common sources of overwhelm.
Getting Started
The good news? It takes no time (ha!) to start setting better time limits. Just imagine the amount of time you would free up, if:
The weekly staff meeting was 45 minutes instead of an hour and a half. I have a friend who has a staff meeting every Tuesday for 45 minutes. Then, on Fridays, she holds a “huddle” for 15 minutes. Nobody sits and gets comfortable. Instead, they review the priorities from the staff meeting and list anything upcoming that could need attention first thing on Monday.
You spoke with your best friend for 10 minutes each night, instead of 3 hours late Sunday night. Note: don’t make this change if that 3 hours is a form of self-care and you look forward to this time together.
When your colleague calls you back to review a question you had, you let her know you have 15 minutes before your next call.
You set an alarm, prior to starting your financial report, which allows you to finish up the majority of the report and leave enough time to close out of email, prior to rushing out the door to pick up the kids.
I try to keep in mind, the more time we have, the more time we will fill.
Setting time limits is key to feeling less overwhelmed and more balanced.
Happy Planning!
Ready to Get Started?
If you feel excited about implementing this strategy and want some additional accountability and support to get started, the It’s All in the Planning Starter Pak was designed for you!
A Note from Happy Spaces
The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:
Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.
We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.
Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®
Sincerely,
Sarah Weingarten
Meet Sarah
Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.