While New Year’s resolutions are good for you, University of Scranton’s New Year’s resolution statistics show that only 8% of us are successful in achieving their resolutions. One of my goals this year is to have a zero tolerance to time excuses. In plain english, I intend to get much better at keeping my time promises.

Do you keep your time promises?

Time is the most precious element of human existence. The successful person knows how to put energy into time and how to draw success from time – Denis Waitley

Your attitude to time is one of the things that could lift you up from the floor of mediocrity to the heights of excellence. Winners do not tolerate time excuses from themselves or from the people they deal with.

I love F1 racing. However, I am one of those fans who cannot bare to sit down and watch grown ups driving round in circles at high speed for sometimes more than 66 laps! One thing I am crazy about are the incidences around pit stops. The pit stop is where the cars get a change of tyres, their damaged body parts replaced, and their front wings adjusted in a matter of seconds. The fastest time for a tyre change pit stop is 1.923 second. Now think of one crew member making an excuse for overrunning by 2 seconds. The team principle is likely to have a zero tolerance to time excuses.

It’s up to you to make the effort to keep your promises regarding time.

Time-related issues to consider.

• Turn in the report on time
• Pay your bills on time
• Arrive for meetings on time
• Start and end the meeting or event on time
• Finish your speech or presentation on time

Having a zero tolerance to time excuses is a good start to boosting your chances of achieving your time-related goals this year. It all starts and ends with your attitude towards time.

Five things worth considering as you aim to be on time this year.

1. Have a time and place for everything. This can save you the time it takes looking for your keys or wallet.
2. Start your day the night before. Make sure that everything you need from the time you get out of bed to the time you get out of the house on your way to work or wherever you are going is all laid out and ready.
3. Organise your work environment. Someone once said rather colloquially, that ‘a scattered table means a scattered mind’.  A tidy desk is worth its time in minutes. Take time to organise your physical and electronic files.
4. Don’t run a tight schedule. Allow some time for some events to overrun. Late trains and traffic jams can be out of your control. Plan for this in your day’s schedule.
5. Continually develop time-saving and productivity habits.

Now you can put your newly saved time to some good use by reading, writing or prayer and meditation.

You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
~A.A. Milne

We hesitated to use the title “Work Smarter, Not Harder,” because we know you’ve probably heard it a thousand times, perhaps from a boss who is actually quite content to see workers running about in all directions, and who thinks that if he’s not seeing a lot of activity, nothing is really being accomplished. Still, it does bear repeating, because if you’re working inefficiently, you are, by definition, working too hard.

The number one way in which people work ineffectively is in the way they make use of time. If you could add up all the seconds, minutes and even hours you waste in the course of a typical work day, you’d probably be quite properly horrified.

Am I Wasting Time?

Think about the following scenario: The work day is just beginning, and you need to make coffee. Do you measure out the coffee grounds using eight tablespoons, or do you use a half-cup measure? If you don’t know that there are eight tablespoons in a half-cup, it’s just taken you eight times as long as it should have to measure out the coffee.

Here’s another scenario: Think about the last time you spoke to someone on the phone. Did you begin with small talk? “Hi, it’s Danny Sponagle from ABC Logistics. How are you?…. Good, good…. Great weather we’re having!…. Yeah, I heard we’re getting a storm, but what can you do? Listen, about your order….” By the time you got to the business at hand, which is the order, you’ve probably wasted a good two minutes. If you make just fifteen phone calls in the run of a day, that’s two and a half hours gone out of any typical workweek, wasted on mindless chatter. We’re not saying you shouldn’t be friendly, but cut to the chase.

Can I Do It More Easily?

If your workplace is inefficiently organized, you could be spending far too much time on what should be simple tasks. If your daily routine requires you to photocopy documents several times a day, for example, having the documents filed in your desk drawer while the photocopier is located down the hall next to the break room makes for a lot of “travel time.” Wouldn’t it be more efficient to move the copier closer to your desk, assuming it doesn’t inconvenience anyone else? Or could you do all your copying at the end of the day? It’s little things like this that really add up to a lot of wasted time.

Pretend you’re lazy. Think about how to achieve what you need to do while moving as little as possible. Perhaps you’ll refine this to the point where you can write a book – The Highly Effective Habits of Really Lazy People.

Can Someone Else Do It?

It’s amazing how many people are afraid to delegate routine tasks. Whether it’s fear of losing control, or just not accepting that there are other people who could do the job, a lot of valuable time is wasted by CEOs and managers who devote themselves to much to details. Let someone else organize the paper clips, if they must be organized. You can bet that someone else in the office can do it just as well as you can, and you’ll free yourself up for more productive tasks. You’ll have more time available, and you’ll be able to focus on tasks that really need your attention.

Don’t Be Afraid to Take a Break

People need to clear their minds once in a while. If you’re stressed out and overwhelmed, you’re not working at peak efficiency. Take a breather. Get a cup of coffee or a drink of water. Think about something besides work. When you come back to your work, you’ll be refreshed and more productive.

Don’t Multitask

Everyone does it, and hardly anyone is good at it. You might think you’re getting more done by going in all directions at once, but realistically, your work is not likely up to snuff. You’re just wasting time going back to fix what you’ve messed up.

These are just a few ideas. You can find more online, or in books or trade journals.

Enthusiasm is the energy and force that builds literal momentum of the human soul and mind.
~Bryant H. McGill

You have an idea – an exciting, revolutionary, change-the-world idea! That’s fabulous. Now, you must allow it to live.

If you’re having trouble getting past inspiration for your business, here are 5 simple steps you can take that will help set you on your way.

1. Keep Up the Momentum

When you first had your brilliant idea, you were excited and enthusiastic. It was the first thing you thought about every morning, and the last each night. When you first conceived it, you forgot about everything else. And then, you started dragging your feet. Perhaps you started putting off working on your idea in order to deal with day-to-day matters, or maybe you just got bored. Perhaps it wasn’t as easy as you thought it was going to be.

Are you really going to let your great idea die before it’s been fully formed? Not if you’re the smart entrepreneur you think you are. Think about your idea and what excited you about it in the beginning. Talk to others about it, and feed off their enthusiasm. If it really was the great idea you believed it to be in the beginning, keep pushing it forward – you owe it to yourself, and to the people who will benefit from seeing it realized.

2. Make Time to Think

If you’re mired in mundane tasks that are stifling your creativity, delegate some of that work. Must you really respond to every single email, every phone call, innumerable texts and tweets? Can’t someone else check your Facebook for you?

We realize that not everyone has, or can afford, an assistant, so if you really are a one-man band with no support personnel (poor you), at least prioritize. Categorize your emails and phone calls as “urgent,” “fairly important,” and “I’ll get to it whenever.” Then set aside a block of time each day to respond. Don’t go over the time allotted. Now, use the time you’ve freed up to think about your idea, where it’s going, what you’ve done so far to get it on track, and what’s remaining to do to get it there. No daydreaming, no getting side-tracked. This is “quality time,” just you and your idea.

3. Stop Procrastinating

Are you sitting at your desk, arranging your paper clips by size and colour, instead of, say, applying for a patent or seeking out investors? If this sounds like you, think about why you’re putting off these essential tasks. Many people procrastinate because they’re afraid of failure. If that’s your issue, stop worrying and move forward. Even if this idea fails, consider it a learning process, and understand that there will be something you can salvage from it to use when you have your next great idea.

Could it be the opposite? Are you afraid of success? Most of the time, fear of success is simply fear of losing control. Imagine Bill Gates saying, “I think I’ll shelve the whole Windows idea – I’m afraid it might get too big for me to handle on my own.” Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? So come on – go for the gold!

4. Brainstorm

If your idea is stuck in infancy, call in the troops. Meet regularly with co-workers and stakeholders, and toss ideas about. Collect the results in a Word document or a spreadsheet, and review them periodically. Toss what’s not working in the recycle bin, and talk about what is working. Keep it up, and you’re sure to get there eventually. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t lose your enthusiasm – keep the ball rolling.

5. Give the Critics Their Due, But Not Too Much

There will always be those who see the glass as half empty. If critics are belittling your chances of success, give them due consideration – maybe they’re right. But also remember that you’ve gotten this far because you see challenges that can be overcome, not walls you can’t climb. Think about the possibilities, not the roadblocks.

Remember, the best idea in the world is no good to anyone if you don’t act on it. Keep moving forward.

Please leave a comment with your thoughts.

Be very strong… be very methodical in your life if you want to be a champion.
~Albert Juantorena

Each day, there is a set of tasks that we need to get done. Whether it is at work or at home, you should be able to overcome the challenge of forgetting to do important tasks. We all know what it’s like to forget to do something important, but one of the proven ways to avoid this is by using a checklist.

Do More with a Checklist

Using a checklist is a tried-and-tested method to ensure that you never forget to do important things. Checklists are used in various industries around the world from government, medical, and aerospace to construction; their function is significant. Checklists are used for the sole purpose of reminding people what they need to do. They ensure that nothing is forgotten, allowing you to save time by doing more. By using a checklist properly, you’ll get more time out of your days!

Here are some tips to help you maximize the use of checklists:

1. Segregate the checklist for morning, afternoon, and evening tasks.

This tip in particular will come in handy for those of you who have a lot of work to do. Entrepreneurs, mothers, and freelancers who work at home can all make good use of this tip. When you wake up in the morning, make a list of everything that needs to be done by 12 noon. By lunch, make a list of the tasks that should be completed before dinner.

2. Prioritize moneymaking or business-oriented tasks first.

Put all activities that generate money, such as negotiating with clients, making sales calls, and emailing proposals at the top of your list. These are activities in your checklist that should ideally be completed before 3 pm each day. This is when businesses and offices are at their peak hours, answering calls and responding to emails. Limit administrative tasks to late afternoons or early evenings, when you don’t require the response of clients.

3. Evaluate the procedures you include in a checklist.

If you are relying on checklists to guide you through a project, it’s always best to reflect on them to ensure that you are doing only what’s necessary. Procedures in a checklist form can help you efficiently complete client proposals, emails, and presentations by ensuring all the information needed is there. Some questions you can ask yourself when evaluating the procedure include:

• Why is this step necessary to the completion of the project?
• Is this process in the right place? Should you reassemble the steps to get more done with less time?
• Are you providing concrete actions with each step that you can complete and check off?
• Is the procedure listed clearly enough for you to be able to hand it to another person and have them understand it?

4. Make your checklist easy to use.

This may seem obvious, but if you’re new to writing checklists, you may actually spend more time wondering about each step. This is because you’re writing down items that aren’t specific or clear enough. Make sure your checklists are clear and complete, but easy to use.

5. Put your checklist in a place that you see frequently.

You can print spreadsheets or word-processed files, use index cards or post-its for short checklists. To reduce waste, you can also choose to use a white board, which allows you to easily erase notes and create new checklists as needed.

Although working with a checklist can be a seemingly simple tool, it’s a great way to organize your life. It will also help you evaluate the routine tasks that you do each day, both in your personal and professional lives. Eventually, when using a checklist has become a habit, it can help you evaluate the higher goals and more important tasks that you should be prioritizing. A well-written checklist can help you perform tasks more efficiently, whether you’re diagnosing patients, building airplanes, or completing sales kits.

Why not leave a comment for the author?

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is – CS Lewis

There are days when you wish there was more time to do everything that needed to be done. Nobody likes the feeling of having to run after the clock each day because it’s just too tiring. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the errands and commitments that you need to do, and you can end up feeling burnt out at the end of the week.

The good news is that there are time-saving skills you can integrate into your personal life. Learning these skills will help you get more done with less time, and once you’ve mastered it you’ll be able to enjoy a better quality of life.

Time management skills are crucial to a long and happy life. Prioritising important matters and setting adequate time for these things each day will allow you to slow down life a little bit, and live more. You’ll be less cranky and find yourself being more positive. And if you have a positive attitude, you’ll get more done.

Here are some simple time management skills that will help you manage your time more wisely and give you a better quality of life.

1. Reflect on your daily routine

Take some time to understand the things you do each day, and prioritise the important tasks first. It may be different for everyone; it could be focused on health, finances, family, parenting, or hobbies. Look for habits that take up the most time and see how you can minimise or eliminate such habits.

For example, if you find yourself rushing to work each day because you prepare your lunch in the morning, set aside a few minutes each night before you sleep to get it done. This way, when you wake up, half the work is done for you. You’ll be able to enjoy mornings without rushing things anymore.

2. Get a weekly calendar or diary

A calendar will help you keep track of your appointments and other important events. Each morning, reflect on the week’s activities and see if you can do some more today for an event later on in the week. If you have a birthday dinner for a friend in a few days and need to do the groceries too, sneak this in during your work lunch break and you’ll hit two birds with one stone!

3. Limit social media interaction

We oftentimes don’t realise how much time is wasted on social media, which doesn’t get anything done. Restrict going on social media to just 10 minutes a day, and you’ll be surprised by all the things you can achieve.

4. Avoid traffic

There’s probably nothing more frustrating than sitting in traffic, when you’ve got more important things to do. If escaping traffic means waking up an hour earlier, make this small sacrifice and you’ll avoid feeling frustrated and bored. You’ll get more done by the time you’re at the office. You’ll even be motivated to sleep earlier the night before.

5. Automate your tasks online

Save time from going to the bank or grocery shopping with online based services. If you have a list of frequently used household goods such as laundry detergent, shampoo and other personal effects, sign up for online services that deliver it to your home on a regular schedule. You can also automate all your bill payments by subscribing to online services from your bank. This will save you time. No more writing cheques or queuing at the bank to make payments.

Making a few adjustments to your lifestyle to save time will be one of the best choices you can ever make. Even if this means sacrificing a little more, like waking up an hour early for work, this investment will go a long way.

Why not leave a comment on your time saving tips.

It’s never too late to learn how to be more productive both in your personal and professional life. When you get more done, it gives you a sense of accomplishment, which leads to greater self esteem. And you’ll have more time in your hands to focus on personal or professional goals.
Here, I have rounded up some of the best apps I use. You might also find some of these useful.

1. Evernote
Evernote is the ideal application that allows you to remember virtually everything. It’s the perfect companion to enhance business or personal productivity, as it’s cloud based storage lets you access all the notes you keep wherever you go, even on your personal computer or desktop.
The unique notebook features let you categorize notes, which come in handy for various hobbies such as cooking, traveling, and even planning a wedding. When used for business, the app lets you share knowledge with colleagues, providing them with easy access to information you’ve stored on your own account that you’ve tagged for sharing.

2. Wunderlist
Wunderlist is a cloud based application that lets you manage your tasks and to do list. It has a simple user interface which makes creating your daily task and lists fun and easy. It’s available on all operating systems, smartphones and tablets. You even have a web access to your list.
Wunderlist also synchronises automatically across all your devices. There is a free and a pro version which allows you to share your list and collaborate with work colleagues, friends and family.
If you want to achieve more, Wunderlist is the app for you.


3. Scrivener
Scrivener is an app created by writers for writers. Created by a company called Literature and Latte, as in writing and coffee . It’s a powerful tool that allows you to focus on your writing.
Scrivener is great for keeping all your documents in one place. So whether you are writing a book or a blog, Scrivener helps you organise and get to the end of your project. It’s designed from the view point of the writer, allows you to work in a composite mode that eliminates distractions and will help you focus on getting to the end of your work.


4. Keeper Security
You’ve probably already had one of those days that due to the sheer number of accounts you manage and physical databases, you’ve simply forgotten your passwords. But today, with Keeper Security, it allows you to safely store passwords, eliminating the hassle of ever forgetting a password ever again. With this app, you can say goodbye to having to reset your password just because you’ve forgotten what it is. By using one master password, you can access your accounts without the need of resetting. You need a paid version to sync on all your devices.



5. DropBox
With versions available for personal and business use, DropBox is the ultimate app for storage purposes. You no longer have to carry around physical hard drives, or consistently transfer data from one place to another. DropBox users can store multimedia files, including music, movies, photos, and documents, and take them wherever they go. If you choose to share them with another user, files can be shared with just a few clicks. Additional storage can also be bought at a minimal rate.

By choosing the proper apps you can increase your productivity. Using any of the above technologies can greatly reduce time or effort from your normal workload. You’ll be able to enjoy increased productivity and have more time to spend on yourself.

Why not leave a comment and tell me about your favourite productivity app.