Tweet

Time Management Is a Symptom of a Greater Problem

Written by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith

Article Overview: Time management continues to plague individuals from business owners to students. However, the solution begins by understanding that time management is a symptom and not the problem is the first step to making more with less time.

Time Management Is a Symptom of a Greater Problem

Time management continues to plague individuals from business owners to students. However, the solution begins by understanding that time management is a symptom and not the problem is the first step to making more with less time.

First, time management is an oxymoron since no one can manage a constant that being time. There will always be just 60 seconds to a minute, 60 minutes to an hour and 24 hours to a day. Now that we understand that time management is more about us and less about time, we can begin to separate the symptom from the problem.

Next, the question needs to be asked Why do we want to or need to manage time? By looking to this answer helps us to truly understand how people continue to label time management as a problem.

The reason we need to manage our time is because we have a desired end result or a goal that needs to be achieved. Without results or goals, there would be no need to manage or even care about time. Ideally, we could live each day moment to moment, not worrying about the passage of time. Unfortunately, today’s world demands that we make the most of each minute.

So now that we know the real problem the next question is how can we refocus our behaviors and become better goal achievers? Solving this problem begins by identifying the beliefs that support as well as hinder consistent goal achievement.

These beliefs range may include some of the following:

I work well under pressure (Note: This belief is otherwise called procrastination.)
I can mentality remember everything and don’t need a written list or plan
I can multi-task with the best of them
I don’t have time to learn something new

After belief identification has been accomplished, you may need to begin to change those beliefs that drive counter-productive attitudes demonstrated by our behaviors about the real problem - goal planning and goal achievement.

Then take some time to assess your life to truly learn where you are so that you can achieve balance and build the future that you desire. Using a simple life wheel to taking a formalized assessment can assist you. Now, it is time to construct an action plan that is supported by written individual goals. Once these goals are formalized and put into action, not only do you become a better manager of yourself and therefore time, decision making is now much more proactive instead of reactive.

Finally, all goals from making daily appointments to building sales should be written down and monitored on a daily basis. To do this requires blocking a specific amount of time each day for planning the next day’s actions.

After all the years of executive coaching small business, entrepreneurs or school clients, I am truly amazed at the number of people who continue to focus on time management as a problem and not a symptom of poor goal planning and goal achievement. Success or sustainable change can be yours if you infuse a consistent goal achievement process into your daily beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. And your current time management issues will become a thing of the past.

Related Articles
  Extraordinary Self Leadership Means Exceptional Time Management
  “Symptoms That Confirm Your Decision To Look For A New Job, From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”
  Ten Symptoms Of A Business Relationship Problem According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Turnover is Not a Problem
  Time Management is an Oxymoron

Article Tags: 60 minutes, attitudes, belief, business owners, consistent goal, end result, goal achievement, goal achievers, goal planning, mentality, moment to moment, passage of time, procrastination, time management is an oxymoron, world demands



Related Forum Posts
No B.S. Time Management - A great book I read on Time Management is No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs by Dan Kennedy.
Your Intial Mistakes Business - Hi, When I started my business I had made a lot of mistakes initially. These helped me in learning the art of the trade and today when I look back, I feel that these mistakes were quite silly. I had made my learnings then and those learnings have helped me time and again. Some of the mistakes I made were - i. Wrong Time Management ii. Wasting money on glossy Brochures and Business cards iii. Believing what they taught me at school was 100% correct iv. Giving too much when it was not required...... I would like to find out what have been your faltering moments in Business when you had started and what/how did they help you grow. Regards
Re: UPDATES: New Campaign! New Layout! New Ideas! - We've also expanded the list for Contest and All-Time Leaders. It's great to now see David and Yinka on the All Time list and recognize the contributions they've made to the forums!
What? - Problem fixed. Never mind!
Which kind of industries are you interested in? - Ecological or E-business or Investment or Finance or Management or Non-Profit or Retailer or others.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Angel Investors Where Are You?

Ten Reasons to take Notes during Sales Meetings

Four Secrets to Earning Income as an Author

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.