Effective Time Management

With all the distractions through our "always on" and "always available" culture effective time management becomes more important than ever before. There are many good books out there (e.g. First things first from Steven R. Covey)  to help you get better at it. The real challenge is to use the knowledge from these books consistently to manage your time effectively. If you don't think about how you use your time chances are high that you try to do everything haphazardly just to find out it doesn't work. Or you don't focus your time on the right tasks. Isn't it easy to spend just a little too much time on your iPhone/Blackberry, Internet (e.g. Facebook, linkedin) etc?

Whatever you do requires your energy, if you run a project or if you spend time with your partner. Since time is limited and energy is your most important resource you want to manage these precious resources wisely. Think about what is important to you and make time for these tasks.  Here are some things I consider useful

• Do NOT always be available. Set clear time limits and stick to them.
• Delegate tasks, especially in areas where you are not that strong. Why would you spend more time than absolutely necessary to get from less than average to average?
• Focus on the areas where you are strong, because when you are already good at something and spend even more time to refine the skill you become a linchpin and you can add even more value
• Make a Priority list of tasks (personal and business) to make sure you spend your time on the things that are important to you
• Focus on your areas of influence, everything else is a waste of time.