“I just don’t have enough time!”

“What I really need is an extra day a week.”

“I have too much to do and not enough time.”

Do you hear people saying things like this every day? More importantly, do you find yourself saying them ?

Well if you do I have some great news for you - You have all the time in the world- and what’s more, no-one - no-one - has any more time than you!

Every man, woman and child on this earth, no matter how rich or poor, has exactly the same amount of time available to them.

That’s 168 hours every week.

Think of someone who you regard as successful, someone who seems to effortlessly juggle all the elements of their life and manages to have a successful family life, career & social life. Well they have exactly the same amount of time available to them as you do, they’ve just learned good habits that keep their attention focused on things that matter to them.
And if at the moment you’re feeling in any way unfulfilled, or stressed, or stretched or so busy that you just can’t manage to spend time on things that matter to you, then let me introduce you to some habits that will help you to take control of what you do with your time.

I call these five habits the Productivity Code, because once learned, practiced and applied it can feel like you’ve discovered a secret code to living a balanced, successful and fulfilled life. Let me briefly describe the five habits, and if you’re interested you can find out more here at my website http://changesmith.solutions

The Productivity Code

The five habits of the Productivity Code are:

Habit 1: Manage Yourself, You Cannot Manage Time

Habit 2: Plan Ahead, Be Adaptable

Habit 3: Do One Thing at a Time, be Organised, be Assertive

Habit 4: First Dream! Then Make Your Dreams Your Goals

Habit 5: Know Yourself and Nurture Yourself

Manage Yourself, You Cannot Manage Time

Time Management has been a big industry for decades, and many of its principles are sound, but much of the thinking around Time Management related to a previous era, where the world of work was - relatively - stable, largely characterised by large organisations, information was scarce and the flow of information slow. That is clearly not what today’s world looks like, and the bottom line is that if we are to succeed in using our time wisely, the answer lies in managing ourselves.

Plan Ahead, Be Adaptable

It is beyond doubt that if you have a plan, you are more likely to achieve your goals and get more done in every area of your life. Having a plan for the day ensures that you will give attention to the right things, particularly if you use a “to-do” list - but that has to be a short, closed list of things to achieve that day - not the rambling, all-encompassing “wish-lists” that I frequently come across. You need to leave gaps in your schedule too, there will be interruptions, and changes and some of them may well be positive!

Do One Thing at a Time, be Organised, be Assertive

Planning is only the start though. You need to action the plan, and “multi-tasking” is not the answer. Advances in neuroscience show us that the brain doesn’t multi-task, but constantly switches attention, which isn’t an efficient way to work, so learn to focus on one thing at a time and you’ll get more done. Get in the habit of turning off e-mail and your phone if you need to concentrate on things (if you work in 45-90 minute bursts this should be achievable), learn to deal positively but firmly with interruptions - and in particular learn the techniques for challenging requests for you to attend meetings - which can absorb huge quantities of your time, for little - if any - benefit to you.

First Dream! Then Make Your Dreams Your Goals

Remember your plan? Schedule some time in it to dream - to think about what you want your life to be like in the future, in terms of your career, your relationships and your health and well-being. And as your dreams take shape, turn them into goals, goals into projects and projects into tasks that you can work on each day or week.

Know Yourself and Nurture Yourself

How well do you really know yourself? What times of day are your energy levels at their best? When are you most productive? How well do you look after yourself? Knowing the times of day when you’re naturally more energetic and focused, and using them to work on things that will have a real impact (instead of ploughing through your inbox) will help you to achieve much, more with your time, save the inbox trawl (which needs to be done) for those times of the day when you’re a little less “sharp”. And however you like to get some fresh air and exercise then schedule time to do it realistically - you’ll reap the benefits.

Michael Alsuter wrote that “the bad news is that time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot”

The Productivity Code is a system of habits that link together to help you as you navigate your way through the opportunities and challenges of your life. The habits help you develop a rhythm and structure in your life that allows you to remain in control and to achieve more satisfaction and fulfillment.

You can find more at www.changesmith.solutions

The Changesmith