Wednesday, September 21, 2011

the Value of Time

   There's an old maxim :
The first thing you do in the morning is eat a frog, 
then nothing worse can happen the rest of the day!!

  We have a  Perception of time:
Time seems to go faster or slower depending on what we are doing. When your not engaged or interested, time drags ( that last 5 minute before you can leave school or work).
Time spent doing things we enjoy or are fully engaged in,  feels like it goes faster  ( where did the time go? )
Our memories are tied to important events, time seems to slow, we remember more detail.
The question is, do we have any control over time?

Here are Six simple truths about time:

   Nobody can manage time, but we can manage the things we do.
   Time is Expensive, most spend 80 % of it on things that get only 2 %  of our results.
 . Time is Perishable: it cannot be saved for later use.
   Time is Measurable: we all get same amount. It's not what we have, but how we use it.
   Time is Irreplaceable: we never make back time once it is gone.
   Time is a Priority: There is enough time for anything, if it ranks high enough .

  Procrastination: the time killer
 Often we become overcome by ALL the things we have to do. We make a list, and it can be overwhelming.
So there are things that get put off. Human nature being what it is, we tend to avoid the difficult situations. 

  Say we have 10 tasks, one or two of them will probably give us 10 times the value of the rest ( 80% = 2% ).  We tend to focus on tasks, not accomplishments, because it feels like we're making progress. So plan.
Focus first on items that may be harder or more complex, but will have greater value.  Don’t let the other 80% distract you. It's OK to not complete everything on your list. It will get done when it is important enough.

Eat that Frog : ( so, how do you know what it is? )

A.    Know what your Dream / Vision / Chief aim is…
B.    Plan your goals to get there. ( they are the signposts on your journey)
C.    Everyday, prioritize your action steps.
D.    Spend your time on the Top 20 % of  productive activities ( the rest can wait!)
E.     Find the 1 or 2 most important  AND  DO THEM FIRST. 

    THAT’S EATING THE FROG