There are so many things that sound like a good idea – like time management – but are just that – good ideas. Cause, how do you actually truly manage time?? There are many authors and wise folks out there who claim to have the answers for being able to manage your time, but at the heart of all the great advice lies one simple truth – you have to manage yourself in order to truly manage your time!

Enter the Matrix of Time Management!

We are big fans of the The Eisenhower Matrix to help us figure out what needs to get done now to what shouldn’t be done at all. We like to place all of our tasks through a focus funnel. Does this task need to be done now? And by me? Can I eliminate it? Automate it? Delegate it?

Enter the Matrix of Self-Management

The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan is another phenomenal book that has helped us to level up our productivity and mindset. “We don’t need any more discipline than we already have. We just need to direct and manage it a little better.” Isn’t that the truth?? It is so easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others and thinking that they must have something that we don’t. But it’s a trap because it’s a lie! We are all capable of accomplishing and achieving so much. It’s a matter of how hard – and how smart you choose to work for it.

We don’t need any more discipline than we already have. We just need to direct and manage it a little better.

Keller and Papasan, The One Thing

Control What You Can Control

You are in control! So control what is vying for your attention – and what you give your attention to. Here are some simple things that have helped us:

• Calendar what is important to you! This includes personal, as well as professional commitments. Date your spouse and your kids. Set times to do deep work, make and take phone calls, etc.
• Give yourself emotional permission to do things YOUR way! What works for someone else might not work for you. That’s ok! Do what you need to do, and don’t feel guilty about not doing things that don’t serve you and the lifestyle you are trying to build.
• Timers are extremely helpful! Set a timer for 20 minutes to check/engage with your clients on social media. Set a timer to exercise, to take a little power nap, to do focused work on a project.
• Less notifications, not more. Put your phone away when you are working hard! Turn off email notifications. You know you get emails and text messages. It shouldn’t derail your focus as much as you let it!
• Focus! Multitasking is not as good for you as you may think! You can read this blog post to hear more of our thoughts on that.
• You cannot control others, or the weather, or what may happen during the day, or year. But you can control Yourself! Your time. Your money. Your thoughts. Your words. So, take control of what you can control!