Productivity Coach’s Corner: Don’t Manage Time. Do Manage Yourself.

For 20 years now, I’ve asked people what they could do with more time. Always on the Top 10 list is: “I would think.”

But do you find that the more time you have, the less thinking you do? Too often, long-term projects become last-minute priorities. Why?

Not because of time. Because you mismanage yourself. Want to start thinking better? Here’s how:

1. Review your calendar 30 days from today.
2. Review all seven days of that week.
3. Ask, “What will I wish I’d thought about sooner?”
4. Let intuition guide you; pick one thing.
5. Set your timer (visit www.e.ggtimer.com) for 30 minutes.
6. Work on, research, think about, or discuss that event for the next 29 minutes.

As you do a few “30-30” sessions, build a checklist to use when it’s time to think. Don’t just wish you had more time; take full advantage of the time you get to think!