We are all given the same amount of time each and every day yet how often do we seem to run out of time? Since there is only 24 hours in a day, how you use the time you are given is thus - ever so important.

When people think of time management they often say "Yeah yeah I know if I managed my time better I could get heaps more done!" But what is it that actually prevents you from getting these things done and managing your time in an excellent way? What prevents you from achieving more than you thought possible and having people in awe around you wondering how on earth you do it?

Of course there is action required with commitment, dedication and vision to your goals but I find there are several other key components that people don't often think about.

1.

For every time that you choose to do something, you choose not to do something else. Time management is simple really, it's all about your choices. Time is actually our most precious resource. How many times do you hear someone say there is just never enough time... yet we are all given the exact same amount of time every single day. It's how you choose to spend your time which will determine your results you get.

Stop now for a moment and ask yourself - What are you doing with your time? This might seem like a simple question but is what you are doing steps towards achieving your goals? Are your actions leading you on the path you want to go or are you just fulfilling your immediate desire and gratification for immediate rewards?

2.

For good time management you need some long term thinking and planning. Move from immediate gratification to long term gratification. You could have something right now, but with focus, vision, dedication and some work you could have something entirely different in the long term. For example if you exercise now and put the effort in with regular weekly and challenging sessions for the whole year ahead, come this time next year and with a good diet you are pretty much guaranteed to have a fit and toned body! But if you continuously choose to sit on the couch then you know this time next year you are most likely going to look and feel entirely different.

Those who are more successful and happy have greater vision and can look far beyond, to the long term horizon. Vision equals control and knowing, those with long term vision are more likely to give more to the present. Those who give themselves short term gratification often lead them to "long term frustration". You will do fun, easy and urgent and often unimportant things if you're not looking at the long term effects of the consequences of the choice of how you spend that time. For example you could go home every night and put off playing with your children or spending quality time with your partner to get short term results in other perhaps less important areas of your life but with these on-going choices in time you may not have any relationships to put off as they just might not be there.

Are you using your time to get closer to your life and work goals or are you wasting time?

3.

I have noticed that when I ask people 'how are you?' or 'how's things' I often receive an answer 'really busy' too much to do! And almost like if you weren't really busy that makes you look bad or like you don't have very much in your life. I'm always busy too but I think there is a difference in perception in that - Are you too busy to get everything you want done and thus need to work on your time management, or are you busy doing what you love with great results in every area of your life continuously working on it? If you are then well done but if you're not take a good look at what you're actually doing with your time.

Is your perception on how much time you actually have and what you can get done in that time realistic?

4.

Over estimating what you can do in a day or week leads to inability to complete it all which in turn leads to a feeling of failure. Continuous over estimating leads to thinking there is not enough time, there is never enough time � I've run out of time! So then you start to think I need way more time..!! And when going to do that task you didn't have time for you put it off until you think you have a whole block of time to do it in. Have you ever put off calling someone that you haven't spoken to in a while, have been meaning to ring but because it's been so long now you will need an hour just to catch up on the basics. Call them now just to say Hi.

This leads me into a major key that I see happening, people think they need blocks of time. People plan their weeks, days or sometimes months but who plans their next ten minutes? It's not to say that you need to plan out a time map or schedule that is to the minute, because we all need some spontaneity. But you need to value you minutes. Minutes are very valuable because it's the minutes that make up the hours and days in our lives.

• How to start Managing Your Time better today?
• Be proactive instead of reactive
• Say no if it's not consistent with your goals
• Don't get side tracked on a short term gratification
• Every minute and every second is important
• Value your time
• And do it now
• TOOLS - Use your MS OUTLOOK, Diary and write your Tasks and Time Map down!
• Let go of the time wasting activities that bring you little value and make room for the things that you really want to do
• Ensure you know what your long term goals are so you can choose to do the things that are consistent with them

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - Allow yourself time to manage your time! People spend too much time thinking and contemplating and not enough doing. The first thing in anyone's diary should be planning.

For more information contact Jacqueline Pigdon T: +61 (0) 404 362 379 E: jacqueline@jinalife.com