When we talk about time, it’s not long before the conversation turns toward time management. After all, time is a limited resource. Every good business person – or anyone who has achieved something significant knows, that one of the keys to success is managing your resources well – whether it’s money, materials, people, or… time. Yet, I wonder if the idea of time management is really a misnomer. The truth is, we don’t really manage time – we manage ourselves, our resources and our life events in relation to time.
Setting goals and monitoring milestones can help us better manage ourselves in relation to time. At the start of the year we talked about this idea of setting goals or making New Year’s resolutions. Now that we are nearing the end of the first quarter of year, it might be an ideal time to look back at those goals and evaluate. Sometimes it’s just important to take a step back and take a fresh look, using a lens of learning and discovery.
First, consider whether the goals are still valid. Do you need to make any adjustments in the goals themselves? Perhaps something has changed and the goal is no longer relevant or there is something “missing” from your original goal. There’s no shame in adjusting your goals based on your new realities. Adapting is key to your growth and advancement, and ultimately to your success. In her article, How Well Do You Handle Change? The Benefits of Being Adaptable, Shirley Tan reminds us, “Adaptability is the personality trait that helps determine how you respond to change. High adaptability equals more business success.”
Second, consider how things are going. Have you made any progress toward your goals? How is your allocation of time reflecting in your goals and priorities? What do you need to adjust? What barriers and roadblocks are in the way of achieving your goal? What resources have you tapped to meet your current challenge? What small thing could you do today to rejuvenate your original goal and rekindle the passion of the past? If you find yourself facing a number of roadblocks or obstacles, you might want to check out Ryan Holiday’s book: The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph.
Taking the time to assess your goals is an important step in making sure your spending your time the way you truly want to. Recognize your “wins” and get specific about your next steps.
