There’s the saying, “if it wasn’t for the last minute, nothing would ever get done”, and I wonder how many of us rely on that “last minute” every day.
If you’re honest with yourself, are you guilty of racing around? Are you desperately trying to finish the tasks you could have done, or should have done, earlier in the day? Do you rely on the “last minute” before meeting a deadline?
Perhaps you genuinely have taken on too much. If your diary is crammed full of client meetings during the day, then school-runs, after school clubs, evening socials, networking and other activities, maybe there isn’t enough time to do everything. Maybe you need that “last minute”.
But if you constantly use the “last minute” you’re not allowing time for anything to go wrong. There’s no safety buffer for unexpected delays, hold-ups or problems. If you rely on those extra sixty seconds too many times, you could find yourself under extra stress and extra pressure and the potential for making mistakes increases.
But it’s not all bad news.
I work with clients on a practical level. I can’t add hours to the day, but I can show you in three steps how to streamline your everyday tasks and processes to use your time twice. I can help you prioritise your tasks, so you’re on top of things. You won’t need the “last minute” because everything has been done in an organised, manageable and stress-free way.
The Three Steps:
- Your Goals – Chatting through the tasks you want to achieve.
- Your Time – Analysing how you currently spend your time.
- Your Tools – Implementing the solutions to make your life easier.
One of the key benefits of working with me is the accountability I offer. When setting out your goals, I become your accountability partner. I am someone impartial who knows what you want to achieve and keeps you on track on your journey.
An example of this is helping a client find the equivalent of an extra two working days in the month with the time he saved by making one simple lifestyle change. That’s right, two whole days each month have been recovered!
Does this sound hard to believe?
He thought so.
But through chatting with me, initially by phone, then face to face, we broke down his task into micro-components. When each component was written down it became obvious where time could be saved.
Then, when he added up how much time this task was taking, it totalled 1.5 hours from start to finish. He mentioned he carried out this task three times every week. That’s 4.5 hours each week. It’s 18 hours each month just for this one task.
He was stuck in a set routine, spending 18 hours each month carrying out a task which, after our meeting, he made a simple lifestyle change. This change freed up that time, those 18 hours, for anything else he wants to do.
By changing that set routine he now spends the time working, or with his family, or both. He has the choice of how to spend this time. He can do the things he wants to do, not just the things he needs to do.
When speaking with clients, it’s surprising how many people are in set routines. They say they do what they do because that’s the way it’s always been done. But so often, the way it’s always been done isn’t necessarily the most cost-effective or time-effective way of doing a task anymore.
If you struggle to finish tasks or run out of time, don’t leave it to the “last minute”, please give me a call and I will be happy to find the extra time in your day so you can do the things you want to do, not just the things you need to do.