Planning your Workload
In order to be successful you have to work hard…really hard - right?
Do you find to keep your business running you need to:
- work back late almost every day?
- use long weekends to catch up on things?
- regularly miss family events because you are too busy?
- tell suppliers, contractors and employees that you are too busy to answer their calls and emails?
It happens to us all from time to time, but does it need to be an every day reality? These symptoms are a sure sign there is an imbalance and you may feel like you are losing control of your life. While you are working harder, in reality you may actually be achieving less. Even worse, as you focus all your attention on your business other parts of your life become neglected - relationships lose their shine, home and vehicle repairs are left undone and your health will eventually suffer too. In your peripheral vision you will be aware of the disorder around you and your stress levels will rise.
Without a workable personal timetable you will eventually fail to meet your own personal needs and expectations, and those of your family, friends and customers.
If you do find yourself having to always work extended hours, weekends and miss family events to complete your work it is time to sit back and asses the situation.
Eventually most people come to regret not balancing the important things in their life. Imagine this - you have come to the end of your life. You look back over the years and review the value of your days. Do you say “I wish I had worked a bit later that weekend”? Or do you say “I wish I had spent more time with my family” or ” I wish I had learned to horse ride”? Why wait until it is too late? Take control of your life, now!
Where do you start? First we all need to properly budget and allocate our time just like we do our finances. If you haven’t already done a course in time management and task prioritisation now is the time. If you have, then revisit the basics of time management, set yourself a closing time and plan and schedule your workload. Most importantly, schedule time for yourself, family and friends as if they were business tasks. Be aware you can only fit so much into one day, so be realistic about what you give yourself to do. Rest, relaxation and food are important, yet they are often the first to be neglected. Would you get in your car and just drive, and drive, and drive without stopping for fuel, rest, and servicing? What would happen if you did?
Don’t be afraid to outsource tasks you are not good at or don’t have time for. If it takes you 6 hours to complete a task that you could have have outsourced for a reasonable amount was it worth it? How much more valuable is your time spent in other areas?
With practical planning and time management skills you will be happier, healthier and more sucessful. Your family and friends will be too!
Enjoy life, it is a journey. Don’t rush to reach the ultimate destination.