No one is equally good or bad at everything. But if you don’t know what your weaknesses and strengths are, you could be blindsiding yourself. Becoming more self-aware is the first step to being more productive.
For example, you may be very analytical, which means you are good at thinking through a problem to the end and seeing solutions. But that same strength could turn you into a perfectionist. If you are a decisive person, you are great at making decisions, but you may not think a problem through entirely before taking action.
When you get to know yourself better, you can amplify your talents and minimize weaknesses. This will help you work at maximum efficiency without wasting time.
They say that we have three selves: how the world sees us, how we see ourselves, and how we really are. To work with and enhance your strengths, make an honest list of what you consider your strengths and weaknesses. Keep an open mind and remain honest.
We are all familiar with the favorite interview question, “What are your weaknesses?” The beaming interviewee, of course, answers, “Oh, I always seem to take on too much. I feel like I want to do everything.” Can you identify the weakness? Our interviewee is, in effect, stating that she is disorganized and unable to focus on one thing. She cannot manage her time (or, perhaps, her life), properly.
After creating your list of strengths and weaknesses, ask yourself about your general mindset. A mindset is how we view the world. This usually involves pessimism vs. optimism. These attitudes eventually shape our goals and determine how much we get done.
Optimistic people are open to learning and trying new things. That’s a critical element to better self-management. You need to believe that being more productive is possible. Optimism, the attitude that things can get done, will help increase your productivity in many ways. Think of it as a secret weapon or a powerful tool in managing your time. It really is true that if you think you can, you will.
That same optimism can help you get the best performance out of those who work for you. Instead of maintaining the mindset of
“This is how we’ve always done it,” you can change people’s thinking too, “This is how we could do things better.”
To help you gain greater self-awareness, it can be helpful to ask people whom you trust for honest feedback. With so many demands on our precious time, becoming more self-aware is an essential tool for managing your life and your time better.
Determine What You Really Want
It’s hard to be productive if you don’t know what you want to achieve. What really matters to you? The answer is critical if you want to manage your time better. It’s viewing the broad picture that is your life to get the most out of it.
For example, if you determine your family is what matters most, then you will find ways to increase the time you spend with them. If, on the other hand, all you truly want is to be the head of your company, you will know where to devote your time most effectively.
The following exercise can be very helpful. Get a notebook and write down the question:
“If there were no obstacles, what would I be doing right now?”
Ask that questions several times during a week. Don’t think or analyze. Just let your pen flow. Or fingers move across the keyboard. This is meant to get the blood flowing and provide you with an insight or two.
Once you’ve determined what is important, you can start planning your time accordingly. No more wasting the day on small tasks when the important ones are left behind, neglected and forgotten.
What Are Your Daily Habits?
We don’t mean to get you nervous, but you may be living with a killer. But not to worry, you can take control of the situation.
Nothing kills productivity and wastes time like bad habits. Bad habits can sabotage your life in the most spectacular way. Habits are the things we do every day routinely, without thinking. It’s when we function on autopilot, such as brushing our teeth, driving to work, preparing dinner. Habits are the small things you do every day, and they can add up to the sum of your life.
Let’s look at some time-killing bad habits:
- Not planning each day. If you don’t schedule your important tasks, you have no idea what you will be doing on any given day. Your day will be running you instead of the other way around.
Would you drive across a country without a map? You might get somewhere, eventually. But you will likely be taking the long, scenic route. Schedule your day the night before. Unexpected interruptions do happen, but a schedule will help keep you on track and help you manage your time more effectively.
- It goes without saying that being disorganized wastes time. Spend a good portion of each hour hunting down the things you need is a major time killer. There is a time management rule that says handle a piece of paper only once. When you check the mail, answer immediately or toss. Don’t let paperwork accumulate all over the place like some paper blizzard. Have one specific spot or folder for items to be dealt with at another time.
- Procrastination steals time from your day the way Billy the Kidd stole money from banks. Brutally and relentlessly. Understand that procrastination is a choice. It’s a bad habit, but you have the power to change it.
- Many of us waste time resisting change. Whether it’s preparing a meal in a new way or implementing a new policy at work, change makes us uncomfortable. There is great comfort in the known and predictable. But we will never reach our full productive capability if we don’t keep an open mind and remain open to new ideas. Candle makers were resistant to electricity. That didn’t work out well, did it?
- Are you in the habit of seeing the glass as half-empty? Negativity doesn’t only set the tone for the day, but it can truly determine your life. It’s been proven that positive salespeople make more sales. A positive mindset helps people perform at a much higher level. Both negativity and positivity begin in the mind. Whether you realize it or not, your thoughts are within your control. The next time you waste time fretting that the boss will hate your report, stop and change your thinking. A positive attitude would be, “I put my best effort into this. It’s a good report, even if the boss makes some changes.” The less you worry, the less time you waste.
- When you carry the past into the present, you’re toting a heavy load. We all have made mistakes. If you continue to dwell on them, you are slowing yourself down. You can’t change the past. You can, however, change your reaction. Simply accept that everyone makes mistakes. There is no need to waste time going over the same memory.
- Distractions are an obvious time-killer. Modern technology was meant to save us time, however, checking email, social media and other favorite sites can add up to hours of wasted time. The best way to stop being controlled by technology and start to be in control of your time is to have a schedule. Have a set time to return phone calls. Check email twice a day, and simply turn off any social media functions.
Of course, there are other distractions. Chatting with coworkers, having the boss re-prioritize your work, etc. The best way to handle these is to become aware of who and what it is nipping away at your time. Spend a few days accounting for every interruption. Yes, that will be a bit time-consuming, but the effort will be well worth it. Once you have a clear picture of what or who is draining your time, you can be prepared. If coffee room chats are mounting, bring a thermos from home and avoid the area. If the boss keeps cutting into your to-do list, add extra “spare” time to accommodate his or her interruptions without being thrown off-schedule.
Let’s consider your smartphone. Most of us couldn’t imagine life without one, and they can be very useful. They can frequently save us time. If misused, however, they can eat up a considerable portion our day. Smartphones can be so addictive, some people seem to have been permanently glued to the virtual space.
Without a doubt, you have encountered the following scene hundreds of times: a busy mother is dragging a toddler through the market while talking on her smartphone. Sure, she is undoubtedly busy, but how is she managing her time. She is trying to do three things at once, namely minding the child, shopping for dinner, and chatting on the phone. You may admire her for “doing it all,” but what exactly is she doing? She’s not paying the necessary attention to the toddler; she’s shopping while being distracted and will very likely forget something; and, she is only able to pay partial attention to her phone call and will miss important parts of it.
Sadly, this busy woman is not managing her time well. If possible, she should leave the child with a trusted sitter. If that is not feasible, at the very least she can avoid the distraction of the phone call and pay attention to what she is doing. It’s virtually impossible to manage your time well with a cell phone at your ear.
Learning to say no enables you to manage your time more effectively. Productive people are usually eager to do things, but you must know where to draw the line. If you agree to every task someone else demands from you, you will soon become overwhelmed and get less done. Don’t be afraid to say, “I’m too busy to handle this right now.”
Don’t allow yourself to get bogged down with inconsequential details. An estate planning attorney spends at least 15 minutes before each and every will and trust signing contemplating whether to provide a blue or black pen. Others can stew over the best color for labels. Ask yourself, “Does this really matter.
Most of us are so used to our own behavior, it’s easy to remain unaware of the bad habits that keep us from optimal performance. That’s why self-awareness is such a critical time management tool. Awareness is the first step to changing a bad habit into a good, rewarding habit.