None of us are guaranteed a minute, but so long as we are alive, not one of us has one more minute than than the other. There is still 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, and 168 hours in that week. We all get the same amount. What make each one of us different is what we do with that time. Most do not realize this, but our greatest commodity is time.
What seems like almost daily, I am confronted with people do not manage their time well. Decisions are made, commitments are made, goals are set – but nothing is done with regard to managing and scheduling time and, as a result, many do not complete and achieve the decisions, commitments, and goals they make. As a result, many wonder why the lack the ability to get ahead and make the needed changes in their lives.
It used to be that the calendar on the kitchen wall or on the refrigerator was what we all managed to. If you had a desk job, you might even have one on your desk that you used. Today, technology has made the calendar so much easier to manage to. We can carry it in our phone, on our computer, on our tablet, access it from our TV screen, and even access it from someone esle’s computer. Some even have access to a calendar built into their refrigerator! Regardless of accessibility and the ease of access, so many do not use or manage to a calendar.
I will stop here and answer your question – no this is not about you its about someone else! But, you knew that already – right!
What does your calendar say about you? If I really wanted to see what was important to you I could ask for two things to review – your bank statement and your calendar. In both of those items, you can determine the most important thing(s) a person is committed to because this is where their time and money go to.
It is almost weekly and sometimes even more frequent, that I get a call or an email with some sort of excuse – “I forgot”, “something came up”, “I did not see this other thing that is a conflict” – what there are really saying is, “it is not real important to me”. As a coach, I can can accurately show you a person who has problem managing their finances, their career goals, and their life challenges – is the same person who can not manage their time.
For many it is missed appointments. For others it is missed commitments. For all it is missed opportunities! What could you be doing and achieving if you better managed your time? What things do you allow to make changes to your calendar? What is important to you?
Honestly, we all need help in this area. In fact, I did. Just a few years ago a man, a very successful business man, shared with me this one secret that has stuck with me, “if it is important to me, it is on my calendar.” Hearing that in my mind over and over led me to living by my calendar all the time.
My calendar is in use all the time. On my computer, on my phone, on my tablet – my calendar keeps me informed and on track with he committments and decisions I make. Anything that is important to me is on my calendar.
What about you? Are you one who is struggling with keeping appointments, meeting deadlines, delivering on committments? Is your calendar being used?
