Time Management - A Simple Time Tip With a Big Payoff

"I have to hurry up." "I'm running late." "I don't have time for that now." These are the conversations running through your head all day long as you race about your day trying to get things done. Life is one big race against the clock and the clock always seems to win.

You have a lot of commitments and responsibilities on your plate with many obligations. You simply focus on getting one thing done so you can move to the next to keep your head above water. You're doing the best you can after all. Or, are you?

Perhaps you're in this time crunch because of something you did or didn't do and you don't even realize it. If you were aware of this one thing and took action to correct it right now it could completely change your relationship with the clock and your life. All of a sudden you could find yourself with time you never thought possible to use as you want not as you think you have to.

So what is this one thing that's causing you to never have enough time? That one thing is a responsibility in combination with a behavior. That one thing is a decision.

Most people who struggle with the way they use their time also have trouble making decisions. Many avoid decisions. Others make snap decisions without thinking through the consequences of those decisions. Yet others delay decisions so they're faced with the same decision over and over again.

There's a simple solution to the decision challenge. Although it's simple it's tough because it requires a total commitment and iron will. The solution, of course, is to make decisions quickly and change your mind slowly.

Rather than avoiding decisions if you challenge yourself to make a decision quickly and stick with it you could be amazed by just how freeing it is to make a decision. Now I definitely am not suggesting you either say "yes" or "no" to every decision. Rather I'm suggesting you say "yes" or "no" quickly to those decisions that are immediately obvious. Then set a date and criteria for a decision for all other decisions that aren't quite so obvious.

That isn't delaying a decision that's setting a time and target for making an informed decision. When the day and time comes make your decision and stick with it. Sticking with it is another important component of effective decision making.

Waffling back and forth increases your stress and wastes your time. Once a decision is made don't change it unless there is a clear logical reason to do so.