SENIOR SCENE: Time management tips

OPINION

Our team at Your Best Move LLC usually meets people during an especially busy and often fraught period in their lives. No matter our age, having enough time to handle our goals and everyday lives is a challenge. I taught classes in time management for years, and here are some of my very best tips.

  1. Make time tangible

Humans come to think of time as something amorphous and open to change at our will. But we cannot find, borrow, make, save, outrun, or otherwise bend time.

Draw a graph with 96 boxes on it and pretend each box contains 15 minutes, and that is your total 24-hour day. Fill in your 15 minutes blocks with activities and view your options. That's all there is.

To quote productivity guru Stephen Covey: "Time management is a misnomer. The challenge is to manage ourselves."

  1. Break it down

Rather than pondering an entire project (like preparing to move), know that studies show we mentally overestimate the time needed to complete something difficult or not so fun. The key is too bite-size it!

Decide to do a small portion now -- make a list, clear out a drawer, pack one box. Then do another and another for short bursts of activity. I find I can do almost anything for 15 minutes. Completion and success then will motivate you onward to the next step, and so on, and so on ...

  1. Recognize the 80/20 Rule

This long proven economic theory says that 80 percent of success comes from 20 percent of our effort. The concept is also known as "the vital few and trivial many," so determine your most important and beneficial 20 percent and spend the majority of your time doing those activities.

In addition to a "To Do" list, consider also creating a "Don't Do" list. Avoid the time-sucking traps that take you away from being content and enjoying your less hurried life.

Contact Your Best Move to manage your relocation in the "Time of Corona." We provide strong arms, warm hearts, and peace of mind.

Becca Clark is owner and president of Your Best Move LLC. Call 501-620-0546, email [email protected], or visit http://www.YourBestMoveAR.com, or on Facebook, Your Best Move.

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