Short on Time? What’s Your 90 Percent?
At an event hosted by Products That Count, Sami Inkinen (Trulia founder/record-setting rower, triathlete) shared his five principles to winning. Number 4 – “Stop doing 90 percent of things.”
I hear from clients and friends everyday, “I don’t have enough time.” “I didn’t get enough sleep.” “I need to work out more.”
That perspective sets us up to think we are not enough. What is enough time? What is enough sleep? How much is enough exercise?
Time is something so many of us struggle with. A lack of time is a restriction that frequently shows up for my clients. How to manage it, what to do with it, where to focus it…
And, we all choose how to use our time, how to spend our money, when to go to bed, whether to eat healthy, or not.
What are you doing that is not rewarding you with results? That does not contribute to your success? That does not fulfill you?
Now stop doing it.
We all have responsibilities that seem like they are out of our control and I believe you can control them and you do get to choose. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have to work hard to pursue your goals. It means that you choose certain actions that lead you to the right outcomes, and then enjoy the process that it takes to get there.
Like creating any budget, you should have a fixed portion and a discretionary portion.
What is in your discretionary time budget that is not giving you value? What do you want to say “no” to so you can start saying “yes” to the things that matter. What can you delegate? What can you stop doing because it is not the best use of your time? Are there parts of your fixed time budget that are not essential?
I challenge you to have enough time to focus on the things that matter. Embrace that conscious choice to make the best use of your time. And don’t be afraid to say “no.” If you are not sure how to make the best use of your time, try an analysis of how you spend time. Track what you do for a week and that will give you a better idea of some of the things you should stop doing. You might be surprised!
If you would like help finding time to do the things that matter to you so you live fully and see results, please contact me for a free sample coaching session. I have an exercise on time management that I am happy to share with you if you ask. Just contact me.
*This article was also published in "Legal by the Bay," The Bar Association of San Francisco's Blog at http://blog.sfbar.org/2015/05/05/short-on-time-whats-your-90-percent/.
@bodegabay1 @samiinkinen @productscount
Monica Phillips, CPCC, ACC, is a motivational speaker, professional coach, and strategy consultant working with professional services firms, start-ups, C-suite leaders, and founders on leadership, business development, rainmaker habits, marketing strategy, accountability, and personal fulfillment. She partners with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.