Sometimes I find myself setting my alarm clock for 5:00 in the
morning (four hours before I arrive at the office) to allow time to go on a
jog, start (or wrap up) some creative projects, or to have a sit down meal with
my family. The pressures of a busy work schedule can leave mere minutes
at the end of the day to enjoy your time at home, so those precious hours in
the morning give me that time back. Smartphones,
laptops, tablets, and our tech amenities connect us to our jobs more
effectively than ever. With the expectations of the modern workplace,
there is hardly an excuse for turning off our phones and constant stream of
emails.
However, through
trial and error, I have come up with some great ways to maximize your time at
home, ensure effective use of time at work, get those creative juices flowing
again, and to slow down the clock (and let your hair down/loosen that tie!)
First, calendar
your free time. Yes, I know, this can zap all the magic
and spontaneity out of that Sunday picnic or lunch with your
significant other, but in these modern times, we sometimes need to schedule
"fun." So, guess what's in my calendar for Friday March 29,
2013? Yes, you guessed it- a leisure activity. I actually have it precisely
scheduled as the following "8:00 P.M. - Dinner and a movie with family at
Sunset." For Sunday at 2:00 P.M. through 5:00 P.M., I calendared
"Planetarium with the family." For next Friday, I have "Poetry reading at Books and Books scheduled for 7:00 P.M." Seeing these activities on your
regular calendar accomplishes some key objectives. First, it builds
momentum. You know you have "fun" in your near future.
This allows you to finish up your work tasks efficiently and with
anticipation of your pending reward. Second, it ensures that you will
treat your free-time with respect. Many times, we put aside our mental
downtime/creative up-time as unnecessary; when in fact, these activities boost your effectiveness and
success at work and at home.
Second, cut out
the guilt. Guilt is a powerful emotion and causes us to be ineffective
and hard on ourselves, even when we are doing our very best. For example, we may avoid delegating some of
our duties because of guilt (i.e, not wanting to ask for assistance or feeling
like we need to carry the loads ourselves).
Delegating our tasks at work can free up valuable hours in our day. If a coworker’s workload is far lighter than
yours and is willing to pitch in, or your assistant can help with a task, by
all means, ask for help! If your in-laws
are willing to babysit or cook dinner one night a week, take them up on
it. If you can afford to hire someone
to deep clean the house once a month, spend the extra cash and take your family
for a day at the park, rather than a day inside mopping and dusting. If you and your spouse need quality time together
(ALONE), let the kids have a sleepover at grandpa’s and head out on the town. If your spouse is closer to the grocery
store, ask him or her to pick up some vegetable stock or toilet paper. People get an innate satisfaction from
helping- so instead of feeling guilty, feel grateful!
Third, maximize your effectiveness at work by writing down your
goals for the day. I start out my
mornings by typing out my daily “to-do” list.
I list them in order of priority and try to wipe out at least 2-3 tasks
before lunch. This also helps me
minimize work-place chit-chat and distractions.
When someone strolls in my office, I point to my list, they chuckle, and
shuffle out. There will obviously be occasional
workplace landmines, which will shift your focus. However, if you really hone in on your list,
you will sure enough shift back. Sometimes,
I even ask my fiancé to check in with me at lunch hour and see where I am on my
list. This keeps me accountable for
sticking to my schedule. Also, the
earlier I get home, the happier she is!
Fourth, wake up one hour earlier.
Daylight Saving Time just did this for us, right? I
am definitely not a morning person but I set my coffeemaker to 5:00 A.M., let
the java brew its way into my dreams, and seduce me to follow its scent. Adding just one extra hour to your day before
work will dramatically change your afternoon, with minimal drawbacks (except
maybe that snooze routine we pull every morning). Do you know what punches I pack into that
extra hour? A LOT. I do some exciting
push-ups, catch up on reading and blogging, followed by a home-cooked breakfast, and
even a short walk with my incredible English Cocker Spaniel and my sleepy fiancée. By the time I started getting dressed for
work, I’ve already enjoyed some downtime and “me-time.” Now, an important caveat: never, ever, let that extra hour morph into
work hour. Do not, and I repeat- DO NOT-
check your emails, open your laptop, or look at your phone during this sacred
hour. This hour is meant to be free from
all technology. Use it wisely!
Fifth and final recommendation:
Exercise outside- in any way, shape, or form. I have a walk-obsessed dog. She demands at least three walks a day. This ensures that I get some Vitamin-D, some
of Miami’s best tropical breeze, and some light cardio. We spend way too much time indoors. This kind of cabin (cubicle/workspace) fever
will inevitably interfere with your energy and happiness at work and at
home. So, skip the gym and run for the
sake of running (outside), play tug of war with the kids, or start that
veggie garden you've been jonesing for.
Let me know your thoughts and how you cope with stress and time management!
Signing off,
Walter Wally
Walter Wally
