Time Flies And You Are The Pilot
This past week, all around the world we paused to pay tribute to the life of Billy Graham, considered by many to be the most influential preacher of the 20th century. Billy Graham was a wise and dedicated man who was solely committed to spreading the gospel across the globe. He has been quoted often, and in many situations, and today, I’d like to once again use Billy Graham’s words as we discuss our Mindset and how we view the ‘every days’ of life. Life is not just about the ‘big’ things, although those are the most visible. Rather, it is the ‘every days’ that make us who we are, so that when those large, defining situations arise, we are ready to handle them because we have prepared every day.
Billy Graham said this. ”The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.”
Think about that. Time is something we can never get back. Are you making the most of your time each day? Are you preparing each day for your life purpose? Are you working toward your goals each day? Unless your MINDSET is that each and every day matters, you will never reach your full potential.
So, how do you make the most of your day? You stop wasting time, you organize, and you put a plan in place to maximize your minutes. I want to give you 7 tips on how to do this so your days can be more productive and you will have time to spend on the important things in life.
Benjamin Franklin summed it up when he said, “Doest thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” With hectic schedules and ever increasing workloads, time is an enemy rather than an ally for too many professionals.
Here are 7 tips to make the most of your time:
1. Don’t let interruptions get the best of you.
You may not be able to stop every interruption that comes your way, but you can train your mind to get back at the task as soon as the interruption is over.
2. Focus on being on time.
You irritate more people than you realize if you have a problem with tardiness. Besides, there are probably no more creative excuses as to why you are late.
3. Set aside 15 minutes a day to plan.
The time you spend planning actually saves you time in working. When you take just 15 minutes a day to set your course, you will find you can achieve a lot more.
4. Try to develop a routine in life.
Identify a place to put your car keys every time you come home from work. Keep all office supplies in a particular drawer. Return your phone calls at a certain time each day. Routines are freeing rather than confining because they relieve stress and cut down on wasted time!
5. Cut back your socializing time at work.
Not only does socializing limit the amount of work you get done, but also the time of other members of your team. Don’t force your co-workers to work late to make up for lost time that occurred because of you.
6. Clean up your office clutter and throw useless things out.
When you leave your desk organized at the end of the day, you will be better organized for a fresh start the next morning. Try to deal with incoming mail, e-mails, memos, phone calls and paperwork at a certain time each day, giving yourself a certain amount of time to process it, file it, or throw it out.
7. Simplify the mundane chores.
You hate doing them, but if you don’t stay on top of things like filing, calls, e-mails, etc., you will eventually be overwhelmed by them.
Perhaps you can use all seven of these – or maybe one or two, but either way, if you want to be a success in life, you must cultivate a mindset that time is critical and you must develop ways to make the most of your time.
Below is one of my favorite quotes from Billy Graham, which I believe perfectly outlines a life plan that will create a legacy:
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
You can listen to this week's #SucessMadeSimple podcast by clicking below.