The Difference Between Average and Excellence Is Only 15 Minutes!

Marcia Ramsland, the “Organizing Pro,” knows the importance of using time to the glory of God. In this Time Management UPGRADE, she helps us redeem our time–especially our “power hours.”

“Did you know,” Marcia says, “that if you can invest just fifteen minutes a day into your top priority project, you will reap sixty-five hours of success at the end of the year on that project?”

Wise time managment has always ranked high in my (Dawn’s) priorities, but I still learned something new from Marcia’s wise approach!

Marcia continues . . .

15 Minutes x 5 Days = 1.25 Hours a Week or 5.4 Hours a Month or 65 Hours a Year!

Likewise, if you lose fifteen minutes a day, you will have lost over an hour weekly and 65 Hours a year of valuable time!

What Will You Gain—or Lose—This Year?

How could fifteen minutes make a difference?

Working smarter means looking for those fifteen minutes to bring your work from average to excellence by doing the following:

• Carefully proofread a proposal or important e-mail before sending it off, fixing mistakes, and setting the right tone.
• Confirm a meeting agenda and its attendees a day ahead, saving everyone’s time and creating a reputation as someone who begins and ends meetings promptly.
• Review tomorrow the night before, writing down your top three priorities so that in the morning you can get right to work.
• Plan 15 minutes at the end of each day to bring closure to open ended items like emails and cleaning up your workspace.
• Get to sleep fifteen minutes earlier so that you can think better the next day and stay healthier long term.

People performing with excellence seek out those fifteen-minute advantages to spend on their priorities.

Work Smarter by Controlling Your Power Hours

Everyone has a “power hour” where they can buckle down and produce amazing results in a short period of time.

Controlling your power hours for strategic activities is your secret to getting the most out of your day.

You need three in a day.

Morning Power Hour:

The early bird gets the worm if you are a morning person, but loses it without a strategy.

Plan productive priority projects for the week on Sunday night, and mark them as appointments. Get up earlier, like at 5:00 or 6:00 a.m., to keep those appointments with yourself.

Noon Power Hour:

Noon is a great power hour to meet with clients, coworkers, or friends. Schedule this “people power hour” time for two lunches per week on a weekly basis, such as on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Afternoon Power Hour:

The “wrap-up power hour” is the time to bring closure for the day’s work — the hour before you finish for the day, close down e-mail, finish the project at an appropriate stopping point, make final phone calls, and write a list of priorities you will pick up with tomorrow morning.

Strategically utilize the rhythm to your day to always put your best work, your people time, and your closure hour at the same time each day. You’ll realize, “If I don’t do this project at this time, I’ll never get back to it.” So you’ll schedule it and do it.

It’s freeing, and the results will be amazing!

Managing our time well reminds me of the Bible verse that was posted on my childhood bedroom door growing up:

“Whatever you do, work at it heartily as working for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

That inspires me to excellence. How about you?

Marcia Ramsland is well known as the “Organizing Pro,” a Business Productivity Coach, speaker, and author of her newest book, Organize Your Workspace for a Productivity Boost available this week! She coaches individuals and organizations to be highly productive on a personal and professional level. Get free tips at www.organizingpro.com.

Graphic adapted, Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.