Time Management 2

Deciding to make a change and taking the steps to succeed will take some of your time. It’s an investment that will pay off down the road-it is worth it to take the time to plan and execute change.

First, think of “time” management as “me” management. Time continues on, no matter how much we want it to slow down or speed up sometimes. The one thing you can work on is how you manage yourself given the time that you have.

Look at how you currently spend your time. Get a piece of paper and write down how you spend each half hour of your day. A lot of this time may be sleeping or working, but there are probably blocks of time you have some flexibility (even if they are small).

Think of quitting as a high-priority project that you would schedule into your day. Identify two 15-minute blocks of time that you could spend planning your day and what you are going to do when you have an urge. Try to make at least one of these blocks of time early in the day, as this will set the tone for the rest of your day.

If you are having trouble finding a 15-minute block of time, look for the ‘low-hanging fruit’ in your day- time you spend doing things that are relatively mindless and don’t take a lot of thought. This could be when you are usually looking at your phone, watching TV, or walking the dog. Your dog will still need a walk, but this could be time you think through what you want the rest of your day to look like.

Think about tomorrow-when can you spend 15 minutes reviewing the guide or thinking through your goals?