Evaluating Your Time

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.
William Penn

Over and over again we have heard that time is our most precious commodity , but oh how so many of us waste it. One of the first things I work with my clients on is how to get a grip of their time. If you can manage, protect and increase your time skills, most all areas of your life will improve. Think for a moment, everything that you want to improve in will take time. If you want better health,  exercising will take time. If you want to invest more time with your family, it will take time. Study, travel, relax, earn more income, it all requires time.

Alan Lakein in his classic book "How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life" makes the following statement "Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it."

Taking control of your time is difficult for most people. Failing to control your time leads to stress, frustration and exhaustion. My mentor convinced me long ago, that everything I wanted was inside of how I managed my time. I have longed used mind maps to keep me on track of what is important in my life, and how I'm investing my time.

Above is a picture of what a mind map looks like. You are in the middle, and how and where you invest your time are the branches. The "X's" represent things, people or responsibilities you need to cut out of your life. The "Circles" represent things you need to give your attention and time to. 

Your mind map should cover five areas:

• Personal Responsibilities
• Personal & Professional Relationships
• Personal & Professional Resources

Brain Tracy, a leading time management consultant suggest that if you want to be radically successful you should set goals in all key areas of your life. Here is what Brian says in his book Time Power, " As it happens, fewer than 3 percent of people have clear, written goals, and they are usually the most successful in every field."

Through goals I have learned to take control of my life and create the time for the things that are most important to me. Such as having a strong family, investing time with friends, and leading a life I love.

Take the time this week to create a mind map. See where your time and energy is being invested or wasted. This short exercise over time will prove to be invaluable to your success in life and creating a life you love.

I love Psalm 90:12, it says "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

Time is life, invest it well.


Dr. Will
Author, Genius Potential
America's #1 Leadership Life Trainer