How Do You Spend Your Time?

!±8± How Do You Spend Your Time?

When developing a home based internet business, perhaps one of the most demanding features will be how you manage your time. How successful you are at managing your time will be the difference between enjoying your new endeavor or giving up. In this twenty first century that we are in it seems that time becomes a greater element in how we succeed in our personal and business goals. Because the home based business owner has only his or herself to be responsible to, it is easy to procrastinate and delay items that should be done on a daily basis. I am going to give you a few ideas about how to use your valuable time and still have time to do other enjoyable activities.

Perhaps the best concept of managing your time is to look at time as an investment rather than an expense. For instance ,you can you can invest your time in actions that take you closer to your goals or on the other hand you can spend your time that will take you further away from your goals. For example, you will be further from your goals by spending an hour in front of the TV rather than spending an hour working to improve your home based internet business. You must always remember that time is not like money because you can save money but you cannot save time. Once you have spent that hour of time, it is gone for ever and can never be recovered. Once you have spent that hour of time and you feel that you would like to have that hour back, your next step is to spend your future hour of time more wisely.

There is a long standing rule on time management that is called the 20/80 rule. The basis of this rule is that 20% of your time is the most productive and the other 80% is the least productive. The 20% represents the critical few ideas that will prove to be the most productive and the 80% the least productive. The winners of time management will choose the high leverage 20% most productive projects and procrastinate on the low leverage 80% nonpoductive projects. The losers of time management will choose the low leverage nonproductive 80% and procrastinate on the high leverage 20%.

With this 20/80 rule in mind, look at your daily to do list which most of us create the same way every day. Initially cross off your list the trivial or nonproductive items which are usually fast and frivolous items and very easy to do e.g. lunch with a friend. That will be the 80% on your daily list and will be the least productive. The other 20% will be more difficult but will be more creative. When you have completed your 20% most productive items on your list, then give yourself a break and do one of the easier items in the remaining 80%. By using this 20/80 rule, you will find that you will have less stress as you will not feel that you are always behind in using your time efficiently.

May this 20/80 rule be of help in your time management.