There is Nothing as Valuable as Our Time
Time is the one thing we can never buy more of. It’s a precious resource and one that we need to use wisely. However, all too often we find ourselves whiling away an afternoon doing administrative work, losing hours to meetings, and zoning out while doing repetitive tasks. Here’s how to get more out of your time – the right way.
Think HIIT, not Marathon Training
Too many of us confuse being “busy” with being productive when the opposite is usually true. Being busy may make us feel important, but often we’re only busy because we’re using our time inefficiently. It’s the difference between ARX training and going for a 10-mile run. A 15-minute all-in, go-for-broke ARX workout twice a week hits all the muscle groups and is great for building cardiovascular capacity. Distance running, on the other hand, can take hours at a time and needs to be supplemented with weight training to deliver the same results.
To make the most of your time, apply the same approach at work. You can get more done in a 15-minute dedicated Pomodoro sprint than in an hour of flicking between different tasks. Similarly, don’t be afraid to invest in tools designed to help you automate or delegate busy work. Anything you find yourself having to do regularly is grounds for automation.
Don’t Spend Your Time; Invest It
It’s easy to get caught up in the “urgent”. However, the danger of doing this means that you’re spending your valuable time dealing with the “now” rather than making strides towards your future. Not all uses of your time are equal, so before you spend half an hour going down the Twitter rabbit hole or agree to a coffee meeting, think about what you’ll actually get out of it. Will that tweet sell products or get you in front of the right eyes? Will the meeting help you build connections or land a deal?
It may take sacrificing some immediate results and profits but set aside the full-speed-ahead demands that come with billing by the hour, and instead think more holistically about your career. Allowing yourself to work on rather than in your business is where the real results come in. It may be hard to turn down that hour’s work now, but the connections you make by strategically networking, improving your skills, or finding a way to scale your offer can be exponentially more valuable.
Give Yourself Time to Think
It may seem a bit paradoxical but allowing yourself to enjoy some downtime can be good for your productivity, creativity, and overall well-being. While optimizing our time is important, not every minute of the day should be scheduled. Often, it’s in the moments that we allow ourselves to step away from it all that we come up with those brilliant ideas, make those great connections, and enjoy those compelling insights. If you’re stuck, feel burned out, or simply need to recharge, take some time for you. Try a quiet meditation session, go for a walk around the block, or doodle in a blank journal. Taking some time to reset, think and create without worrying about external factors or ROI is one of the best ways you can spend – and enjoy – your time.
Work Where Your Time Is Valued
At Optimum Coworking, we value time. Everything in our state-of-the-art coworking space is designed to help you get more from your day, your network, and your career. From versatile workspaces to integrated wellness to opportunities to connect and gather, we’re dedicated to helping Albuquerque’s brightest business minds succeed in every aspect of their lives. For more information, or to tour our collaborative spaces, simply get in touch.