This month has continued the trend of busy Decembers. Everyone seems to have been going full steam since the beginning of the month and many have frantically tried to get twice the work done in half the time.
Once again, time management reigns.
Perhaps you haven’t had time to do your own cleanup for 2022, so here are some thoughts for how you, too, can get twice as much done in half the time.
First, think about what really worked for you this year. Chances are some of your usual activities were status quo, but my guess is that you added/edited/adjusted the way you’ve approached some of your important activities. Think about how you can expand or replicate this next year.
Second, what didn’t work well? Remember: the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. My recommendation? Get rid of what didn’t work and take a completely fresh approach to achieve those desired results next year.
Third, who drains time (and sucks energy) from you? The person who first came to mind when your read that question is probably a time vampire, and you need to change that immediately. I know this can be hard (especially if it’s a boss or one of your direct reports), but the beginning of the new year is the perfect time to change the ground rules of how you work together.
Next, which activities drain your time? The sooner you identify these activities, the quicker you can figure out how to get rid of them and retool for next year. Hint: learn how to delegate more effectively and the activities drain should decrease.
Finally (and there are more ideas, but I’m stopping here!), are you satisfied by how you took care of yourself this year? Did you take time for yourself, take a vacation, disconnect for a weekend?
Food for thought: I suggest that you take an hour of focus and go through these questions. Just an hour – you’ll surprise yourself by what you accomplish. Feel free to share what you discover.
Header image by Mikhail Nilov/Pexels.
