Time Management

It’s not the hours you work but the work in your hours.

By Alison Greiner,Life Coach

How often do you catch yourself wishing for great success, but then realizing that in order for this to happen, a lot of time and patience will be required on your part? Managing all aspects of your life, including your career, family and friends—even your workout, can be quite overwhelming. The key to successfully managing your time, and therefore, finding more success in your life, is prioritizing. 

The 80/20 rule 

In the late 1800s, Italian economist and avid gardener Vilfredo Pareto discovered what is known as the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule. He noticed there was an uneven distribution of wealth in his country, between the top 20% and the bottom 80%. Eighty percent of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. He also discovered while gardening that 20% of the peapods in his garden yielded 80% of the peas harvested. He discovered that all economics was subject to the Pareto Principle: 80% of results come from 20% of activity. This rule can be applied to many areas of life: 

• Activities: 20% of your activities will account for 80% of your results.
• In meetings: 80% of your decisions will come from 20% of meeting time.
• Salespeople: 80% of your sales will come from 20% of your sales staff.
• Customers: 80% of customer complaints are about the same 20%of your products or services.
• Advertising: 20% of your advertising will produce 80% your campaign’s results. 

How it helps 

The value of the Pareto Principle in time management is to remember that 20% of our activities produce 80% of our results. Of all the things you do in a day, only 20% really matter; the key is to identify and focus on the 20% that yields the most results.

You are not using your time effectively if the following statements sound true: 

• You're working on tasks other people want you to, but you have no investment in them;
• You're frequently working on tasks labeled "urgent;"
• You're spending time on tasks you are not usually good at doing;
• Activities are taking a lot longer than you expected; and
• You find yourself complaining all the time. 

 You're working in your most effective zone if: 

• You’re working on the important tasks—even if they aren’t “urgent;” 
• You're engaged in activities that advance your overall purpose in life (assuming you know your purpose in life — and you should!);
• You're doing things you have always wanted to do or that make you feel good about yourself;
• You're working on tasks you don't like, but you're doing them knowing they relate to the bigger picture;
• You're hiring people to do the tasks you are not good at or don't like doing; and
• You're enjoying yourself and smiling!

Applying the 80/20 rule

Apply the philosophies of the 80/20 rule over the next week and see what happens. Start with a to-do list. 

The importance of a to-do list

Creating a list of all the things you need to do is a great way to get things accomplished. Reviewing your to-do list first thing in the morning and first thing before you leave work will help you focus on your top priorities—the top 20%. 

Look at your list and determine the most important things to accomplish. Often on a list of 10 things, one of them can be more important than the rest of them combined! Review your list and perform the most important task first. Your goal is to get as much as possible done during your working hours so you can deservingly leave work and enjoy time with family or friends. 

Spend your time doing the 20% that will produce 80% of the results. To enhance your time management skills I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Stephen Covey’s, TheSeven Habits of Highly Effective People.