by Cheryl A. Clausen
As you struggle with time management each day it all boils down to uncertainties about what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Given that you know how to focus when you want to. Given that each day you write things down so you won’t forget or overlook them. Given that you understand the outcomes or results of your actions. Given that you know how to review your options and make choices. Why is developing an effective time management strategy so hard?

Time management struggles are the outward manifestation of internal struggles. You can attempt to use all kinds of time management strategies, tips, techniques, and tools but until you understand the underlying drivers you are making cosmetic corrections. Your internal struggles arise from a combination of your own behaviors and motivators, and the miss match between your natural behavioral styles and the environment you’re trying to function in.

There are two parts to time management for you. The first part is your time related behaviors. These behaviors are either natural to you or they are adaptations for how you think you need to behave to function in your world. When you try to adapt your natural behaviors too much to fit into your environment you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, burned-out, and generally miserable and unhappy. If that describes your current feelings you may need to step back and review your environment. You may even need to remove yourself from your current environment and into one that is a better match for you. You simply may be the right person in the right job at the wrong company, or the right person in the wrong job at the right company. Something isn’t working and you need to know what isn’t working.

The other part of time management is your motivators. Everyone has one or two attitudes that you need to have fulfilled. When you’re doing things that fulfill those attitudes you feel energized, satisfied, and generally happy. When you’re focused on tasks that motivate you time passes quickly because you’re enjoying yourself. Do the work or tasks you’re doing feel rewarding to you? You can’t expect to spend all day every day on rewarding tasks, but you definitely shouldn’t be spending the majority of your day doing things that make you feel exhausted, stressed, and strained.

When you’re in the right environment doing the right things it should be easy for you to focus. Because you’re in the right environment doing the right things and you can focus, you can develop long-term plans. When you have long-term plans you can make decisions and choices each day that will take you closer to the fulfillment of those plans. Not knowing how to do something is the easiest correction of all, and you know what you need to do. Either learn how to do it, if it makes sense for you to do so, or how get the help of someone who does know how to do it.

Would you like to learn more about your time behaviors? Try this Time Management Analysis. Ready to start your journey for success? start here.

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