Chalk up “I just don’t have time” as a weak fallback excuse.

At networking events, happy hour and even with various friends, the constant chatter is around how to handle it all. Time management is an art that few excel at, although many claim otherwise. Work duties, family, dating, networking and friends all have a place in your life during the week.

It’s not about how much time you devote to each entity. It’s about the type of routine and habits you develop to fit it all in.

But how can you really accomplish it all?

Step 1: Make a List

What is important to you? Life happens, and devoting all of your energy to just work or to just personal isn’t going to get you far. “Work hard, play hard” is the mantra that everyone should live by, but few achieve it. If it’s always, “I don’t have time” rather than “How can I make it work?”, then only failure will happen.

By asking “How?” instead of automatically saying “No” you have set the precedence in your brain that it can be achieved. Making a list is the easiest way to know what you consider important, how much time you’ve previously spent and if it needs to shift for the week.

So, list it out. Is it friends, work and one networking event as the objective? Is it work and seeing a friend once a week? Find your balance and what makes you happy.

My week list looks like this:

• 3-5 blog posts/articles  (four different outlets)
• 1 professional type meeting for networking (coffee, happy hour)
• Two days for friends
• Thursdays: #u30pro
• Gym: 3-4 times a week
• One night just for me
• Work: Minimum of 48 hours a week

Instead of wondering if its too much, I wake up at 5 a.m. everyday and just get it done. It might seem early, but once you have that routine established, it isn’t as difficult. Sometimes a night can contain both networking and a personal obligation. Choices come down to whether you stay at the happy hour all night or if you move on to the next stop.

Step 2: Make Changes

Did you notice that one day a week  is just devoted to myself, to re-charge? This is an integral part into changing how someone approaches time management. The time can be spent brewing tea, watching a documentary or shopping for shoes.  The decompress time is important, not only for your personal health and life, but for your professional drive.

Making changes isn’t easy. A person might have to repeat it a few times before it sticks.

Step 3: Create a Routine and Establish Habits

Those that succeed at time management also thrive on routine. They are able to create a list and shift it if needed, while still being courteous. Routine isn’t doing the exact same thing everyday, but it is approaching your life in a similar fashion. To grasp time management, one can’t lean heavily on work one week and personal the next. The human brain just doesn’t operate that way, nor will it help to establish habits and routine.

If more time is needed to accomplish everything, start waking up earlier. A person has to train not only their mental state, but their physical state as well. If its difficult to get going in the morning, start with a jog around the block. Endorphines are your friend during a tough week.

Step 4: Repeat, and It’s Ok to Say No

Time management is a commitment, and repeating approaches to both your professional and personal life are significant to the process. If you’re a list person, make lists. If you like Google calendars, use them. Stick to your commitments and know that it’s ok to say no. If a friendship ends because you say no to a happy hour for a networking event, then they weren’t a friend.

Do you struggle with time management? How do you think this can be fixed?

Let’s chat in the comments below.

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