Time Priorities - The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The Time Finder with Paula Eder

The way you use your time is the way you live your life.

Archive for 'Time Priorities'

Find Time by Factoring Dependencies Into Collaboration: Increase Your Priority Power™

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Paula, under Time Management Skills, Time Priorities.

Finding time requires working in collaboration sometimes. And working closely with others can be complicated; there are lots of variables to consider.

So, to combine forces as effectively as possible, try thinking in terms of dependencies. When you do, your Priority Power™ will rise appreciably.

Is “dependency” in project management a term that you’re familiar with?

Basically, when an enterprise you’re engaged in calls for collaboration, the “dependency” is someone outside of your immediate work group who plays an essential role in your achieving your goals. When you prioritize tasks, dependencies must be factored in and accounted for.

Let’s say, for example, that you work closely with a number of different departments at your job. You establish a working budget for each quarter, and the finance department supplies you with the figures. Since they usually take four weeks to gather and compile the necessary data, you prioritize your request and make it well in advance of your due date. This way, you get the data you need with time to spare.

And of course, others depend on YOU, too.

Maybe it’s your daughter, who counts on you to create her costume for the school play. To be ready to play her part, she depends on you to do yours. And, without a second thought, you give this task top priority. Your openhearted commitment to support your child, and her reliance upon you, establish this project’s high priority as you plan your week.

So try consciously welcoming dependencies as you frame your collaborative work. See how your productivity increases with every incremental step forward.

Notice, too, how your greater sensitivity to others’ schedules and needs creates more flow and good will. That is a time-enhancer that not only makes you more efficient and effective, but also adds quality and inner quietude to your busy day.

So, want to learn more about how you can expand and deepen your time and efforts … in whatever areas you choose? Here’s a great way to explore avenues to increasing your time skills and heart-based power – whether it’s in your business, or your personal life. I am so pleased to be able to offer my expertise and support as The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to “Time Management”.

You can visit by clicking the link, and when you do you’ll find lots of time management articles by experts in the field, along with a vibrant and welcoming on-line community. Stop by my Expert Page and leave a comment or question … or just say hello. There are lots of ways to connect … let’s get started!

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Find Time Using Soft Deadlines

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Paula, under Time Management Skills, Time Priorities.

Finding time by using Priority Power™ is empowering, energizing, and adds flow as you navigate your day. As you work with your time priorities, soft deadlines are a particularly useful tool.

“Soft deadlines? That sounds like an oxymoron! What are they?” you ask.

Soft deadlines are due dates that you set for yourself, ahead of whatever your final deadlines may be. You can think of them as brightly colored buoys bobbing over rocks and shoals, marking the entrance to your harbor.

These are friendly deadlines that serve a twofold purpose:

They help you spot potential snags and
They tell you when you are nearing home!

Your soft deadlines give you the chance to plan that much earlier for what’s coming up. And that planning makes your progress that much safer and more pleasurable.

Completing a task prior to the last minute not only supports your success – it also enhances your flexibility. Sudden changes and unexpected glitches won’t throw you when you routinely provide yourself with earlier, soft deadlines. You’ll find it easier to tie up loose ends and handle the unanticipated when you give yourself that cushion.

Ready to start?

Try creating some soft deadlines for your most significant tasks. Mark them in your calendar, and consider writing all soft deadlines in one color, and adding the hard deadlines in another to easily distinguish between the two. Then practice focusing on the soft deadline, so that you create some spaciousness in your schedule.

More spaciousness equals less stress, and a deeper capacity to enjoy the moment you are in. Now, that’s Priority Power™!

And are you interested in learning more about the Heart-Based Time Management™ Path? Here’s one way that you can transform and deepen your relationship to time in the Heart-Based Way … I invite you to explore Secrets of Heart-Based Time Management™ - my chapter in the book I co-authored - Stepping Stones to Success! In it I share my proven system for exploring and harnessing the power of your mind, your body and your spirit to help you deepen your experience of time and of your life.

As you work with the ideas I offer, you’ll explore your patterns, clarify your values, identify and prioritize your goals … and create your path for achieving them. You can give yourself the gift of this wonderful resource today, and get started on your journey toward success, Stepping Stone by Stepping Stone …just click this link to get the details!

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Finding Time by Viewing Deadlines Through Fresh Eyes

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Paula, under Time and Energy, Time Priorities.

Finding time to actively welcome and appreciate each moment can liven up your day. And something as simple as changing how you view deadlines can help.

So, if you feel haunted by the upcoming red circles on your calendar, how about trying a fresh way of working with them? Approaching your deadlines differently and concluding your tasks in a timely manner definitely regenerates your Priority Power™.

Let’s start with the basics in your approach to your deadlines. First and foremost, “deadlines” sound so … dead. I prefer to think of them as “due dates”, instead.

What a positive re-framing of the concept. Each completed task not only marks the end of something – it also “births” new possibilities!

Notice how planning for “due dates” can help you focus with anticipation, not dread. This powerful-yet-simple renaming encourages you to stay on task and also to think ahead to the next chapter of your work.

When your goal is something that you view as positive, then obstacles (including distractions that appeal to you) become impediments that keep you from something you desire. Each time a temptation threatens your success, it becomes easier to steer clear. And procrastination becomes less of an issue, too – because you have prioritized your projects, charted a destination and developed a clear and positive path to follow to success.

Are there time topics that you’d like to read more about here? Please feel invited to drop me a line – I’d love to hear from you and serve your time finding needs!

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Finding Time for Decisiveness and Productivity with Priority Power™

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Priorities.

Finding time and using it well becomes so much easier when you are clear about your priorities and give yourself permission to be decisive about following through on them. That’s what I call Priority Power™!

What needs to change from day to day? What’s indispensable?

You see, the power lies entirely in your hands. You’re the one who decides. And it’s a back-and-forth process, in that your decisions shape your priorities, and then your priorities can skillfully shape future decisions.

Building Priority Power™ can help you right from square one, as you create an ideal start to your day. With your priorities in place, you know your path and everything that’s likely to be on it. Even setbacks and surprises feel more manageable, because you’re familiar with the factors you need to weigh.

Sounds rewarding, doesn’t it?

Prioritizing is a Heart-Based Time Management™ Tool. It links your heart, your mind, and your responsiveness to ongoing change. Here are some benefits you enjoy when you proactively and consistently prioritize:

You feel safe. When you calmly weigh your options, your time choices are grounded and realistic.

You feel relaxed. When your priorities are clear, you have made your peace with what comes first and what might need to wait.

Your time is uncluttered. When you prioritize, you simplify. The more you exercise decisiveness, the stronger your “prioritizing muscles” become.

You feel confident. Your skill at prioritizing helps you stay nimble as new situations arise.

You experience inner abundance. You know, right down to your toes, that fulfillment arises from heart-based prioritizing. So you commit to use your time accordingly.

In upcoming posts, we’ll explore other aspects of Priority Power™ and how you can positively enjoy its role in your life! And, in the meantime, I’d love to know how you increase your decisiveness and productivity? Are there particular practices or tools that you find helpful?

And are there time topics that you’d like to read more about here? Please feel invited to drop me a line – I’d love to hear from you and serve your time finding needs!

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Finding Time to Stop Living Someone Else’s Life

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Priorities.

Finding time to follow your dreams may require waking up first. How many automatic time choices are embedded in your life from childhood? If you did the exercise in yesterday’s post, you may have been amazed at the messages you were carrying.

It’s very helpful and important to spot these early default settings. That’s because unexamined patterns can set you up to be living someone else’s life.

And the thing is, your life is unique – never before and never again to be. What a loss, to not live out that uniqueness to its fullest!

Unconsciously repeating patterns you learned from someone else is like trying to wear someone else’s running shoes for a marathon. It isn’t going to help you finish the race. Just so with your time legacy. However well your family’s time choices may have suited them, they probably don’t fully address your needs.

If there are places where you can feel your time choices hobbling you, those are what I like to call Time Traps. Those ‘stuck places’ usually hold treasures of information, for those who choose to explore.

So, why not start rethinking a habitual Time Trap right now? These 3 simple steps provide a jumping off place:

Name one time choice that frustrates you.
Quickly describe how it conflicts with your conscious values.
Compare it with what family members did with their time in similar situations.

Following these steps gives you key information about how your Time Trap first took root. As you connect the dots between your troubled time choice and your upbringing, fresh ideas may pop up. Your explorations energize and empower you – as you awaken into your own, unique life!

And here’s a lesson you can carry with you wherever you go: Self-consciousness and self-criticism lose ground when you’re genuinely curious and motivated to learn. This is a powerful reframing of perspective that can absolutely transform all of your choices, explorations and discoveries. It’s a proactive, heart-based approach that puts you in the driver’s seat, no matter what challenge you are greeting!

Are you interested in learning more about the Heart-Based Time Management™ Path? Here’s one way that you can transform and deepen your relationship to time in the Heart-Based Way … I invite you to explore Secrets of Heart-Based Time Management™ – my chapter in the book I co-authored - Stepping Stones to Success! In it I share my proven system for exploring and harnessing the power of your mind, your body and your spirit to help you deepen your experience of time and of your life.

Let’s explore time together …

Find Time to “Hear” the Actions Beneath the Words (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Be Yourself, Respect Yourself, and Do What You Can: 3 Timely Tips-Part 1 (thetimefinder.com)
Find Time to Uncover Your Time Legacy: What Do You Carry into Your Present from Your Past? (thetimefinder.com)

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Find Time Make a Commitment to Love Your Business

Posted on February 15, 2012 by Paula, under Time Choices, Time Priorities.

I’m so pleased, today, to share a guest post by Ideapreneur™, Entrepreneur, and Creator of Your Brand in Bloom, Ally Piper … enjoy!

Love was in the air yesterday! But do you love your business?

As a small business owner, your relationship with your business is important to your success. But unlike the attention we give our personal relationships (especially on days like Valentine’s Day) we often ignore the critical elements in our business that will help us get ahead and create the life we dream of … by getting busy in the day-to-day activities.

How often do you take time away from working IN your business to work ON your business? It’s easy to get caught up in what you think you should do versus what you need to be doing as the owner/entrepreneur. If you’re not familiar with this concept you need to read Michael Gerber’s The E-Myth Revisited. It will open your eyes. More than likely you spend most of your time as a technician working in your business instead of as an entrepreneur controlling the big vision and working on your business.

Your time away from the day-to-day activates should allow you time to plan, get inspired and learn new things. And I’ve found no better way to do that than by learning from other successful people!

In fact, I’m such a believer in learning from others that I have created a free telesummit happening this week designed especially for women in business called Your Brand in Bloom.

I created Your Brand in Bloom because while building my successful marketing business I ended up creating a J–O–B and I found the other business owners I admired had this “behind the scenes magic” that I needed to know more about. I understood marketing, but this was more than that. This was about giving myself and my business the attention it deserved so I could create the life I wanted, the business that supported it … and thrive.

And when I was struggling with productivity (who doesn’t?!), I found Paula. Her Finding Time Tips were practical and completely doable. It wasn’t about adding one more thing to my already busy plate. It was about actually finding time!

Give your business the gift of love this week. You can listen in for free as I interview 14 successful women in business about topics like personal branding, leadership, style health and wellness and more. On Friday, Paula will join me to talk about How to Jump-Start Your Creative Productivity™ Today: Unlock Your Heart-Based Power.

I hope you’ll join us!

Meet Ally Piper

Ally Piper is an Ideapreneur™ + Marketing Director for nonprofits and small businesses on a mission. She helps her clients turn napkin notes into marketing plans and take advantage of high-impact, low-cost marketing methods to build buzz and get noticed. Read her blog at www.BrightIdeasForBiz.com.

Ally is also an entrepreneur, wife, sister, daughter and mother (to three furkids!), blogger, recovering workaholic and all around busy woman who is always trying to find a balance between success at work and the realities life throws at you. Get FREE registration to her Your Brand in Bloom Telesummit happening Feb. 13-17.