“I don’t have time”.
We all say it. We probably even think we mean it.
But we all get the same number of hours allotted to us. Obama ran the US on the same number of hours as you get. Michelle Obama got those incredible arms and wasn’t exactly sitting around filing her nails for the rest of the day.
They still only got 24 hours, just like us.
So, what’s your excuse for not getting a blog post out?
If you read my last post, you’ll know I ran out of time to get a post out. I was literally derailed by a monster or at least a bug. Usually, it’s not that dramatic though. What’s your time draining monster?
Facebook (and I don’t mean for business)
It’s easy to start out by thinking you’re just going to check in your business’ Facebook page. Before you know it, you’ve lost half an hour to puppy videos and quizzes about 1980s pop hits.
Visitors
This is a particular one if you work from home. Whether it’s family members turning up in your “work” space or being the only person in when the couriers drop by for your neighbours, it can eat up your time. Do you know it takes 23 minute and 15 seconds to really get back into a piece of work following on from a distraction? So that’s another half hour gone.
You might think you’re only going to check a few emails, or even just write one.
Do you ever stick at one?
Notifications
Those endless reinforcements that you’re popular from Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. And it would be rude not to engage, right? You won’t be long…
It’s all a choice
I don’t want anyone to think I’m coming from a perfect place on this. Far from it. Sometimes we just all need a reminder, a nudge, about what good habits are. You know the benefits of what you want to make time for, it’s just too easy to get sucked in.
I’m just off to turn off my notifications. Apart from two: one to remind me I’ve scheduled to spend half an hour on email, and one for 10 minutes on social media. I’m considering them mid-year resolutions.
What’s your biggest productivity drain and how do you get over it? Love to hear your hints and tips.
Do I get a discount on my 4/4 of the above for leaving this to “time to read good stuff!”?
Full house! And most people, if they’re being really honest, are in the same position!