I thought I needed time management but come to find out I need help with self-management. The two are very different. If I can improve myself I can improve my overall actions to achieve my goals. I don’t know how I’m going to improve my self-management but I am going to try. Here are some tips on how to improve your self-management.
How to improve your self-management
I am a planner. I have notes upon notes of things I need to do. Ideas that I want to tackle but my problem is action. I don’t execute very well. I can plan out a week of content on Sunday and then by Wed I’m lazy and I don’t want to upload posts to social media. My week is never the same even though I try my best to stick to a schedule.
I also feel like I am doing a lot but not getting anything accomplished if that makes sense. So I wanted to take a good look at how I manage myself in the hopes of being better.
Let’s get started with some rules I’ve made up for myself to help me improve.
- Live by your rules. That’s number 1! You are grown don’t let anyone tell you what you cannot do. You make the rules for your life it’s up to you to live them out.
- Use your voice. My daughter has a problem with speaking up and using her words when it comes to talking to her teachers. She has no problem with her words on a regular basis but when it comes to others she clams up. I admit I do the same but we have to use our voice. No one can hear us if we are silent.
- Your word is all that you have. Honor it! Don’t say you are going to do something and don’t do it. If you can’t do it say that instead of beating around the bush.
- Create good habits. I’ve done this by making sure I drink at least a half-gallon of water per day. I created this habit by starting small and working my way up to a gallon.
- Have a good work ethic. I know I am late sometimes to photoshoots because of Atlanta traffic but that is something I need to work on. I am a photographer, it doesn’t’ matter if the client is late they are the ones paying. I need to be on time so that means I need to leave earlier and plan ahead. I know this can’t happen all the time but try not to be late but 2% of the time.
- Be interesting. No one pays you attention if you don’t command attention. Be unique and stand out from the crowd.
- Don’t be a victim. You choose your choices so stick to them even if your voice waivers. Even if you know you are wrong. You make your bed you need to lie in it and don’t regret a single moment of it.
- Take care of yourself. This means setting boundaries for others. Making sure that you are eating right. Making sure that you are exercising your mind and your body.
Now let’s talk about how to improve your time or self-management.
Don’t multitask
I know we think we can but we can’t. Can you truly work on a project with your favorite tv show going on in the background? Can you help your kids with their HW while also trying to set up your content calendar for the day. I can’t and I’ve tried. I am easily distracted. I know that I can’t multitask so I do one task at a time. I set a timer and work on each thing so that I can give it my full attention. If I’m scrolling Instagram while watching a movie I know I will miss something.
Reflect on the good and the bad
Reflect on your mistakes and reflect on your accomplishments. You gotta know where you’ve been so you can understand where you are headed. I have made some bad choices when it comes to my life but I have also made some good ones and I love to pat myself on the back when the good ones land me deals, coins, or networking opportunities. Look in the mirror and be real with yourself about yourself.
Hire what you aren’t good at
If you aren’t good at writing hire someone else. If you aren’t good at social media hire someone else. Time is just as important as money if not more important. If you try to do everything yourself you will get burnt out real fast. Give up some of that control and let someone else do it. That freed up time can be put into what you are really good at so that you can make more coins.
Timers
Set one. I have a 5-minute rule that I use for my social media channels daily. M-F (weekends I try to be off of social so I can spend time with my family) I spend 5 minutes twice a day on all my channels. If I miss something of yours and it wasn’t in that time frame oh well. I try to do mid-mornings and late nights. I also set up easier ways to manage my social like scheduling things Facebook or using a planning tool.
