January 13, 2017 by

Would You Like To Have More Time?

Why don’t our goals or resolutions get accomplished? Many of my initial client conversations on this topic begin with –“No time! I really do not have any time for it!”

Really? Would you like to have more time?

Would you like to have more time?Think about how many demands there are on your time. We are all so really, so very busy people aren’t we? In fact, take a moment and either on your device or a good old pad of paper take note of the ten things pulling at your time right now. Quickly, just ten things – write them out.

How do you determine which items to address immediately and which are the ones that can wait until later? 

For many of us responding to a text or an email is a priority, Why is that? Seriously how did that happen?  What we are doing is allowing a demand on our time to jump our determined line of importance because a message has been delivered electronically!

Many of us will determine to address items in an order based upon the topic.

  1. A family emergency – this would take priority over most other items for many  people. An emergency is not that your nine year old daughter left her lunch on the school bus.  If you have an assistant hopefully they handled how she might buy lunch that day at school and you don’t even know about it at all until later.
  2. If you are in charge of a group of people, their leader, any time one of them has an important item to discuss with you or a situation where they may need your guidance or input, hopefully you have set up a way for their issue or concern to move right up to the top of your list. By responding with questions they will need to answer and essentially solve their problems themselves, over time, you will be contacted less and less often.
  3. Your role may be to bring in new business, or to handle any current client engagements, or you may be in charge of a project. Each day you should have regularly scheduled calls or meetings. However, if there is an issue you will want to deal with it as soon as possible and this must move up on your list.
  4. Maybe you are the business owner. A service based business or a retail business. Your number one priority has to be spending most of you time engaged in income producing activities. Period. There is no discussion. “Well, Mitch, you just don’t understand – my market – my business – my situation..…” 

Use the contact form here and tell your story. Let’s see it. 

At this point you get the idea, how do you set your own priorities for what you do first with your precious time? Now for anyone who is convinced they have zero time to work on or to devote to any new or bigger goals – here is your assignment.

For two weeks from the time you wake up in the morning until you go to bed each night, write down in a few words exactly what you did for the last twenty minutes. Period. Each and everyday for the next two weeks. For every single twenty minutes all day long. Bring this reporting with you to the table and review it with either a close, friend, your partner, spouse or executive coach and ask this question – 

“How much time do I have to spend on achieving bigger goals and my own personal development?”

My bet on you is hours!  As in hours each day!

Ready to Find It?

Mitch Tublin owns a boutique consulting firm with a main focus on leadership development, business consulting and executive coaching. Based in Stamford, CT they serve clients all over the world.

Filed Under: Achieve Goals, Inspiration, Self Improvement, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , , ,
October 14, 2016 by

How Do You Deal With Distraction?

How Do You Deal With Distraction?Let’s begin with a definition of distraction – that which distracts, divides the attention, or prevents concentration – A distraction is something that takes your attention away from what you’re supposed to be doing. (dictionary.com and vocabulary.com)

Now the question? What is on your list? How long is your list? How about you take one minute, right now, 60 seconds and write a list of one or two word distractions you deal with on a daily basis.

Here is the thing – regardless of your workplace – by yourself or in a relaxed dress code more casual start up model or in a more corporate environment -we all – every single one of us deal with distractions every single day. And that is only the workplace, how about your personal life!

Distraction is everywhere!

The most difficult aspect of these distractions is the recovery. Some studies report it takes a full fifteen to twenty minutes to regain the focus you had before the distraction to get back on track with whatever you were working on! Four distractions in one day adds up to over an hour a day trying to regain your focus. Worse is most people are distracted way more than four times each day.

Here is a quick review of many of the common distractions. Feel free to go to the comments section and add in your distraction of note especially if it is not mentioned here.

Social Media and direct messages – Text messages – Email – phone calls

Obsessions with sports, politics, music, movies, restaurants, shopping, eating, smoking, your favorite subject of this month

Technology and Tools

The growth of technology and tools and how pervasive they have become in all of our lives has changed our behavior forever. Technology and devices were going to help us to all become more productive. Instead we are now available all of the time. Our work lives really never end. At least this is the expectation we have bought into. Many of us have an expectation of an immediate response to our email to someone – More so of a direct message via Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn – “it has been almost two minutes! What could they possibly be doing!”  Tell me honestly, you really have never thought this or said this out loud after typing and sending your message?

Online Shopping

The ability to go online to actually purchase with shipping to your home virtually anything has created a 24 X 7 store for anything. From shoes to workout clothes, to homes to cars, to vacations to chainsaws. With a few clicks and some price comparison and reading a couple of reviews – all set – CLICK – PURCHASE CONFIRMED.

The backlash at certain companies is to block the use of the internet in all work areas. No outside access through WIFI or anything – period. Before this was the case you didn’t mind sitting at your desk eating your tuna sandwich or spinach salad with grilled chicken as long as you were able to click around. Now you have to go outside and go somewhere, Starbucks, anywhere where there is a WIFI signal so you may check your personal email and maybe do some shopping or at least window/virtually shopping.

You know, we all know there is much more, let’s stop here.

Ask yourself, seriously ask yourself, what would happen if I turned it all off for a few hours everyday and only gave my focus to my work? Put up an auto-responder message stating from 1 PM until 5 PM (or whatever time you select) no messages will be received or responded to?   What would be the result? Would you become more productive and less distracted? Give it some time as you may have to deal with withdrawal symptoms and you will definitely have to train others to understand and respect your revised work schedule.

Who knows, maybe others will follow your lead and everyone will become more productive together.

Mitch Tublin is a speaker, coach and trainer based in Stamford, CT. Are you looking for Mitch to speak at your next meeting about productivity in the workplace, leadership or more effective communication?

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Self Improvement, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , ,
April 8, 2016 by

Do You Measure Yours?

Do you measure yours?Seriously, do you measure yours?

Measuring and comparing are essential to moving up, growing and becoming more successful. One example my coaching clients often hear from me when they respond to my question: “And when will you start this…?”

With the answer: “One day soon.” OR “One day next week.”

“Really? Take a second and show me on your watch where it says, one day soon or one day next week? How about a specific date, and a specific time?”

Basically if you cannot measure it – it didn’t happen! If you are not able to measure it – you will not make it happen and no one is able to hold you accountable! Seriously, do you measure yours?

How many meetings have been ended where action items were not assigned to anyone? Or even if action items were assigned to people no one was assigned to hold each person accountable. Plus the date and time for execution was not part of the assignment either?

This is the difference between a meeting taking place to fill up calendar space and a top notch, first class meeting taking place! Therefore the question is: Do you measure yours?

  • Do you measure your actual results?
  • Do you measure how you spend your time?
  • Do you measure what your time is worth?
  • Do you measure what you actually earned per hour for the first quarter of 2016?
  • Do you measure your time better spent and available to be utilized on higher payoff activities?
  • Do you measure how many people you typically must call on or contact in order to obtain an appointment? A signed deal? A signed check?
  • Do you measure the results you are achieving this year compared to last year?

Okay a small reprieve to permit some recovery time, like in spin class, a little rest.

Doesn’t everyone look at the number of people someone has on their LinkedIn profile when they are checking them out? How about on Facebook or other social media? This is measuring – isn’t it? Now you know your numbers for your social media platforms – right? Oh, by the way, the break is over.

What are your conversion numbers from your social media presence? In terms of engagement and moving into your web site or customer relationship category.

All of this is measuring yours!

Start to assess what metrics will provide you with the information to assist you in obtaining the results you desire.

If this sounds too daunting of a task – begin with your time. Track your time and what you are doing with it. Begin here for a month – track and record what you are doing every fifteen minutes of each and every single day.

At the end of each week color code your time against high payoff activities or time spent on things only you must do and no one else is capable of doing. For everything else either hire in someone to do these items, stop doing them and replace your newly found time with high payoff activities.

Measuring yours is a critical part of becoming great at what you do and may be applied to teams and groups as well.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced, certified coach, business consultant and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Accountability, Achieve Goals, Business Strategy, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , ,
March 24, 2016 by

What Are Your Highest Payoff Activities?

What Are Your Highest Payoff Activities?What are your highest payoff activities? Sad to say for many people it may be easier to answer this question: What are your lowest payoff activities?

Either one – it is your choice – take a few minutes and write down – yes write like with a pen – your answers. Start out with three for each question. Feel free to return later to add in more onto your list. Want to see the value? Once you complete these go right to the bottom of this article where noted.

My Highest Payoff Activities Are: 

  1. _______________________________________
  2. _______________________________________
  3. _______________________________________

My Lowest Payoff Activities Are: 

  1. _______________________________________
  2. _______________________________________
  3. _______________________________________

 

Now that you have this information here is what you need to – no correct that – MUST DO! Schedule to spend more time on your high payoff activities. Schedule, hire in or eliminate your time spent on low payoff activities. No two people are going to be alike. There will be a few common threads.

Typically a high payoff activity will be in one of your main areas of focus. For your business this may mean sales calls, closing the sale, delivery of your product or service and accepting payment. In your personal life this may mean a date with your spouse each week on date night. Keeping your relationship alive and thriving. In your spiritual or faith area this may mean attending church or leading a bible study class or both. In your community maybe you volunteer serving meals in a shelter a few hours a week or a month. These may be high payoff activities for someone.

For the low payoff activities it is easiest to spend a week or two writing down how you are spending every fifteen minutes from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. You may find the amount of time spent in front of the TV to be on the top of your list. The amount of time on the internet without a purpose or a plan may be a close one to the TV depending upon your age. Include time on social media and this includes utilizing your smart phone and this will easily come into first place. There is nothing wrong with spending time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media as long as there is a reason, a purpose and a plan. Otherwise schedule to limit the amount of time you are willing to spend in this arena. Three hours goes by very quickly and these hours never come back.

***RIGHT HERE***

Now calculate the value of your time! Every hour you are spending in the low payoff activities is like you are robbing yourself! Do you fully understand? Go back now and read the article if you skipped that part.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced, certified coach, business consultant and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

Would you ready to work with Mitch to identify your high payoff and low payoff activities and how to leverage yourself and manage your time more effectively CLICK HERE.

Filed Under: Business Planning, Business Strategy, Focus, Self Improvement, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , ,
February 4, 2016 by

Are We All Really That Busy?

Are we all busy people - or is it time managementYou see a person that you know walking by you – does this conversation sound familiar:

“Hey, how are you?“
“Great! Really busy! You?”
“Yeah, me too! Busy, busy.”
“Nice to see you.”
“Yes, same. We should plan to get together – two couples – one day soon.”
“Yeah, let’s do that! Gotta, go!”
“Say hello at home.”
“Will do.”

Aren’t we all so – – – BUSY!

Seriously, what is the deal? Why do we all find that being busy is important and that being busy equates to actually executing and getting important and critical things accomplished?

My proposal to you is to get unplugged everyday as soon as possible. Plan out what you must get accomplished each day and then figure out the priorities and begin to execute the plan for the day. Better yet – plan out the day before you plug in at all!

Right away things that people will bring up and ask about are:

  • checking email
  • checking voicemail
  • reading and responding to text messages

Rather than suggest a full ‘cold turkey’ approach, my suggestion is to set a time and then a time limit each day for these activities.

For Example: Schedule three or four specific times each day for fifteen minutes each in total. During this time check email, texts and voicemail. These times might be at approximately 10 AM – 1 PM – 3 PM – 5:30 PM.

The times – how many there are (two or three or four) – how long exactly is the time period (15, 10, 20 minutes) – is a personal preference.

The point is to set up a schedule with the parameters and then follow it! Adhere to the new schedule. If the 5:30 PM time slot bothers you consider why it bothers you? Are you feeling as if it is too early as you will be working and reading and responding to email all night long at least up until 11 PM? Or is the 5:30 PM time after 5 PM and you only have access to email in your office and you leave every single day at 4:55 PM?

It is not for me to judge how anyone conducts their work. This is about being more efficient, effective and productive in the work we all are doing.The busy work which may creep into anyone’s work habits must be erased. Analyze what really needs to have your focus and time devoted to and spend your time and effort on that and much less time checking your email.

Use the comments area to let me know where you find yourself keeping busy instead of being productive

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified coach, trainer and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Business Planning, Life Balance, Time Management Tagged With: , , , , , ,
November 20, 2015 by

Where Do You Spend Your Time and Focus

clock-time-focusDo you have an intentional method you regularly utilize to determine what you will spend your time on?  In other words, what will your attention and focus be on and which items take priority over other items?

This spans the spectrum from personal care, to family, to community to business and more.  How do you determine what is going to be done first, second, third or in the ‘to do’ pile? 

For example in the personal category – do you shave first and shower second or shower first and shave second?  Do you go through this same exact routine all of the time? Why?

In the family category do you begin each day giving your spouse a hug and a kiss and tell them you love them?  Every single day?

In business do you answer your email first thing in the morning or later in the day? Is it at approximately the same time every day or do you answer email all day long?

These are examples for you to utilize in order to consider your own reality. Write the out here for your reference.

ITEM DO FIRST DO SECOND
Personal

Why?
Family

Why?
Community

Why?
Finances

Why?
Career/Business

Why?

 

Let’s now look at focus especially in career and business. Do you carry through all the way to completion?  At what point do you take a break and possibly walk around outside of the office for a five or ten minute ‘clear your head break’?  You might say ‘no break’or you might say ‘at least every 90 minutes’. Do you take this action step all of the time? Some of the time?  How do you handle this area – focus?

The entire point of these questions and the thinking you are being asked to do is to have you consider if there are other behaviors you might consider which would make you either more productive or free you up to be more creative?

Potentially you will come up with other questions or other thoughts which will take you along a path to follow toward achieving the stated goal.

Try it out and let me know what you find out about yourself.

Intentional Living begins with 10 minutes a day. Learn how to live a life that matters. Learn more by clicking HERE.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive coach, speaker and trainer based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Time Management Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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