Time Management
Many of my clients come to life coaching complaining that they don't have enough time to do the things they want in life or in their spare time (if they have any). In my experience, this can be for one or both of two kinds of reason:
1. Weaknesses in organisational skills and allocating priorities
If you have difficulty getting everything done or constantly feel under pressure or on the go, you may find the following simple ideas of assistance:
- Keep a diary to plan your daily activities
- Set aside space in your diary for you to catch up on routine tasks which might not other get done but which you know should be done at some point
- Keep some time free to relax and do leisure activities you enjoy
- Make a list of the tasks you have to do, decide what their relative priority is and concentrate on getting the most important tasks done
- Set aside different parts of your day or your week for specific tasks
- If helpful, allocate a specific amount of time for a particular task and keep to that
- Congratulate yourself or give yourself rewards if you achieve tasks that you have set yourself
- If you are struggling to carry out all the tasks you feel you are supposed to do then let someone know who might be able to advise or help you, explain the difficulties and ask for their suggestions or help.
2. Psychological, mental or emotional reasons for not cutting back on certain tasks (e.g. beliefs about yourself or how you should be or act or about how others see you, which cause you to work very long hours, despite risks to your own health, or lack of enjoyment).
Often these kinds of reason are even more significant than the practical issues highlighted above.
The use of cognitive behavioural techniques to help you cope with pressures or balance out your responses to comments by others or your own negative dialogue can be helpful in relation to these kind of psychological or emotional difficulties.
An example of a famous cognitive behavioural technique for reflecting on your thought processes & how they may contribute to your stresses, and then adjusting them if necessary, is given at the page below:
ABC Model - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
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Further Information
For information about an eBook guide to CBT techniques for dealing with negative thoughts, go to: CBT Techniques