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Find More Time in your Day

Time is valuable

Time is a commodity that you cannot get back no matter how hard you try. There is only so much of it in a day. If you’re reading this exercise then you are looking for ways to maximize your time and be more productive.

For financial and investment professionals, working smarter, not harder means learning to take control of how you spend your time.

Use the tips in this article to quiz yourself and then use the worksheet at the end of the article to find more time in your day.

Read this companion article Tips for Getting Organized at Work because time and organization are very closely linked!

The worksheet below is designed so that you can find time you didn’t know you had. I hope to motivate you to reduce waste and disorganization and ultimatelyhelp you to reduce stress by delegating activities that are not essential to building your career or your business.

Worksheet Instructions:

For a one week period enter your appointments and how you spend your time on the chart below. Include everything you do on this worksheet.

Enter your:

• Billable time/project work/client meetings
• Administration – busy work such as filing, accounting, bill paying, and clerical work
• Research time/reading
• Commuting
• Vendor appointments
• Training/seminars
• Networking events
• Working ON Your profession: skill building/strategies/marketing plans/future goals
• Personal time
• Self care -workouts, taking care of yourself
• Meals/snacks/breaks
• Time spent on "free" or pro bono jobs

At the end of the week, analyze where you spent your time and brainstorm ways you can be more productive. Remember, if you are doing busywork rather than billable work, you are not maximizing your time and revenue.

Did you spend your time in unproductive meetings? Was your presence necessary for each meeting?

If you own your business, determine your hourly rate. If your hourly rate is $200/hour and you are spending 2 hours a week on bookkeeping, you spend $1600 a month on activities that could be delegated for $30/hour. You are missing out on potential earnings.

Self knowledge and goals: In order to manage your time, it’s important to develop a consciousness of your goals. What are you trying to accomplish? Where are you going with your career?

Prioritize your activities. Always ask yourself: What is the most valuable use of my time? If your goal is to earn make more money, you must focus on activities that will help you do this.

Develop and maintain a flexible schedule: Time management gives you the opportunity to create a timetable that works for you, not for others. This personal awareness gives you the flexibility to include the things that are most important to you.