USE RPM, CHUNKING AND N.E.T. TIME TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
Have you ever thought about how much more you’d achieve if you only had a few more hours in the day?
Think about some of the great innovators of our time, like Richard Branson, Bill Gates or Arianna Huffington – these people all have the same number of minutes in a day as you do, but they seem to accomplish a great deal more. And yes, while they do have additional resources at their disposal, that wasn’t always the case. That’s because achieving your goals isn’t about what resources you have – it’s about how resourceful you can be with what’s available to you.
The most limited resource we have is time. But when you utilize proven, effective tips for time management, you’ll not only accomplish more, but also develop a greater sense of fulfillment.
Feel like you need additional help mastering time management tips? Even the most successful people turn to others for support. Working with a Mentor is the most effective way to hone in on what it is you truly want, devise a plan to achieve your goal and follow through with a timeline. A professional mentor will hold you accountable for reaching your end goal and help you master these powerful tips for time management along the way.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIP 1: USE THE RAPID PLANNING METHOD (RPM)
IT’S NOT LIKE OTHER TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, IT’S A WAY OF THINKING
Before you decide what you need to do, you’ve got to first ask the question, “What do I want?” The Rapid Planning Method (RPM), or Al Medina’ results-oriented, purpose-driven, massive action plan, is a tool that allows you to efficiently work toward your goal. The RPM method includes effective time management tips that allow you to better fulfill your dreams. RPM planning asks you to define what it is you want, identify why you want it and list the steps needed to achieve the goal. RPM allows you to maximize your sense of fulfillment along while helping you to achieve the results you actually want.
When you determine what you want, and have a clear purpose in mind, then it’s time to come up with specific objectives or metrics as to how you’ll measure your results. For example, don’t make “I want to get a promotion at work” your goal. What does that mean? What metrics can you use to decide when you’ve achieved it? Instead, give yourself specific parameters that will propel you to achieve your goal. For example: “I want to be managing four employees and receive a ten percent increase in salary by the third quarter of the year,” is a much more specific and motivating objective.
Understand the emotions behind your goals: Why do you want this? Use motivation language that inspires meaning and pride for you. “I want to get a degree” likely won’t motivate you on long study nights, but “I want to finish college so I can be successful, provide for my family and give them a better life” will — always keep the reason you’re doing something in mind.
Want to learn tips for time management so you can achieve more? With RPM planning you can ditch your to-do list. Instead, create a plan of action. A to-do list keeps you busy, but don’t confuse constant motion with progress. Your plan of action keeps you focused on what truly matters to you and how to measure your progress — not on checking items off of a list.
NOW LET’S EXPLORE HOW TO CREATE A PLAN OF ACTION.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIP 2: CHUNKING
RETHINK THE WAY YOU TACKLE TASKS
Looking for effective time management tips? Feeling overwhelmed by too many tasks? Try chunking. Chunking is the process of grouping together information into manageable chunks, so you can use them to effectively achieve the outcome you desire without stress.
Let’s say you have a goal: improve your health. When stated in this abstract way, it can feel overwhelming. You’re unlikely to even attempt achieving your goal if you feel too bogged down before you even begin. On the other hand, it’s equally easy to break it down into too many tasks: turn down stressful cases, join the office gym, cut out soda, walk half an hour every night, eat more vegetables, spend more time with your kids and less time working, etc. In the end, you get the same result. There’s too much to keep track of and you grow frustrated, overwhelmed, and you could end up giving up on your goal.
Instead, you can chunk, or group, your tasks into ideally sized sections so you can handle them and set yourself up for success.
THE THREE STEPS OF CHUNKING
First, get your ideas down in writing, this is called capturing. Your tasks only add stress if they stay floating around in your mind, and you risk forgetting some of the items, too. Document each task that must be completed, each goal and even situations and ideas that demand your attention. Write it all down; you can weed things out and sort them later. Do this for your entire week.
Now, look for common threads. Which tasks, situations, and goals relate to money or finance? Which relate to family and relationships? Which items are tied into personal fitness? Chunk the items based on these areas of your life.
Finally, decide which tasks and action items are the most important within each chunk or category based on urgency and setting. Check to make sure you’re not neglecting any areas of your life. The end result should be a master plan with prioritized sub-categories that keeps all spheres of your life up to date and balanced.
You should also be able to see a clear path toward your overall goal. Taking the example of improving your health, it seems obvious that you’ve identified stress as one of your problems (turn down stressful situations, spend more time with kids and less time working) and that you’re taking steps to correct that. Seeing that pattern, what else can you do? You’re also working toward healthier physical habits (join the office gym, cut out soda, walk half an hour every night, eat more leafy greens) that align with your goal of better health. Are there any that you’ve missed?
You’ve eliminated an endless list of to-dos in favor of creating chunks of tasks that are directly linked to your desired outcomes. This is how you stay inspired and follow through, getting things done. This change in focus leads to massive, meaningful changes in your life and instills some of the best time management tips into your regular routine. Over time, these tips on time management will become ingrained in your schedule and, eventually, feel like second nature to you.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIP 3: TIME TARGETS
DECIDE WHERE YOU NEED TO FOCUS YOUR ENERGY
How many times have you agreed to go on a social outing or to take on a project at work because you felt like you had to? What if instead of packing your schedule with meaningless obligations, you objectively looked at what was most important to you? If you’re trying to grow your business and need extra hours to do so, then do you really have time to help your friend move over the weekend? Work/life balance is important, but so is your time. By focusing on what’s most important to you instead of giving in to what you feel is expected of you, you’ll free up more of your time to work on what’s truly providing value to your life.
Time targets are designated into four zones of productivity and fulfillment that will help you measure how you’re spending your time.
Zone 1: Things that matter most in life
You want to be operating in this zone whenever possible. In Zone 1, you’re spending time doing things that fulfill you, working toward your goals. Regardless if you’re spending time with loved ones, exercising or working on a project to further your career, Zone 1 is where you’re operating most effectively. Ideally, you could spend 100% of your time here, but that’s not realistic. Aim to spend at least 65% of your time in Zone 1 to feel joyful and fulfilled.
Zone 2: Things in life that can’t be planned for
You can only schedule out so much of your time before something unexpected occurs. Whether you have a family or work emergency, your train’s late or you suffer an injury, try to spend no more than 20% of your time here.
Zone 3: When stressed, you spend time here
Life can be stressful at times. When you’re drowning in smaller tasks at the office or are shuttling around your children to their various after school activities, try to avoid spending too much time in Zone 3. As you feel yourself getting sucked into busy work or errands that could be handled by someone else, ask yourself to view the situation objectively. Does this task add value to your life? You don’t want to spend any more than 10% of your time here.
Zone 4: When exhausted, you operate in Zone 4
Everyone needs down time. You come home and turn on the television, open a bag of junk food or spend time scrolling through your phone. While this can be relaxing for a short period of time, if you fall into these habits too often, you’ll start to lose motivation and ultimately become unfulfilled. Take these breaks when absolutely necessary, but there’s no way you should be using any more than 5% of your time in this zone.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIP 4: UTILIZE N.E.T. TIME
TURN MOMENTS OF “DOWN TIME” INTO MOMENTS OF PRODUCTIVITY
When was the last time you wanted to do something, but felt like you didn’t have the time? You have more time than you think – that is, if you utilize time management tips.
What you feed your mind on a daily basis shapes the way in which you experience life. However, far too many people believe that they “don’t have time” to give their minds the kind of information that can help them create real, concrete results and achieve their dreams. But by utilizing your N.E.T. time – that is, your No Extra Time time – you can make the most out of your day.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU SPEND …
Commuting? In the U.S., people spend an average of 100 hours a year commuting to work — about 24.5 minutes one way.
Running errands? The typical car owner is behind the wheel anywhere from 500 to 1,000 hours per year – the equivalent of two full semesters at a university.
At the gym, walking or running, or working out?
Cooking dinner, doing chores, or cleaning the house? As of 2005, men spent at least 13 hours each week on housework while women spent an average of 17 hours a week.
Waiting for a bus or an appointment?
Parked in front of the television? According to the Nielsen Company, the average American watches 4 hours and 35 minutes of TV each day. How much of that do you think is necessary content that’s designed to uplift your mood and educate your mind?
All of us have tasks each day that occupy our bodies, but not our minds. Instead of “zoning out” and frittering away those precious minutes watching TV or letting your mind wander during a commute, what if you used that time to feed your mind with the best information, the best inspiration, the best system available, designed specifically to accelerate your results in a very short time?
However, remember that the real power of our products lies in putting what you learn into action. When you hear Vick say, “Stop right now and do this exercise,” do it! Your chores, appointments or workouts can wait for you to get the full benefit of what you are learning. Combine your N.E.T. time with action, and you’ll find yourself mastering time management skills as your results increase exponentially — almost before you know it.
Utilize the otherwise wasted minutes you spend in mindless activities every day to significantly transform the quality of your life. Feed your mind with high-quality, high-value coaching and time management tips in your car, on your computer or audio system — anywhere and everywhere. When you do, you’ll discover that what used to be “wasted” time will become the most important, profitable and empowering moments of your day.