Mark S. Brown

We cannot manage time, but we can manage how we spend the time available to us. It seems the older I get, the more I want to do, and the less time I have to do it.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures how Americans spend their time. On average, over 50% of our leisure time is spent watching television. We spend less than half the amount of time on household activities than we do on leisure.

That information is based on averages. If you are reading this, than you are probably also striving to be more proficient with your time than the average person. So what can we do to help us better manage our use of time? Here are three basic steps that we should consider.

1) Know Your Priorities. It would be difficult to measure our productivity if we did not know what we are trying to accomplish. We have priorities based on our work, priorities based on our personal goals, and priorities based on our friends and family. We can fail to step back, look at the bigger picture, and plan to fit these priorities together. Instead we keep them separated and it can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction.

2) Increase Your Focus. Once we know our priorities, it becomes easier to focus our activities. Writing a list of actions, or developing a plan for success becomes straightforward. Once defined, we can focus our time on accomplishment.

3) Increase Your Efficiency. There are many tools that can help us become more efficient. Depending what type of activities that are on our list, we may be able to delegate, put together a team, utilize technology, or simplify our approach. Search for productivity tools, and we will find many, such as, 7 Essential Productivity Tips.

These three steps will help us influence the why, the what, and the how of our own day. If we try to control 100% of our day, we will quickly become discouraged. There will always be distractions and surprises. However, being prepared for our day will make us better prepared for those interruptions.

I am amazed at the people that will drive a block out of their way to buy gasoline for their car which is $0.02 per gallon cheaper than a more convenient gas station. They probably save $0.40 or less. But these same people will walk into a grocery store and pick up a name brand item spending $2.40 more than the generic without even checking the price.

We all have a different perception of value. In this example we may see all gasoline being equal, so we are wanting to pay the lower price. But we don’t see the name brand as equal to the generic brand so we are willing to spend $2.40 more.

This is also true of how people see the value you bring as a person to whatever activity in which you engage. How do they perceive your value, and how do you perceive your value?

Seeing value in yourself is the first step of increasing your value in the eyes of others. They will not see value that you do not see in yourself.

You can also continue to increase your value both to yourself and to others, by investing in yourself. Do you spend more money on your big screen high-definition television and the 200 channel cable package than you spent on developing yourself last year?

I admit there was a time in my life when I would have answered that question, “yes”. Not anymore. Spending money on my personal development seems more like an investment than my television.

Maybe the question we should answer this week is, “Am I aspiring to be a generic brand,  or am I developing my name brand?”

Are you an inspiration to someone else? That is a hard question to answer. You probably know someone you admire, that you have never told. Maybe that person is an inspiration to you.

We are also inspired by famous people in history, great athletes, and other exceptional people. I know I am inspired by Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Teddy Roosevelt.

These people became inspirations not by trying to be inspirations, but by being themselves, and following their purpose. So, how are you at inspiring others? Here are a couple of things to consider.

1) Am I a living example of my values? Our actions should reflect the person we are inside, or the person we are striving to be. List your values, and think about how you demonstrate them, or not.

2) Am I improving myself to be the best I can be? Inspirational people never stop learning to be better. They are driven to compare themselves not to the world but to who they were yesterday.

3) Do I commit fully to my passion and purpose? Defining a purpose and passion is difficult for many. If you find yourself distracted easily, then strengthen your connection to your passion.

These are three great questions for reflection. We can all improve. What are you doing to better yourself in these three areas? To be an inspiration to others, you need to be the best version of yourself you can be.

 

Being a friend has taken on a whole new meaning with the explosion of social media. We connect and share information with a wide network of people. So it has made me ponder the meaning of friendship. Are all of your friends on Facebook really your friends?

(Watch the video?)

I recently had a conversation about a Facebook post. If someone were to post a comment about one of your friends would you automatically believe it? Or do you know your friend well enough to know if the comment is true or not?

This thought made me reflect on what I think is the difference between a true friend and a Facebook friend. Here are the five main points I captured.

1. A true friend will have your back. They will stand up for you even when you are not around. They will be there for you when you need help.
2. A true friend will give you energy, not drain you of energy. These are the people you enjoy hanging out with.
3. A true friend will support you whether you succeed or fail. Friends that support you in success are easy to find. Friends that stick around and support you in failure are the people that really care about you.
4. A true friend will motivate you to be better, not hold you back. They will support you in your goals and dreams. They will never try to shoot you down and hold you at their comfort level.
5. A true friend is someone that you improve their life as much as they improve yours.

Don’t get me wrong, social media has a place in our lives. It has allowed people to connect and stay connected with much less effort. But if I were you, I would not count on your 500 Facebook friends to have your back when you need it. Don’t let them get in your way with your true friends.