How do you get so much accomplished in one day? What is an average day’s schedule like for you (including things that aren’t necessarily part of teaching piano)?
This is a good question from a reader who recognizes the importance of using time wisely and is trying to figure out how to get all the things done that she wants to do. Most of us wear many different hats, and it’s hard to know how to find the time to do everything that must be done in the course of a day. In fact, at the beginning of this year, in order to evaluate my involvement in different areas and make some critical decisions, I made up little index cards to identify the different roles I currently fill and the responsibilities associated with each one. I ended up with thirteen different cards that each constituted a pretty significant involvement of time and energy. It was a really helpful exercise to lay these out and think through what my priorities should be, and if I should relinquish any of these roles and responsibilities. I highly recommend it if you’re trying to figure out where all your time is going, or how to use your time more productively!
The principle for this is the same that guides financial management decisions – if you’re trying to get out of debt or develop a budget you can live with, the first step is to track all of your expenses for a period of time to find out where your money is going. This provides a starting point from which you can work as you determine if a line item should be funded, and if so, how much should be allocated to that particular area. In my opinion, time is an even more precious commodity than money , so it’s definitely worth it to figure out how to get the best ROI (return on investment)!
Since this is a question I’m asked fairly often, I thought it would be helpful to think through it in more depth and put together some practical ideas. I’ve decided to break this up into a short series on Finding Time. Check back throughout this week for future installments on this series. Tomorrow, I’ll share more about the cards I mentioned above and some thoughts on Tracking Your Time. And feel free to chime in with your own thoughts, ideas, and tips!
Remember, if you have a question you’d like to contribute to next week’s Monday Mailbag, leave it in the comments below or send me an e-mail me sometime this week with Monday Mailbag in the subject line!
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