How To Best Manage Time From Time Management Consultant Tor Refsland
[content field=”callout1″ format=”true” class=”calloutwide”]Time is an abstract concept. It’s not something we can see or touch, but it has a tremendous impact on our lives. We talk about spending time and wasting time as if it is some invisible form of currency that we can use to reach our goals and to get the most out of our lives.
The thing about time is that you never know how much you have. One day we all will look into the bank vault of life and find that our time is running out – a realization that dramatically alters our perception of time. Am I maximizing the use of my time? Is my time management helping me to achieve my goals? What exactly are my top priorities in life – and am I devoting enough time to these important things?
Time is not just a concept, it’s a business for Tor Refsland of Time Management Chef. His website is a hub for time management lessons, including productivity hacks (like this blog post, 80 Productivity Tips from Incredibly Busy Experts), information on how to reach your goals, free resources (like ebooks and email courses), and paid consultations. It was Tor’s realization of how fleeting time is that led him to quit his 6-figure job to start Time Management Chef and his consultation business.
Life Is Too Short – Start Your Business Today
As Tor explains it in the Smart Hustle video interview, he and his girlfriend were on vacation in Turkey when they decided to challenge themselves by facing their fear of heights. They chose to try paragliding, and while Tor dangled nearly 400 feet in the air, a scary thought hit him – if I lose my grip, I’ll die. It was a stark realization that our time on earth is limited. Life flashed before him, including all of the things he wanted to do such as get married and have a family.
Once his feet were back firmly on the ground, Tor began to question how he was using his limited time. He was working at one of the biggest companies in Norway earning six figures – but he was not happy. His time was spent extinguishing fires on the job, working late, and moving up the corporate ladder. But this was not how he wanted to spend his time.
With these new realizations in mind, Tor decided to quit his job and start Time Management Chef. The paragliding event – that is, the time he spent dangling from the earth, literally clinging to his own life – made him realize that what he really wanted to do – how he really wanted to spend his time – was coaching entrepreneurs who were starting or growing their business on how to better use time and become more productive. Having control of his own business would then allow him more time for all those other important things in life, like enjoying his time with kids and family.
Tor Refsland Top Time Management Tips
The Smart Hustle video interview included a lot of different topics regarding productivity, time management and starting (or growing) your business. You can watch the full interview by clicking play below. However, I also wanted to recap Tor’s top time management tips in writing.
1. Plan in advance.
They say that every minute you spend planning can save you ten minutes in execution. Successful people will plan a week in advance. Tor says if you can’t do this, try planning the night before. You want to plan in advance so your next working day is all scripted out, without the need to waste time planning. Just hit ‘play’ and go.
2. Identify your two golden hours.
Research shows that people are most productive for the first two hours after they get out of bed. This is a general finding so it will apply to many people, but your most productive hours may be different (for example, some people work better at night). You should work to identify your own golden hours, then schedule your most important tasks (that is, your most income-generating tasks) for that block of time.
3. Identify your superpowers.
Another tip Tor gives is to take a hard look at yourself and identify your strengths. What tasks are only YOU able to perform? What tasks are you the best at? These are your superpowers – the tasks you should focus on. Everything else can be delegated so you can focus on your most important tasks.
To bring all three tips together, you want to create a list of your superpowers in order to identify your most important tasks. Then identify your golden hours when you will be most productive. Finally, match these things up by planning in advance – where the absolute most important task (a task most related to income generation or business growth) is scheduled during your golden hours.
Of course, Tor has a lot more tips to share. Click play above and you can also hear about the challenges he faced when starting Time Management Chef. He also has valuable advice for entrepreneurs at different stages of the game – those who are still working ‘regular’ jobs but want to start a business, and those who are working full time on their business and want to see it grow. After you watch the video, be sure to check out his website Time Management Chef and explore the other resources that he has for entrepreneurs, business owners, and bloggers.
In the end, Tor’s advice is that life is too short. You never know how much time you’ve got, so you should start thinking about your true values and what you really want to do with your life. That means that it’s time to start actively planning that business you’ve always dreamed about, and time to start growing your existing business. Being your own boss is a reward in and of itself. However, if you do things right, you can create a solid income that allows you to also devote more time to the (non-business) things that matter most to you.
Smart Hustle Resources