"Time will Tell" - Manage Time & the Business Well

When was the last time you used the phrase, "Time will tell" in conversation?

I was working with an entrepreneurial client recently, developing some financial projections for their business. It's a fairly new incorporated business operating in the construction sector. Naturally, like every entrepreneur, they're excited for its potential growth! 

Perhaps you’re at a similar stage of business. Looking beyond the enthusiasm, one of the challenges at this early-stage requires a discipline to temper expectations with respect to personal remuneration so as to not jeopardize the stability and the ultimate viability of the business. 

Will you succeed - will they succeed? It’s difficult to say, but at least this client was working on a three-year business plan that should see them through the start-up phase. "Time will tell" if they, and if you will be successful! 

Yes, "time will tell” if success is achieved. Having said that, I can assure you that an entrepreneur will only be successful if they find ways to appropriately respond to the many changing conditions that will evolve as they operate their business. In addition, in order for 'things to happen' … something has to happen!  Action, appropriate action needs to be taken when it’s required. As Napoleon Hill said: "Do not wait; the time will never be ”just right.” Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”

Once you’ve started on your journey - keep your eyes and ears open. As things change around you, your plan needs to be flexible enough to allow your business to adapt in ways that will take you in the best direction. Watch for the changes taking place around you and those potential changes that are moving in your direction.

NOW, speaking of TIME … here are a few time saving suggestions from my friend, Garland Coulson - AKA "Captain Time”. Garland and I have worked together in the past with an Entrepreneur Training Camp where he’s shared his expertise with Time Management Skills Training. Now based on Canada’s west coast, Garland’s mentioned the other day that he’ll be in the Edmonton area just prior to mid-June. 

FYI - For those interested in meeting with him, please make arrangements by contacting Garland directly. (Telephone: 778-441-4145 or Website: http://CaptainTime.com )

Drawn from his 25+ years in mastering time management, Garland Coulson suggests the use of a countdown timer. First, decide what you want to work on, and then how long you want to invest in that activity.

In his own words: "... if I want to spend one hour making marketing phone calls, I grab my timer, set it for an hour and push the start button. When the countdown timer goes off, I reset it for the next project and start again. A countdown timer is one of the simplest, yet most powerful time management tools." 

Here are four reasons Garland offers as to why a countdown timer is so helpful to improving your productivity.

• Full Time – it ensures the whole hour (or half hour or whatever time I set) is invested in the project I chose.
• Focus – the deliberate setting of the one hour for the project keeps me more focused and makes me come back to what I was doing after an interruption.
• Reminder – it reminds me when it is time to move on to the next project. This makes sure that I am spending the proper amount of time on each project.
• Value – a timer teaches us how to value our time and helps us understand how much we can get done in a very short time.

Thank you Garland for this great tip on how to improve our use of time.

What's been your experience? 

Feel free to add your comments and thank you in advance

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