How to Be Better With Your Time Management

If you only perform certain necessary activities because you feel you should, ask yourself if there is a way to have a third party do them more effectively.

Do it yourself

We have a saying at my house, “When it matters most, you’ll make time for it.” There are some things you just can’t avoid (e.g. doctor’s appointments, preparing for a family visit, creating a presentation for your boss ). These are the must-dos of adulthood. This is where prioritization meets organization. As I reviewed my three-page to-do list, I threw away page three because I would never take the time to replace the plastic seat adjuster handle in my car. I’ve paid others to do side two, including swapping curbside pickup for trips to the grocery store, but I’ve yet to figure out how to most effectively handle the remaining tasks. These are not just the ones that are right in my lane, but also the ones that I need to be present and in the moment with. For me, that includes coaching cheer drills, having dinner with my family every day, getting enough sleep, working out at the gym, and being fully focused as I prepare for each client meeting. After separating the wheat from the chaff, the activities that require my personal attention are doable if I stay focused and organized. Of course, organizing is an entirely separate rabbit hole to delve into.

Prioritizing is the first of many steps to making each day a little less stressful and spending the 24 hours of your day a little more consciously. If you do, you might actually have time to catch up on the next episode of stranger things.

Lisa Jaster, PMP, currently serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve and is one of the first three women to graduate from the U.S. Army’s Elite Ranger program in 2015. She graduated at the age of 37, while the average age of trainees is 23. Lisa creatively juggles her civilian career, family life, and personal interests. She is a partner and senior contributor to the Talent War Group as a keynote speaker and executive coach. She is also a board member of two non-profit organizations, Team Red, White and Blue and Dive Pirates. Lisa maintains her sanity through strength training and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. She is married to Marine Col. Allan Jaster, also a reservist and principal/owner of financial consulting firm Archer Consulting. Lisa and Allan have two children together, Zachary and Victoria, and live in New Braunfels, Texas.