Time, is so fleeting. A commodity we never have enough of. Out of 24 hours in the day, we need to sleep 7-8 hours, eat 2 hours, exercise 1 hour, commute 1 hour, clean house 1 hour and play 2-3 hours. That leaves us with 9 to 11 of hopefully productive hours and we need more. According to Paul J. Meyer, founder of Success Motivation International, there are Three Proven Ways to Make Time.

The first is to Examine Our Interruptions. According to Meyer, “you should eliminate what you can immediately, screen out or delegate. Then set aside specific times for certain tasks on your to do list. Be flexible here, interruptions do occur, but if you can plan for these and organize the valued resource of time, you may find yourself adding an hour each day.” This is where I fall short. Oh boy do I fall short. In working with a coach, I have been advised to close my door for one hour each day. I have done this but cannot stand it for more than 1⁄2 hour then let myself out of my self-contained cage. In addition, interruptions are my joy! I love interruptions from the tedium of budgets, newsletters and memos. Then I wonder why I have to stay late in the evening long after all have gone home. So do as I say and gain control of your interrupts. Do not do as I do.

Second is to Analyze Your Energy Cycle. “Determine when you are at your best physically and mentally. Schedule challenging tasks during these times of peak performance and you will accomplish more in less time. “I am pretty good on this level. I am a morning person, so my peak times are in the am, but I also have a good adrenaline rush in the pm. Too much all day coffee! I find that I get the most work done during these times. But challenging tasks which I call my “at end work.” Must be done on the weekend when I can work nonstop and hash out challenges.

Think About Time the Way You Think about Money.

Meyer states “the more wisely you invest time just like money – the greater the yield. Before you invest time in a given activity, ask yourself, Is there something more profitable that I could be doing? “Few of us monetize our time. If we did, we would spend this valuable resource more carefully. I suggest to my new members the necessity of monetizing their networking. In other words, if they viewed each 15-minute segment of time spent at a Scramble or a mixer they would make certain they were initiating conversations with newer members, referral sources or potential clients instead of those not needing their product or service.

Change is tough, but for those who follow these three proven ways to make time, they will find great productivity leading to greater revenues for their business.