One of the most common traits among all the successful restaurateurs I’ve interviewed over the years is that they know where they are going in life and every day they work towards getting there.
Time is your most valuable asset. Each one of us is dealt the same amount of time in a day. Those who choose to live intentionally and make the most of that time, win.
I’ll say it again, those who CHOOSE to make the most of their time, win.
No one but YOU can choose to live your life with intention. I cannot make the decision for you, but I can share 4 skills that will get you living more intentionally and efficiently.
Skill # 1: Visioning
Before you can start making the most of your time, you need a destination, goal, and vision, ANYTHING that gives you a target to aim for.
Close your eyes and spend time imagining the perfect world. What are you doing? Who are you with? What are people saying about you? How does it feel? How much money are you making? Write it down. Read it every morning. That is your north star.
Ask yourself, “Am I moving toward my north star? Do I have the right knowledge? Do I have the right skills? Do I know the right people?”
No?
Then pick up a book, do a stage, and surround yourself with people that will lift you up. Get one step closer to that north star!
Skill # 2: Make Your List Your Life
Your life should revolve around a list of objectives that get you closer to your ultimate aim in life. What was that perfect world you envisioned?
Make a list of all the things that need to happen before you can achieve your ultimate goal aka your perfect world. Identify the most logical goal or achievement then get to work, immediately.
What things do you need to accomplish to achieve the first logical goal or achievement you set for yourself? Make another list.
Keep taking this approach of “sub-listing” until you can identify goals and activities that you can accomplish in less than a day. Now, GET TO WORK CRUSHING YOUR LIST!
Skill # 3: Prioritizing
Ok, cool. Up to this point you’ve got a pretty good grasp on how to start living intentionally. HIGH FIVE!
Now… it is time to learn how to go BEAST MODE on your list by working efficiently and effectively.
Once you’ve worked your to do list down to easily accomplishable tasks, it is time to prioritize. A common method is the Important/Urgent Principle. Place items on your daily to do list under one of these four categories:
- Important & Urgent
- Important & Non-Urgent
- Non-important & Urgent
- Non-Important and Non-Urgent
Once you’ve identified the most important & urgent tasks, ask yourself, “am I the right person to be doing this task?” I’ve learned from my guests that it is best to “stay in your lane”. If a task isn’t right for you consider delegating or outsourcing.
Any tasks that fall into a non-important category should get eliminated. You’ll have time for non-important items later in life. Right now the most important thing in your life is acquiring skills, knowledge, and relationships. Work hard now. Play hard later.
Skill # 4: Work Efficiently
You’ve identified the tasks that YOU are going to accomplish today. GREAT!
To accomplish those tasks you’re going to leverage Parkinson’s Law & the Pomodoro Technique.
Parkinson’s Law – “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”
If you want to get more done in less time, then give yourself less time to do the work. When we allow too much time we overthink and over-stress. Parkinson’s Law forces you to simplify the process and focus on completing the parts of the task that matter.
Pomodoro Technique – A method of using a timer to separate work into intervals with short breaks in between. Traditionally the technique uses 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks. I prefer 45-minute intervals with 15-minute breaks. Do what is right for you.
The idea behind Pomodoro’s Technique relies on the belief that humans are naturally competitive creatures. If you have no one to compete with, then compete against the clock.
Summary
These skills should be applied to make the most of YOUR time when you’re off the clock. Make the most of your days off by making the most of your time.
Each person is born into this world with 24 hours a day at his or her disposal. Time is the most valuable asset we all have. We need to be effective with our time by living intentionally, prioritizing where we focus our energy and working as efficiently as possible.