The Importance of Value-Based Time Management
Your time is your most precious commodity. Time management is a precious skill that can be a struggle. I recently finalized a survey in which our non-profit organization, SheCAN!, asked women their most significant challenge today, midyear through 2021. Over 40% indicated they are struggling to find enough time to do the things they want to do.
Trying to find someone who is not busy all the time is like finding a needle in a haystack. We have work, our never-ending to-do lists, obligations, friends, families, personal goals, exercise, grocery shopping, parenting, school, housework, sports, and I am surely forgetting something. The list goes on and on. We are full but not necessarily fulfilled.
We all aspire to be happy, healthy, and successful. But what is the recipe to achieve this? For me, the process that works repeatedly is knowing what I value and aligning everything in my life with those values. What do you value? Do you know the core ideals that are most meaningful in your life? Can you sit down and articulate them? Many people cannot, and then they wonder why life comes up short?
Take the time to think about and articulate what you value. It sounds like a silly exercise, but trust me, it is fundamental to procuring happiness. You need to know what drives you and nourishes you. If you consistently fail to have these things in your life, you will feel unsatisfied.
You need to pick values that genuinely drive you, and you can get excited about them. And you need to be honest with yourself about it if you’re not practicing or making time for these things. This process seemed like a bunch of busy work for me until I made “MY VALUE MOST LIST,” evaluated my success, and then came up with a plan to self- correct.
“My Value Most List” for Time management
- Conquering Challenge for Growth: A love of learning and doing challenging things.
- Humor, Laughter, and Indulging my Inner Child: Being carefree and igniting my endorphins
- Physical Fitness: Pushing myself to be at my physical best and reverse aging.
- Helping People: Whatever they need, want, or would make life easier or better.
- Helping Women: Flourish, prosper, and succeed on their terms.
- Simplicity: Authenticity, truthfulness, fundamental.
- Imperfection: Letting go of what is unimportant.
- Mentoring; Nourishing greatness.
- Loving: Family, friends, and fur babies.
Every day I self-reflect and grade myself with a pass or fall. Once a month, I will revisit my values to see if they need alignment. For example, I may need to flex my empathy muscle because of someone’s problems or losses. During COVID, one of my survival tricks was learning to live in the moment and always give gratitude.
Today I failed at three on my "Value Most" list. That is OK because I know what my values are and will surely nail them tomorrow. Going through the process of listing the things you value and then measuring them if only a pass or fail is a surefire way to finding more time for the things you want to do.
ABOUT PEGGY
Peggy Sullivan is a women’s leadership speaker, mindset expert, and founder of the nonprofit organization, SheCAN!. She is also the author of the book, “Happiness is Your Responsibility”. Peggy is a strong advocate of empowering women to succeed through supporting each other. She has won numerous awards and honors, including the 2019 Woman in Leadership Award from New York State. She has presented and consulted worldwide for organizations such as Bank of America, Blue Cross BlueShield, Ingram Micro, and WomanUp Conferences. You can connect with Peggy on Instagram and LinkedIn, and purchase “Happiness is Your Responsibility” in Fall 2021 on Peggy’s website.