I’m a district manager for a large music retail company, a performing saxophonist, graphic designer, husband, and father of 6. Things are busy, and I’ve been asked a lot lately how I manage it all.
It all comes down to just 2 main concepts; taking care of yourself and time management. It has taken me years of working myself to the bone and burning the candle at both ends to realize that if I’m not healthy it effects every other aspect of my life both professionally and personally. Find time to exercise. Whether it’s walking/running, lifting weights, or yoga, even just 30 minutes of it a day will help you feel physically and mentally ready to take on the day. The common excuse is “I don’t have time.” I know. I said that for years, and I promise...you have time. You just need to prioritize it. Once you view your health as more important than your to-do list, you’ll be amazed at how your life will change.
Speaking of to-do lists...on to thing 2; time management. Anyone that has worked with me for any amount of time knows I like to use short and concise 2-4 step processes and lists. When it comes to time management I follow what I call the 3 F’s; Faith, Family, Finances. I prioritize these in that order. For me faith means taking time to focus on what God’s doing in my life and what his plan is for me. It could be something else for you. Most of us have something we put our faith in. Whatever that is, it clearly means something to you, so prioritize it.
Next, Family...nothing is more important, but you have to prioritize it to maintain a proper work/life balance. Schedule time for your family every single day. Again, you do have the time. Work/life balance is more about quality than it is about quantity. 30 minutes to 1 hour of your full undivided attention a day will mean more to your family than 3 hours of time with you being distracted by your phone or emails.
Finally, now that you’ve taken care of what’s really important in life, let’s talk finances. This is everything else that earns you money; all your work and financial ventures. It’s important to remember that your to-do list will never be empty. You will always have one more thing to do. So, step one is to be ok with that. Do your best every day to give 100%. Know at the end of the day you did everything you could do to complete what you needed to complete and you’ll feel good when you lay your head down at night even if there is still more to do. This is important, because there will always be more to do. From students to CEO’s you have to equip two tools to manage your work successfully; a calendar and a to-do list. I sit down once a week and plan my entire week and input appointments to my mobile calendar so that I know what I need to accomplish, where, and when. Whether you do that daily or weekly, you need a road map. It will help you maintain efficiency as you progress through your week. Additionally, maintaining a running list of to-do’s will help you prioritize what’s important, what needs to be done now, what can wait, and it will help make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Ultimately it all comes down to priorities. Make time for yourself. Make time for your family. Prioritize the rest with the time that’s left. It sounds easy, but it isn’t always. If you would like to take more about recommendations or helpful scheduling tools, feel free to email me at zach@zachspruill.com or comment below. I’m not perfect nor do I have all the answers but I do have experience! Would love to hear from you.