Time, as we all know, is a precious and fleeting commodity.  When time is gone you can’t get it back.  We can’t create more time.  However, we can control and choose how we spend our time.  One of the first things I encourage clients to do when evaluating their time managment is to identify what they are wasting their time on.  A lot of times we don’t even realize that we are wasting time but when we take a time inventory, identify our time wasters and take steps to change those patterns, we will discover there is more time available for the things that are important and that we enjoy.

I am going to share a few common time wasters I encounter when working with clients as well as the time wasters I am most vulnerable to.  Then my next series of posts will look at each time waster and how to create organizing systems that will help you deal with these issues, thus creating more order and organization and more time!

• Piles- When we accumulate piles of paper, etc around our home we waste an incredible amount of time sorting through the piles to find that one piece of paper that we need.  Then you grab the one piece of paper that you need and it makes the rest of the pile teeter and fall off the table- scattering papers to the wind.  Then you are wasting more time picking them all up and re-creating your pile.
• Mail- We all get it, we all read it and some mail is important, i.e bills, correspondence from loved ones, etc.  But we all know that we also get mail that is not important- magazines, junk mail, catalogs, credit card offers, etc.  There is hope though and we will help you with that in the coming weeks.
• Looking for things- How many of us waste time running around looking for something that we can’t find but need in order to move on with our day? (keys, purse, children?)  Which vehicle did you leave the permission slip in?  Where is the garage door opener?  Why can’t I find the other navy flat to go with this skirt?  Any of this sound familiar?
• Lack of planning and lack of routine- these two issues are the biggest time wasters that exist!  When we do not begin our day armed with a roadmap and a list than we are sitting ducks for distraction, becoming overwhelmed and forgetting important things. 
• Saying “yes” to everyone- oh, this is a tough one for me.  But God does not call us to be busy bodies- remember that he preferred the Mary’s of the world to the Martha’s.  I am a Martha by nature and so I have to surrender that everyday and before I automatically volunteer or accept the latest request of my time- that I am asking God if agreeing to this task is something that supports His plan for me and is in balance with my priorities.  We will be discussing this in much greater detail in the coming weeks.
• Procrastination- This is a big time waster and one that I am guilty of on a daily basis.  But not using our time wisely is actually wasting it and keeping us from having time for the important things (our families, our relationship with God and taking care of ourselves)
• Computer- another thing that I am guilty of- the majority of my business takes place online.  So I spend a lot of time on the computer.  I also enjoy surfing the net for information, reading other people’s blogs, etc.  I am not saying there is anything wrong with this but we all know that it can get out of control and cause us to not complete tasks that needed to be a priority.

There are plenty of other time-wasters but these are the major ones we will be tackling in the upcoming weeks at Organized Life by Design.  Please feel free to comment or contact us if you have questions or other time wasting issues you would like to see us address in this series.

Happy Organizing!

Melissa