If I Had The Time I'd ...

As I was driving back from Manchester last week – a long drive, so I had plenty of thinking time. I was listening to Radio 4, as I often do, I find it easier to listen to on a long drive, and prompted by the conversation, I started to think of all those things that we’d like to do … if only we had the time. Now I’m not talking about all the "101 things To Do Before I Die" things – which was the topic of the show, swimming with dolphins seems to feature on most people’s lists but all those other things that we never quite get round to. Not on the grand scale of climbing Mount Everest or doing a round the world trip but on the smaller scale of putting up that set of shelves, learning a musical instrument or a new language, finding time to exercise regularly, getting home in time to read a bedtime story to your children.

Time is often a sticking point or an excuse when we don’t get round to doing something but it’s always about choice. We chose how to use our time. If we don’t have time for something it’s because we’ve chosen to do something else instead. Whether that’s answering our emails instead of chasing up overdue invoices or reading a book or watching TV instead of learning a new language. All those jobs, activities, hobbies that get put to one side. Is it a matter of delaying tactics for jobs you’d rather not do (we all have those) or is it about really not having the time?

So, have a think – what would you do … if only you had the time?

Why would you like to do it and what stops you … other than time?

Answers on a postcard or just add a comment here.

Do Something Scary

We all have a tendency to want to stay in our comfort zone, to stay safe, comfortable and secure in our own cocoon, the environment that we know well. Sometimes though it’s good to just get out there and be brave. Knowing that – everything will be all right and we are probably stronger than we think.

Since I’ve been running my own business, I have a voice inside me (no, it’s alright you don’t have to drag me off in a strait-jacket) that tends to pipe up and say ‘Yes, I’ll do that’ when actually my gut reaction is probably to do the opposite – ‘Oh no, I can’t do that’. For me it usually revolves around getting up in front of people and speaking.

I remember going to my first official breakfast network meeting – you know, where you have to stand up and talk about your business for a minute. I didn’t know what to say and was very nervous. However, a few months later and I’d agreed to stand up in front of about 50 businessmen and talk about what I did – that really was scary. Breakfast meetings no longer hold the same fear. When asked to speak at my local Chamber last month, I said yes – then thought Yikes!

Now as a time management tactic – saying no is a good thing to do but I’m talking about saying yes to those opportunities that present themselves, getting out of your comfort zone by doing something you know is going to be challenging. Even if it’s just going out for the evening instead of staying in, especially when it’s cold, wet and raining outside.

I was reminded of this again today when I read about doing something scary every day. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as going bungee jumping, or abseiling off tall buildings but confronting something that scares you or that you wouldn’t normally do or perhaps have been putting off. Now I’m not talking about doing anything illegal or that is a risk to life and limb or anyone else but just doing something different, trying something new.

Do one thing this week that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Switch Off

Away this weekend and I left the technology behind for a whole four days. I even survived without the mobile phone for much of it – only using it to contact fellow travellers and make arrangements and once to send a twitter message from the top of a hill, when we took a break in the sunshine.

I did of course come back to a full inbox of emails – mostly junk but quickly dispatched. I’ve never had email on the move, from choice more than limited technology or capability. While it might be useful at times – there is rarely anything that’s so urgent that it won’t wait until I return to the office and clients rarely want or need to contact me out of hours and if they did the phone is a quicker and more reliable means of contact.

I know some people can’t survive without constantly being in touch or being able to send and receive emails at any time of the day and night but there are always other things I can be doing when I have spare time on the move rather than checking emails. I even leave my mobile phone behind or switched off at times and I purposely don’t have all the whizz-bang, bluetooth headset, hands-free, technology. In that respect I’m probably technologically backward but actually, I want to decide what to do when, not have technology deciding for me.

Now the demands of my work are probably different from yours but how attached are you to your technology? Are you really in control of your time and the technology or is it controlling you? While it’s there to make life easier, if can also make it more demanding. Do you find it hard to switch off in case you miss something? How much of a difference will it really make to be instantly contactable?

Think about the technology you use and the way that you use it - could you use it less, have more time for yourself without reducing your productivity?

Money Tips To Beat The Credit Crunch

As we’re all being hit by the current credit crunch – markets are going into free fall and people are now suffering from an age of overspending and easy credit. I thought it would be timely to share a few of my money tips.

If you’re not sure where your money goes each month then write a money diary for the next week. Make a note of everything you spend each day and then add it up at the end of the week, so you can see exactly how much you spend even on the little things – your daily newspaper, snacks as well as bills paid, cash withdrawn.

Use cash or debit cards. If you know the money is going to come straight out of your bank account, you’re less likely to spend excessively. Credit cards only have to be paid for later and while the ‘easy monthly payments’ may seem tempting you’ll end up paying a lot more for the goods that you buy. Get into the habit of only spending money that’s actually yours … not someone else’s like the banks or the credit card companies.

Get onto Ebay, post local ads, go to car boot sales and sell what you don’t need to boost your funds. Recycle what you no longer. Buy second hand rather than new and save money or even better look at getting something repaired rather than throwing it away and buying new. Sometimes repairing something might be more expensive than buying new but it’s always worth checking and there are people who are happy to ‘fix’ things.

If you don’t have one already, create an Emergency Survival Fund. This is a pool of savings that you can dip into should an emergency arise – an unexpected bill or repair or if you were to lose your job. It should be equal to the amount that would cover all your basic financial needs (mortgage, rent, utility bills, food) for a minimum of three months.

Buy what you need, not what you want and as the saying goes waste not, want not.

If you’d like more tips and strategies for improving your finances – take a look at my e-book – More Month Than Money.