What is Your Time Worth

By Marcia Francois

What's your time worth? We've all heard the saying, "time is money" and to a certain degree, that is true. However, today I want to challenge you by saying that time is more important than money.Why? Because you can always do something to make more money but you can never get time back. never.

See where I'm going with this? But what about your time? Once you fritter away your time on unimportant things, you can never get that time back. An email made its way around about a year ago about a man who gave his son two jars, one empty and one with marbles. There were enough marbles for the weeks he had left to live (assuming a man's average mortality). He told his son to move one marble to the empty jar every Saturday so that he'd realise that he could never, ever get that time back. Yes, the story is a bit hokey but it does have a point ;)

I'm a practical sort of person so I like to do an exercise with my clients that I'd like you to do with me too. Divide your monthly salary by 21.67 (the number of days you work each month).

If you're self-employed, divide your average earnings by the number of days you usually work. That's your DAILY rate. Now take that number and divide it by 7.5 or the number of hours you work every day. That's your HOURLY rate. Now, when you spend an hour surfing the internet, replying to chain letters, reading blogs when you should be working, visualise yourself throwing that money in the bin.

If you're like me, it'll shock you and make you realise the value of your time.

Tips for Making Your Schedule More Manageable

We all know we are super-busy nowadays. So how can we make our crazy schedules more manageable? Here are ten tips:

1. Double up* Cooking a pasta dish or casserole for dinner this evening? If you are already cooking the first dish, why not make more for a second meal and freeze it for later? Batch cooking items, such as mince, can be cooked/fried in advance, wrapped, and frozen for later meals.

2. Decide and stick to limits. Given the fact that the number of hours in a day is unable to be changed, what are you capable of doing? Be honest with yourself. If you can't currently complete everything on your To Do list, there's probably too much on the list. Sometimes you are assigned or given a task you are unable to do or that you are uncomfortable doing. If this is the case, pass or delegate this task to someone else.

3. Be realistic about your schedule. Take time in the morning or evening and create a realistic schedule. Review it daily. Be sure to pad time in between tasks. Prioritise items on your to-do list, and block out time for these activities. Use a scheduling method that makes you comfortable, whether it's a paper calendar, PDA or a large calendar on the fridge.

4. Find time for yourself. In order to be at your best and help others in your life, you must be able to take care of yourself. It's truly a personal choice how you decide to relax. It may include a bubble bath, exercising, a manicure or pedicure, a massage, a good book or magazine, a computer game, a walk outside, maybe taking a class or learning something new. Find out what helps you relax and make sure you schedule time for it in your schedule daily.

5. Give yourself permission to use the word 'No'. You cannot do it all, all the time. You can delegate and give tasks to others. If you don't respect your time, others won't either.