Why is time so powerful? Whether you are at work or on vacation, time can make or break your day. Use that time to make it work for you. After all, time management is really self-management.

I recently took a course called Time Mastery Profile with Training Solutions, Inc. It showed me that good habits are the key to good time management. My profile was based on my work habits, the better they were, the better the result. In order to improve certain aspects I had to create my very own action plan. My plan was broken into twelve different categories with a brief description that made up my profile:

1. Attitudes – How you take control of the time you have, self-discipline.
2. Goals – Keeping track of short-term and long-term goals.
3. Priorities - How well you organize your work load. What is really important and what can wait.
4. Analyzing – How do your actually spend your time.
5. Planning – Planning how you should spend your time.
6. Scheduling – Scheduling your tasks, or your time.
7. Interruptions – How well you budget for and handle daily interruptions.
8. Meetings – How well you organize your meeting, agenda, purpose, and effectiveness.
9. Written Communications – Managing e-mails, letters, and memos.
10. Delegation - Quality of your delegation. Many hands make light work.
11. Procrastination - Are you a procrastinator or not?
12. Team Time – Determining the nest use for everyone’s time.

As I mentioned, these are just a brief description, I get more detailed about each category in the articles to follow. You will begin to see that everything feeds off of each other. If you have a goal, you can analyze how to reach that goal through planning and scheduling, etc. So let’s start creating your very own action plan.

1. Identifying the habits you want to change.

What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Do you plan your time well but get off schedule because of frequent interruptions? The best thing to do is make a list of your strengths and then one of your weaknesses. Remember this list doesn’t just have to apply to work, because time doesn’t stop when you go home (even though we all wished it did).

2. Pick out what you would like to improve on.

I don’t know about you, but I had two rather large lists. Take a look at your weaknesses; are their any you would like to improve? Circle those. Don’t overwhelm yourself. You can just pick two or three things to improve, the ones that you think can be easily changed. If you can’t decide, put a star next to the ones that are most critical in your job. If they are the same as the ones you would like to improve, this is a great place to start. As I said before, these twelve categories feed off each other. Once you improve one, the next is even easier.

3. Make a list of how to improve these habits.

I know another list? Lists are just a great way to get your mind thinking. If something else works for you, feel free to utilize that. You need to create a new habit in order to replace the bad one. For example, if you have a hard time prioritizing your day, list out your tasks that need to get done. Then number each according to the urgency. Those are your tasks for the day, and if you don’t get them done you have your list already started for tomorrow.

4. Begin the new behavior as soon as possible

There is not better time then the present. Do what you can to get yourself motivated to incorporate this new habit. Tell a friend, place post its around your desk, write it on your hand, do what ever you can to keep your mind focused on this task.

5. Keep at it!
Don’t cheat! Believe it or not, it took practice to get into this bad habit. And it is going to take practice to correct it. The Time Mastery Profile work book states it best, “Many of your work-related habits can be successfully changes in three days to three weeks. If you constantly practice the new time mastery behavior for three weeks, it will become your predominant response pattern.”

6. Ask for help.
You can learn the most just by watching other people. You should never be afraid to ask someone for help. And support from others can really help you keep focused on what goals you have set for yourself.

Just by creating this action plan, you have already improved your time management skills. Stick to these six steps and you will begin to be successful in the behavior you wish to change.