In this article we'll explain the impact of distractions on time management and how your environment affects your ability to be productive. We'll also share the secrets to finding your ideal environment in order to maximize your results. Lastly, we'll show you a quick formula to accurately determine your hourly worth.
Recognizing distractions and the impact they have
Distractions are the number one drain of your time. It's not the emails, phones, text messages, social media, etc. It's YOU allowing those things to be a distraction to you in your life. We're generally faced with a barrage of daily distractions and although they usually involve the emails, phones, text messages, and social media referenced above, distractions can also be our friends, family, and/or pets.
Who or what do you allow in to your world to distract you at any time of the day? Once you recognize who or what is the distraction, then you can begin to set up rules and boundaries to control them. Consider scheduling distraction free time. For example, if your an Internet Marketer... recognizing that your mental and physical energy is at it's peak in the morning you may want to designate the first two hours of each morning to revenue producing activities. This means phones are turned off and email is inaccessible. Distraction free time should also be created for training, learning new skills, development, etc.
Quick Tip: If you're not sure if something is a distraction, ask yourself this..."Is this aligned with my goals?" "Is this a high yield, high profit use of my time?" If the answer is no, then analyze if the distraction should even have a place in your space or life at all.
The Importance of your environment
Your environment sets the stage for your productivity. For example, you're not going to have a million dollar idea sitting on the couch, with the phone ringing, kids running around, and the dog barking because that environment is not conducive to creativity and focus.
We've found that high achievers have learned to effectively and efficiently use their time differently in different environments. Using us as the example, we can't write copy or build marketing campaigns in our home office as our home office is used for responding to emails, consulting calls, and returning voice mails, etc. We have to do our writing from the living room, where we have a more scenic, peaceful view and increased natural lighting. Whereas when we need to focus on social media, we generally hit the local Starbucks.
Notice that we have three different environments for three different activities. It doesn't matter what the environment is, as long as the environment works for you, so if you ever feel stuck or unmotivated, look around at the environment, are there distractions?
Placing a dollar value on your time
We want to show you how to calculate your worth per hour so that you never look at each hour of your day the same again. This is principle we learned from Dan Kennedy and the formula outlined below will help you accurately determine your hourly worth.
You know what you made in the past calendar year and what you plan to make in the current calendar year, but for the sake of understanding this formula, let's say you wanted to make $200,000.00 in the current calendar year.
There are 365 days in a year, but not all are work days, so let's back out some weekends and some holidays and go with 250 work days per year. Now let's use the average workday of 8 hrs. and multiple that 8 hrs. a day by the 250 workdays. This gives us 2000 hours of work per year.
Now simple math would indicate that $200,000.00 per year divided by 2000 hours would make your hourly worth $100.00 right?...Wrong...studies show that only approximately 1/3 of your time is actual profitable revenue generating time. So 1/3 of 8 hrs. is approximately 3 hrs. per day.
So now let's take that same $200,000.00 per year and the same 250 work days but let's now use the profitable revenue generating time of 3 hrs. per day. Using the same example, take the 250 workdays and multiply it by 3 hrs. a day. Now the real hours worked becomes 750 not 2000. Now take that same $200,000.00 and divide it by the real hours worked of 750...your hourly worth is now around $267 per hour not $100.00 per hour.
That's nearly 3x more than what you thought you were worth. Now knowing that your time is worth 3x more than that what you thought, do you view that hour you wasted or the hours you're wasting differently? What do you think about the distractions you've allowed for?
In closing...by becoming consciously aware of distractions and your environment, then subsequently managing both, you will increase your time management and productivity and ultimately your outputs and results. Lastly, wanting to give credit where credit is due, this principle and subsequent formula came from Dan Kennedy's book, "No B.S. Time Management For Entrepreneurs - The Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Guide To Productivity And Sanity."
