Photo by gsilva.

I don?t have time.

I can?t find the time.

Who has the time?

Where do you find the time?

There are days that I?m trying to cram so many things into my day and not ?having enough time? to get them all done. And there are other days where ?time? can?t seem to move fast enough (usually while doing something unpleasant). Well, the truth is I?ve chosen to not have too many things in my life I find unpleasant. (Yes, it?s a choice. And yes, everyone has it!)

Time is the same for everyone, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 52 weeks per year, and everyone chooses to spend it differently. There are things that should be done every day, like brushing your teeth and eating a few meals, and work is usually a standard weekday activity for most people. But what about folding underwear or ironing socks? These are things that, to me, are unnecessary and I don?t enjoy. So I don?t do them. Simple. More ?time? for things I actually WANT to do.

This same application can be applied to the workday. Do I need to check email every 10 minutes? Or can I do that once an hour, or less? If I?m busy, this is one area I can cut back. Also choosing the quickest and most efficient forms of communication, like email or phone. If I look, I can usually find the time to accomplish what needs to get done, or at least a good chunk of it.

It is also important to note that sometimes I use the excuse of ?I don?t have time? for things I don?t actually want to do. This could be conscious or unconscious, but if I really want to do something, I will usually find the time to do it. So the next time you say ?oh, I don?t have the time to do ______?, is it really because you don?t have the time, or is there another reason?

It?s easy to get wrapped up in everyday life, duties, activities and responsibilities, but it?s just as important to take a moment to reevaluate what?s REALLY important. Time only seems to move faster the older you get (not that anyone here is getting OLD), so why not fill that time with as much enjoyable stuff as possible? And really, why not choose to enjoy all activities? (Ok, how about most?)

At Moxie, we always make time for our clients. www.thinkmoxie.com

? Post written by Cristy Wiza.

Have you ever sent someone a quick question via email, only to receive a phone call from them a few minutes later? And instead of simply replying back to the email with a one sentence (or less) answer, they spend 10, 15, 30+ minutes on the phone talking about everything except the question you asked? Or, on the flip side, receiving an eight-paragraph email that would have only taken a few minutes to discuss over the phone or in person? Not to mention all of the other forms of communication available today (Facebook, Twitter, Ning, ? ok, the list is endless). How do you know what?s appropriate?

Photos by otjep and daniel437.

Think TIME and CLARITY. What will take the least amount of time while still conveying a clear message?

Email:

• Quick question needing a short answer
• List of many changes to a project (for easy and accurate reference)
• Needing files, fonts, logos, etc.
• Sending information during non-business hours
• Arranging meeting dates
• Needing to send the same information to multiple people

Telephone:

• Questions regarding an unclear email
• Topic with many talking points in need of a discussion
• Sensitive subject material that could be misconstrued in an email

These are only a few examples, and there are always exceptions (like a detailed email highlighting the points of a conversation or project for documentation). Knowing the other person is key, like calling people who never check their email, or emailing people who never answer their phone. Let?s face it, the goal is communication and there are definitely people who have strong preferences in using one or the other.

Saving your clients time is also saving them money. Finding the most efficient way to communicate with them will get the work done in the least amount of time? time you can use to check us out at www.thinkmoxie.com. (yes, shameless plug at the end)

? Post written by Cristy Wiza.