
©#inkology quote instagram
This is the fourth blog on time management with at least one more to come. The feedback has been that this is an aspect that folk struggle with and i get it . . . if you can make more time, then you could do more, enjoy life more. The theme through this series has centred on maximizing your Quadrant 2 time – those things that are important and not urgent. And it is no mistake that there are three blogs in this series on maximizing your Quadrant 2 personal life. If you’re home life is going well, you can better handle your work challenges. So, here’s a few more things that belong in Quadrant 2 . . .
1. Your education: Investing in you
You are worth investing in. Invest.
What does that look like?
There are two important investments worth considering here; read well and take the courses that matter.
- Read well: There is so much good professional development material at hand now thanks to the internet. Know the development you need and find the leading material in that field. Ask others what they’ve been reading, what’s been making a difference and how it has helped them. Don’t skimp on finding books that will help you to grow and give yourself the time to read. You are a good investment.

©Marta Wilson
- Take the courses that matter: Try and identify the courses you need that will help you grow. It may be a university degree or a short course or perhaps something online. The courses can be expensive in time and money, but lean into trying to get yourself the material that will help you grow. It will also expose you to others trying to grow in the same sphere as you. That provides you opportunity to grow with others and network in your field. Invest in your education, you are a good investment.

©Happiness Co
2. Get mentored, caddied, coached
Believe in yourself enough to reach out and ask for support. Try to find a couple of avenues.
A mentor: It might mean you have someone you recognize who is a few steps ahead of you in life who could walk with you on life’s journey. That’s probably someone older than you who you can see has successfully tackled the issues that life has presented to them or has the skills and experience you’d like to develop. Identify that person and don’t ask them to mentor you . . . ask them if you could take them for a coffee to ask some questions to help you grow in your work and personal life. I’m sure they’d be happy to help. During that coffee date, ask if they would mind doing this every month or few months. Make sure you come to the meeting with questions ready to ask or scenarios you’d like input into.
A coach or caddy: Invest in you. You may find that in addition to a mentor, a professional coach (caddy) would help you get ahead and over some hurdles you face. It’s worth the money and you’ll find people who work in this field are trained to find the solutions quicker. They are working with others in the same space as you with similar challenges. Look for the coaches who promise results, not just offer advice.
So be results-driven when you approach the caddying, coaching and mentoring spaces.
3. Create quality space for planning
Stop your calendar. Find a quiet space in the whirlwind of your life to plan YOU. Remember, you are worth the investment. So plan you. You should be able to answer these questions:
- When do you plan – do you make space for this?
- Where do you plan – do you have a quiet space to do this?
- How do you plan – what are your tools, are they time efficient? Is it in a rhythm?
- What are your tools – excel? Calendars? One note? Get out of your head.
Set goal planning and time management as priorities

©Workplace languages
The better you plan, the less chance there will be crises. Deadlines will be met because you have backward mapped and reduced bigger tasks into small bite size bits. Create the space for this.
And the answer to finding space for this planning is in your life’s margins. Have planned margins into your life?
Maybe it’s time to invest in you.
Your life caddy.
Your life caddy . . . when you need coaching, whether that’s life coaching, business coaching, entrepreneurial coaching or mentoring . . . to reset those attitudes, gain strategies with data driven approaches or build new habits and rhythms to give yourself that performance edge . . . Your life caddy is here for you. Subscribe now to keep up to date with weekly blogs, each one based on burning questions from professionals like you, seeking help.