How Does Everyone Manage Their Time?

Comments(8)

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  jeff1200229th December, 2003

  We tend to make time for what we have set for ourselves as being priorities. That being said, it seems that your priorities are firmly set with your family, and I'd be hesitant to tell you to change anything. The reasons for working part time at a job are yours, however if you were to look at the ramifications that your job has, then you might find that the return for your time is very low once you factor in other costs. (Additional tax liability, child care, transportation and lunch expenses. The additional vehicle that usually becomes a requirement for such things) Maybe none of these things are appropriate considerations for you. If your productive with the time you spend investing, you could achieve a much better return for your time.
  Jeff

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  iamhappy29th December, 2003

  Well said - you are absolutely right in all you stated. I am hesitant to quit my job just yet since is does pay the bills due immediately and jump into RE until I can make enough money in RE to cover what I make working part time. Just wanted to know how everyone else does it.

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  BAMZ29th December, 2003

  Hi iamhappy,
  
  If you are interested in how to manage your investment time, set weekly goals, and then break them down into daily goals.
  
  Whatever your focus is for that month, a new marketing ro advertising campaign, looking at 10-15 properties, etc. Break the goals down into bite size chomps, and before you go to bed, put your daily goals where you will see them!
  
  Best of Success!
  
  BAMZ
  
  
  P.S. As for your family goals . . . . it seems like you have already hit a homerun there!

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  fauche6529th December, 2003

  iamhappy,
  Just my $0.02 andf what works for me. First let me tell you what I have to do on a daily basis. I am a devoted husband and father of two children under 2 years old. I am a sales manager for a technology company, I am setting up my own tech company, I am a consultant, and I am trying to get my Life Insurance and Mutual Fund License. (WHEW)
  At the end of every day I sit down and write out the things that must get done the next day eg.
  Call John Re: Property on Elm Street
  Accounting (REI)
  Call Accountant
  Courier letter to Bob Re: Flodded basement
  etc.
  If I want to look for new properties to purchase, I can spend time online browsing the FSBO's sites while my 1.5 year old Daughter naps and my 3 year old son watches Thomas the Tank Engine on T.V.. If I want to drive neighborhoods, I pack up the kids and take them to go see a site that may be of interest to them (my son loves the rail yard), but we always drive through a few different neighborhoods there and back. I am not saying I have the magic formula, but I try to organise myself the day before. A small notebook and a pen in your purse are an asset.
  
  Best of everything to you and your family.

• 
  fauche6529th December, 2003

  BTW. One of my favourite and most motivating quotes is:
  "Never mistake Activity for Achievment"
  John Wooden

• 
  gamado29th December, 2003

  palm pilot.
  
  without it, I'm lost.
  
  I schedule every day the night before, and try my hardest to make it work.
  
  sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.
  
  There are three rules that I live by: never get less than twelve hours sleep; never play cards with a guy who has the same first name as a city; and never get involved with a woman with a tattoo of a dagger on her body. Now you stick to that, and everything else is cream cheese. (Coach Finstock TeenWolf)

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  dave_rice29th December, 2003

  My favorite books on time management are: "Master Success" by Bill Fitzpatrick and "Goals!" by Brian Tracy.
  
  As for the Fitzpatrick book, he has it's contents published on his website success_dot_org. He is kinda touchy-feely, but he gives you tools to help develop an action plan. Interestingly, he advocates entrepreneurship, business ownership, and owning rental property.
  
  The Tracy book is great. Our local library had it. It covers how to determine what really is important to you, and then he wourks you through a set of exercises to help you become more effective at achieving your goals. He is very much a motivational speaker, but he gives more concrete, actionable ideas than most writers.
  
  Developing time management skills is time well spent. It will carry over into all areas of your life.
  
  As for actual software, I invested a lot of time (and a little money) in buying and setting up Act!. It is a time/contact management program that is kinda like a souped-up version of Outlook. There are even add-ins available that are setup for contractor project management. After spending some time getting all of my contacts entered into the database, I setup all of the tasks that I do. Then I add all of my daily tasks every week, scheduling every day. It's amazing how much time you can find when you are trying to be efficient.

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  iamhappy29th December, 2003

  Thanks for the great posts. I know I'm not the only one out there juggling everything.