Where does the time go?

There's a saying that work expands to fill time. I frequently hear from clients who are between jobs that life - or "outside of work" work, also expands to fill their time. Suddenly the morning has passed and the laundry and dishes are done, but you still have those emails to answer and new job postings to review.

Trap #1: doing all the things you never had time for when you were working, like building that new deck yourself.

Trap # 2: the honey-do list. I confess that even knowing better, as a spouse I am guilty as charged. It is wonderful to come home to a clean sink and a home-cooked meal. Both help you forget that your spouse has as much important work to do as you do each day (but thank you Scott for picking up my shoes from the cobbler!).

Kudos to a certain client who will see herself in what follows: the best approach is to instill discipline and a schedule. Above all keep getting up - and getting dressed - at the same time every day. It's a great time to start a new, productive habit, like a first-thing in the morning exercise regimen.

Make a commitment to yourself that you will spend "X" amount of time each day on your job search, and do it next, before any of the things you would have put off until after work if you were working full time. If you are unemployed, finding that next great job IS your job. Where you need to, remind your spouse that you have a job that also comes first.

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the nobler art of leaving things undone... The wisdom of life consists of elimination of the nonessentials." - Lin Yutang

The good news about time management is that once you've done what you need to do, you too can relax in the evenings. You've done your work for the day, just like your spouse.