How to make the most of March: Be a good time manager

I know I won’t be able to resist the obvious pun that the year is marching by, so there it is, out of the way early. But really. March. Already? I find March is a great time to do so many things, you need to be a good time manager to fit work in.

I usually spend March pretty close to home in Melbourne. It’s one of my favourite months. It is a great time to embrace the last of the warm weather and sadly to mourn the loss of daylight savings. It’s the month to walk in still-balmy evenings or to wallow in afternoons that go on forever.

But we need to be efficient time managers because March is an especially great time to make money. It’s nearly always my highest turnover month. I have always figured that’s because people bounce back from January holidays, get in touch, and it’s March that I’m billing them for the latest project. So March is a joy.

For those who operate their businesses on the standard financial year, the end of March signifies the start of the run to home. One trading quarter to go. Tax issues to plan for. Targets still to be met, perhaps.

For those like me who think the year starts at the beach and finishes when Santa comes, four times the first quarter’s turnover might suggest the year’s income. There are lots of sums to do.

March is a great time to take control of our year as soloists can perhaps more than anyone else. It’s time to plan a treat or two for later in the year. Maybe a family holiday or a lovers’ tryst. A week at a spa? Two weeks surfing? Three weeks in France? We will be glad we thought ahead when the time comes.

March is a great time to take up a hobby. When the end of the year comes around, what will we want to look back on our year and have done?

A great year’s work? Sure. Quality encounters with those we value? Of course. But what if we could say we started to learn a language? Say French for the trip to France we are planning, for example. What if we looked back and said we learnt about Mozart or Puccini or catalogued our entire INXS collection? What if we could look proudly at the tree house we built with our kids or the garden we planted or the quilt we made or the 43 books we had read (one a week from now till Christmas)?

What would make it a great year?

March is a great time to put our plans into action and become good time managers.

March for me is birthday month. I did say it was one of my favourites. So, for me and other Pisceans, March is a great time to celebrate another year of life, good health and good fortune.

Karen Morath of M Power consults, trains, speaks and coaches in public relations, personal effectiveness, life balance and all things empowering.

7 comments | Add your own

I think that a true entrepreneur never takes time off, or hobby, if anything they try and incorporate leisure with making money or creating new opportunities to expand their business enterprise. I see a lot ppl socially but because i value time management.. trivial issues or conversations have to stay in check whilst still remaining respectful of the other persons interests and i just round it out by politely excusing myself and most ppl know...that I am ambitious.. sometimes its hard to avoid shop talk, as i only mention shop if the subject comes up... darrell_dower from Brisbane
Darrell
life is short, even for the ambitious, even for the 'true' entrepreneur. The beauty of life though is that we all get to live ours the way we choose, so if no time off and no hobbies is for you, sensational and all the best. I just watched my son make 37 not out at cricket today - I'll be talking that (not shop) all week. Karen Morath from Melbourne | Read my articles
I agree with your comments about multiplying Jan to Mar to get your annual income - and remember that late March is a good time to negotiate discounts as suppliers are after a big end of quarter for the same reason! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
As a fellow piscean (Sam is as well), I too enjoy March. Trouble is, it's followed by April. Robert Gerrish from Flying Solo | Read my articles
Robert
may I suggest you eagerly anticipate my article 'How to make the most of April'!
Oh, and happy birthday.
Karen
Karen Morath from Melbourne | Read my articles
Happy birthday to my Picean friends but fear not - us Arians with birthdays at the end enjoy March too. But Darrell, I am sorry you have not discovered the delightful art of networking - simply listening and getting to know people can bring economic success as well as friendship, interesting conversation and contentment with just being a human being. I agree, life is too short not to enjoy every bit, especially the company of friends and so on to be friends if we open up to them. Jenny Goodwin from Queanbeyan
Hi Jenny,
Being in the entertainment industry, you are always networking.. the whole industry is about networking, teeing up emerging talent with producers.. established act meeting with bigger labels.. there are a lot of food and drinks and shoptalk.. As a Producer i actually value my downtime in production meetings and research.. because that is artists ever want to do is network.. too much networking is tiring and most of the time it is a waste of time.. because ppl in this industry are very transient.. I love the networking side.. but it can get a bit much, because you have to devote time to financial backers venue owners, negotiating prices ect.. I have friends that i have known for 15 - 20 years and these are the ppl i value. At the same time i am always there for my talent.. if it is appropriate situation.. opening up to friends in this industry is a double edged sword, usually with a negative component most of the time and that is called"Leverage". darrell_dower from Brisbane

7 comments | Add your own

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