You may already know this, but having an accountability partner is a game changer.
Accountability partners can help you stick to your important goals, like working out, eating healthier, reading more, and going to bed earlier.
Just think: Weren’t you much more likely to study if you did it with a study buddy? Isn’t it so much easier to go to those new yoga classes at the rec center if you have a friend coming?
Having someone by your side to help you accomplish new and sometimes difficult things — like breaking old habits or building new ones — can increase the odds that you accomplish your goals and shorten their timeline.
Seriously! Here are some stats to back me up:
- The American Society of Training and Development found that people are 65% likely to achieve a goal after committing to another person.
- That chance of success increases to 95% when they check in on their progress with their partners.
Almost 100%?! I’d say this is a GREAT way to stay the course.
Yet, when we think about our other goals, like managing our time better, being more productive, or sticking to our boundaries around work and home… we don’t think about having an accountability partner.
Why not? Maybe because so many of us think we can force better time management with willpower alone. But that’s just not the case.
Accountability and time management go hand in hand! And in today’s episode, we’re going to look at why that is.
Side note — knowing your time management personality can help you figure out what kind of help you need. You can take a quiz to help you figure that out at annadkornick.com/quiz!
The power of accountability
Before we dig into WHY accountability helps with your time management goals, let’s talk about what accountability is.
Accountability is defined as “the acceptance of responsibility for one’s own actions.” But if you’ve ever done something like set a New Year’s resolution, you know that it’s difficult to hold yourself accountable on your own.
That’s why accountability partners and groups are crucial — you want to surround yourself with people who will hold you responsible for your commitment. They can also provide encouragement when your batteries are running low, to help you see things differently.
When I was first starting out as a time management coach, I knew I had a lot to learn. And I was doing a LOT of things for the first time. It was downright scary! But I knew I would need someone to hold me accountable and keep me moving forward even when I felt the fear.
So I worked with a coach. Kristin and I connected every single week, and knowing I had to report back to her helped me push forward and follow through. With Kristin’s consistent accountability, I was able to fill my entire client roster with amazing clients and create my own fulfilling business!
The same goes for you and your time management and productivity goals — it’s better if you have support!
Time management isn’t just “scheduling things better”
To know why accountability is helpful for time management, we need to make sure we first have a good understanding of what time management really is.
When I talk about time management, I’m not necessarily talking about putting things on your Google calendar, using a Pomodoro timer, and making your planner look cute with all the stickers, cute, pens…the whole setup.
These things are a PART OF time management, but it’s actually so much deeper than that.
Think about it like this — Why do you want to manage your time? So you can have more of it, right? Or to help you do more of what fulfills you in your life and work.
Maybe you want to manage your time better so you can make an impact on the world in your career, with your business, or through your children. You want to leave a legacy, your legacy, something that lasts longer than you, and still enjoy every moment along the way.
That’s some deep stuff! That’s because time management touches on pretty much every other area of your life, not just your productivity or career.
But all that can be tough to work through, especially if you’re doing it alone! And that’s exactly where accountability can help.
How accountability can help you reach your time management goals
Unlike things like working out, where you can have a buddy accompany you to the gym, no one can be productive for you, or do the actual tasks for you.
So how can accountability help? Let’s find out!
You can measure your progress
Whenever you meet up or regroup, you can let your accountability partner(s) know how much progress you’ve made. And over time, you can start to see how much progress you’ve actually made — which can be really tough when you’re going it alone.
Not seeing progress is a recipe for discouragement. But when you’re feeling that way, whoever is holding you accountable can say, “Actually, you’re actually doing a great job! Look at how far you’ve come.” Which can really help with motivation!
Because when you’re in the thick of it, it’s hard to see if you’re really making any progress. You can see what you’ve done since the last check-in, what you want to do next, talk through any obstacles that have popped up along the way, and celebrate your wins!
And these regular check-ins are what really drive home those stats I mentioned earlier.
Accountability partners can help you identify the next step forward
Habit trackers and Google Calendars are great, but they can’t get personal with you. Those things won’t talk to you about how your personal journey is going, nor will they share friendly advice that you might not have considered.
When you’re stuck and unsure about what to do next, accountability groups or partners can help you identify gaps, see things you aren’t, and can give you more of an objective opinion about how you’re feeling. Which, speaking from personal experience, can be a breath of fresh air!
Last year my husband Scott and I were trying to decide what to do about our car situation. He drove a very well-loved, elderly truck that was super reliable…but let’s just say there was some duct tape on the inside.
I’d been in an accident and my SUV was totaled, so we need a new family car — ASAP! But two new cars at one time? That’s too many!
My financial coach, also named Kristen, encouraged me to make a list of 10 different options for replacing our vehicles. At the time, 10 seemed a little excessive, but what she was doing was requiring me to think beyond 1-2 limiting options — buy one car and share or buy one car and Uber everywhere else. Neither of which were fantastic options!
She pushed me to get creative and consider lots of different angles, instead of making a snap decision we might have regretted. And we ended up going with an option that worked for both Scott and I! At the end of the day, the thinking was worth it but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without her.
It builds relationships
Having an accountability partner or a support group is actually a pretty valuable relationship to have. And when we cultivate and nurture our relationships, we recharge ourselves, feeling energized in the process.
Last year, I formed an accountability support group with four other female business owners — we call ourselves the Go-Getters. What started out as accountability for our business goals quickly blossomed into strong friendships.
Since we first started sharing our business progress with each other, we’ve connected almost every day, we confide in each other, we’ve taken a beach trip together and we’re currently planning our next. I don’t know what I’d do without these women and it all started with accountability!
Accountability helps you find clarity
Getting clear about expectations is one of the most important parts of accomplishing any goal! Just saying “I want to better manage my time” or “I want to be more focused during the day so I can get more work done” isn’t enough to actually get there. You need concrete steps along the way.
But that is a pretty big concept, and it can be tough to narrow it down into concrete, actionable steps. How do you start? How do you measure progress? What else can support you as you get there?
It can be pretty overwhelming to think about, but that’s exactly how having accountability can help. Again, talking things out and getting everything out of your head can help so much — and so can getting real-time feedback and resources from others. In fact, I’d say it’s crucial for making progress.
Need time management & accountability too?
Now, you’ve made it this far through this page. I see you, my friend!
You want to get to the next level in your life (whatever that looks like). Maybe you want to grow your business. You want to get the promotion, or to finally feel in control of your time.
Well then, I’m sure a little accountability could help you get there — and I’m here to help! With Next Level life Accelerator, I’ll help you build out a step-by-step roadmap with everything you need to get there.
Learn how to feel confident about how you’re spending your time, find clarity around your priorities, and get a clear path to creating the life of your dreams!
Getting to the next level of your life doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process, and I want to help you get there without wasting time and making tons of mistakes. So inside this Accelerator program, we’ll do all the work to help you get there.
The intention here isn’t to take a bunch of time management life hacks and hope for the best. The goal is to help you see your life from a big picture view— to learn and grow in all the things that impact time management, all to live a life full of intention and HEART!
Because this accountability stuff? It works, and I want to show you just how helpful it can be. Apply to join here!
In this episode, we talk about:
- What time management really is
- The power of accountability
- How having an accountability partner can help you reach your time management goals
Resources mentioned:
- Take my time management personality quiz
- Next Level Life Accelerator: annadkornick.com/nextlevel
- An Accountability Partner Makes You Vastly More Likely to Succeed
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