Determine Your Goals
We’re talking about “big-picture” goals for your professional and personal lives. For example, you could wish to strike a better work-life balance, get more exercise, and participate more in your children’s after-school programs. Once you’ve determined what they are, you may divide them into smaller tasks and concentrate on how to incorporate them in Stop Wasting Time in Your Life .
Keep Track.
It might be beneficial to spend a week or two to observe how long it actually takes you to accomplish tasks you do on a regular basis, such as washing, breakfast, and bed making. Most individuals overestimate how long it takes to perform something easy, such as taking a shower, while underestimating the time required for more complex tasks, such as writing a term paper. If you know exactly how you spend your time, you might be able to better manage it.
Prioritize
Put to-dos into four groups:
Urgent and crucial.
Not urgent, but vital.
Urgent but not important.
Neither urgent nor important
The objective is to have as few items marked “urgent and important” as feasible. They induce tension when they accumulate. If you manage your time correctly, you’ll probably spend the majority of your time on “not urgent, but important” tasks; here is where you may do the most valuable things and avoid feeling overwhelmed later.
Schedule your day.
Once you know how long things will take and what is most important, you can begin to plan. Keep your options open. Do you accomplish more in the late afternoon or early morning? Do you prefer to have your nights free to relax? Are you more inclined to undertake yardwork if you have a certain amount of time to complete it all at once or over the course of a week? Consider what works best for you, and don’t be hesitant to switch things up.
Do the hard stuff first.
Mark Twain once remarked, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, you should do it first thing in the morning.” And if it’s your job to devour two frogs, eat the larger one first.” In other words, if you have a difficult task, complete it first so you don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. At least that’s how the author of one well-known time management book saw it. They named it “Eat That Frog!”
Write it down.
A “to-do” list is tried and true. However, you may use other tools as well; the important thing is to write it someplace. Whatever method you use to keep track of tasks, it is preferable to have only one and carry it with you wherever you go, such as on your mobile phone. Most likely, your phone already has a list keeper or calendar software installed.
Is it worth your time?
Remember your big picture goals and consider if what you’re doing is likely to help you get there. For example, the additional hour spent at work doing something no one requested you to do may have been better spent at the gym, playing the piano, or attending your child’s baseball game.
Don’t cheat.
If you set a work session at 9 a.m., stick to it; 9:17 a.m. won’t suffice, even if you work alone. Missing one start time increases the likelihood that you will miss others. If you want some flexibility, give yourself options, such as returning emails or filing files, but stick to the timetable as if it were fixed in stone. If you test it and discover it does not work for you, you can always modify it.
Just start it!
If you have a strong desire to put things off, find a means to overcome it and take even a modest step forward. You’ll feel better when you make some progress, and you could soon find yourself in a great groove. That’s because your attitude is typically influenced by your conduct and results, rather than the other way around.
All Your Time Counts
You have a 15-minute break before heading somewhere; time to surf the web and check social media, right? You might be astonished at what you can do in that time. Four 15-minute portions dispersed throughout the day equals one hour of productivity. And you’ll feel better about relaxing afterward.
Your Computer Can Help.
Technology, such as the Internet, email, and social networking sites, may keep you distracted for hours. But it can also assist. Look for tools that may help you manage and schedule your time, remind you when you need to accomplish something, or even block time-wasting websites.
Set time limits.
That is, determine the maximum permissible time for the task. You may complete it sooner, but if not, the restriction will deter you from overdoing it. When you reach the limit, go on.
Email: The Black Hole of Time Waste.
It can consume a significant amount of time and cause tension. Try “The Four Ds”:
Delete: Remove everything that does not affect you or is not necessary for you to know.
Do: Respond to anything that is urgent or can be done immediately.
Delegate: If you receive an email asking you to do something that someone else can do better, forward it to that person and move on.
Defer: If it will require more time than you now have, schedule it for later.
Take a lunch break.
It may appear “efficient” to work through lunch, but it might backfire. In general, taking a 30-minute break from your job will allow you to work more effectively in the afternoon. If you aren’t hungry, take a walk outside or stretch. You’ll likely return with greater energy and focus.
Schedule Good Stuff.
The goal of improving your time management skills is to free up more time for the activities you want to accomplish. Sprinkle pleasant, nutritious, non-work activities throughout your week to keep you happy with your schedule and encouraged to keep going. This includes pauses, refreshments, leisure, exercise, and even vacations, particularly while completing a major assignment.
FAQ:
Why is time management important?
Time management is critical for increasing productivity, lowering stress, and attaining goals efficiently. It allows you to stay organized, prioritize chores, and make the most use of your available time.
What are some typical time-wasting habits?
Common time-wasting behaviors include excessive social media usage, procrastination, multitasking, disorganization, and a lack of priority.
How can I enhance my time-management abilities?
Setting specific objectives, developing a timetable or to-do list, eliminating distractions, delegating chores when possible, and exercising self-discipline may all help you improve your time management abilities.
What tools or approaches can help you manage your time better?
Using productivity applications, adopting the Pomodoro Technique (work intervals followed by short breaks), establishing deadlines, and evaluating and changing your calendar on a regular basis are all effective time management tools and strategies.
How can I overcome procrastination?
To fight procrastination, divide work into smaller, more manageable parts, assign deadlines to each step, reduce distractions, create an encouraging environment, and focus on the benefits of finishing projects on time.
