Are you feeling stressed out and overwhelmed? Do you think there are not enough hours in your days? Are you amazed by folks who seem to fit everything in? If this describes you, perhaps learning some time management skills will help. Here are some wonderful techniques to give you some motivation to begin.
An area that many people have trouble with in time management is setting deadlines. You have to set deadlines and stick to them. Any task you have is going to take a certain amount of time and if you have a deadline for your tasks, your life will run smoothly.
If you don't enjoy managing your time, try concentrating on one task at a time. You cannot do everything the right way when you are multi-tasking with too many things. When you try to accomplish too many tasks at the same time, you become tired and flustered. Breathe evenly, relax, and stay focused until one task is done before moving on to your next task.
Create a list of all of the tasks you have for a day. Once you have the list, go through and prioritize each item on the list. If you get behind on the day, you can knock off something that is at the bottom of the list and reschedule it for another day.
Build time in your day for unforeseen interruptions. It's time to own the fact that you can't control what happens every minute. Things happen, whether you want them to or not. So add in buffer time into your schedule to handle these moments. That way, at the end of the day, you'll still feel accomplished!
Learn to let the little things go when you are overwhelmed by a busy day. People who tend to fuss over less important matters often lose their focus on the big picture, thus wasting time. Have your priorities straight and don't allow small problems to get in the way of managing time efficiently.
Believe it or not, breaks can help you get your work done faster. If you are stressing out about what needs to get done, you are not focusing on the task at hand. Take a break when you feel overwhelmed and come back to the project when you are refreshed.
Get your priorities in order. You would be surprised by how much of your day can be taken up by unimportant tasks. This pushes the more important things back and that could lead to a host of issues. If you find it helpful, make a list of what is most important and work your way down the list.
Consider Pareto's Rule when considering time management. Really the lion's share of your focused work (80%) gets done in 20% of your time. That's normal and not the sign of someone inefficient. The human brain needs down time to adjust and renew itself. Make sure you give yourself breaks and periods where less is expected.
Give yourself a goal time for each task in your day. Be realistic as you delegate your time. Set the times that you should finish each task by and do your best to stick to it. Do not feel rushed if time becomes an issue, since lesser priorities are scheduled later in the day.
Multi-tasking is a wonderful ability, but many people do not do it. Use any time when you are waiting, such as waiting for food to cook, to take care of another small task. For instance, you might set the table or clean your kitchen counter while watching that a pot does not boil over.
Always carry around a to-do list. It can help you remember what you need to do. Certain tasks that you work on might cause much stress. That can make you forget what has to happen after that. By keeping the list with you, you can keep track of the tasks you need to accomplish.
Reward yourself. Sometimes it is hard to stay on task for the amount of time that you need to. Set a time limit that you will work and once that time has passed, give yourself a reward. It could be anything you enjoy such as going for a walk or taking a short nap.
Divide bigger tasks into smaller tasks. Do one part of the task at a time, take a break, and then get back to another part of it. By trying to complete one huge task at the same time, you are going to quickly become frustrated and get nothing done. Dividing it into parts will help you stay focused.
Keeping a list of things to do can be helpful. You can prioritize things in categories of things that must be done at a certain time or by a certain time and things that can be done anytime. Then focus on the most important things and start crossing things off of that list,
Always overestimate your time scheduled for appointments and you will always be on time. This time management trick will ensure that you are always where you are supposed to at the time you specify. If you end up with extra time, use it to catch up on email, phone calls or other necessary tasks.
Turn that instant messaging off! Instant messaging is worse than social media and telephone calls in terms of ruining your time management. It is "instant" after all, so there's an expectation of immediate response. Get rid of the impulse by closing all of those programs down when you must concentrate fully.
Good time management deserves to be rewarded. Positive reinforcement can be quite helpful. If you give yourself a small reward like a movie night or an album you've been wanting, you'll be more likely to follow suit in the same way the next day!
When you manage your time, you will have more free time. Use the tips you've just read to improve the quality of your life. By practicing good time management your life will be changed for the better.
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