8 Useful Tips to Help You Excel at Time Management
Time – whether it exists as a fact, or we humans decided to put a definition on it – is highly valuable to us in the modern world. In an ideal world, we would have all the time possible for ourselves, and society would not put pressure on us to hurry at all times. But society puts way too many restrictions on individuals sometimes, and most likely, most of the times we are not able to change the world to fit at our pace of living. In order to survive a time in your life that requires you to hurry, we can give you some tips on how to master the skill of managing your time effectively. So here are a few simple tips on how to do it:
1. Prioritize
Write down what you want to get done and then prioritize the list in order of what needs to be done first. Once you know where you should start and since you already have a clear image of what needs to happen next, it will be easy to stay focused on the task at hand. Making this list should only take up around five minutes for some, but it could save hours by ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks while still letting you focus your time on other tasks if needed. For those of you who feel more indecisive and need to weigh out all of the pros and cons, this may not be a fast and simple task. Nonetheless, it is necessary to create a list of priorities so that you avoid getting scattered by too many of the surrounding distractions.
Utilizing this tip can help manage one's own time better. You must know what tasks are most important and require immediate attention, then what tasks are less important but still should not be put off for an extended period of time. Make a list of all things that need to be done and put them in order, starting with the tasks that need to be completed as soon as possible, and ending with things you can do in your free time.
2. Avoid Multitasking
It seems like multitasking is a great way to get tasks done fast. And for a few people, multitasking works very well.
Unfortunately, multitasking is most likely to make you become slower at everything you are trying to complete at the same time. Don't waste time multitasking. It may feel like productivity when checking multiple things off of a list, but in reality, switching back and forth between tasks causes us to lose momentum with each transition. When we make a habit of constantly switching back and forth between tasks, we are not allowing ourselves to focus on one task for an extended period, and we need enough focus in order to complete it as fast as possible. Multitasking is only effective when the tasks themselves don't require much brainpower.
3. Set up a Daily Routine
Scheduling your day does not mean that you have to follow it down to the minute 24/7. It means that at some point during the week you should sit down and decide how your time is going to be spent. Think about when you'll work or relax, where you'll eat for lunch, and what kinds of things need to get done in order for your day to run smoothly.
Once you have decided your general schedule, try to stick to it as much as possible, but remember that there will be unforeseen events throughout the week, so it's okay if you have to change your routine around every once in a while, and that does not mean that you are a failure. It’s life’s unpredictability.
4. Take Breaks and Get Enough Sleep
If you spend too long on one task without taking a break, your concentration levels may drop, leading to mistakes or poor quality work. Take a break at least every 45 minutes to 1 hour, even if it is just for 5 to 10 minutes. Leaving your desk occasionally can also help you stay awake and improve your mood.
When you are getting ready to go to sleep after a full day of work, try not to set up the next day in your mind. The more time you spend thinking about what you need to do the next day, the less likely you are to fall asleep right away, resulting in an unfulfilling night's rest. Keep your thoughts away from work until the next morning. Replace them with your favorite thoughts or your dreams, which will naturally calm your mind.
5. Use a Planner
Setting up a daily task list and a weekly planner will help you stay on track throughout the week by giving you milestones to look forward to. This can be as simple as writing down your goals for each day or jotting down what tasks need to be done. If you prefer, you could also use an old-fashioned planner, which is more reliable than modern digital ones because there is no risk of it malfunctioning when you need it the most, but either way works well if it makes it easier for you to stick to your plans. You could even try using a paper version of an online calendar like Google Calendar or getting a daily diary that lets you write down your plans - whatever works best for you.
6. Ask for Help
It can be hard to admit that we need help with doing some things, but in order to accomplish your work in a timely fashion, you might have to ask someone to lend a hand.
If you have so much work to do that you feel like you would not be able to do it on time, then ask someone for help, it could save you a lot of stress. This is also a nice way to make new connections with others and make new friends with people who are new to you, and you could also offer to help them some day. Just don´t turn this into a habit, and don´t overuse it because no one likes to feel like they are being taken advantage of for their assistance.
7. Have a Well-Equipped Workspace
Your workspace should be well-lit and free from clutter, with convenient access to the materials you need in order to complete your work. If you have a cluttered area with no light, it could be the reason why you feel so stressed all the time while working. Keep everything in its place and don't wait until the last minute to start setting up. If possible, take five or ten minutes out of your day before working to set up your workspace.
8. Learn to Say "No"
Set aside some time every day or week for saying “No” to anything unimportant which would take away from the efficient use of your time, such as people asking you what you did over the weekend, or how work is going, while doing it as politely as possible. If these questions come up frequently, politely tell them you would like to talk about it later on instead of letting them interrupt your daily schedule.
If you follow these eight time management tips, you should have more ease getting more done in less time so you can enjoy your free time activities and feel more productive.