We all have same 24 Hours. But it seems others make use of this free given gift more than others. Whether we choose to accept it or not we don’t have the powers to change or stop the TIME, so the sooner we learn to manage and use if effectively the sooner we will become successful in things we venture into.
Now we know we can’t change or slow down TIME, it is better we all practice and master the act of managing our TIME effectively.
Want to Master the act of TIME MANAGEMENT? These 10 tips will help you achieve that:
#1 Time Audit.
Find out how you spend most of your time. What exactly you do that takes most of your time. This you need to do because most times you feel you spend 25 mins reading that Newspaper whereas what you spend is 1 hour.
Download some apps that will help you track this effectively, in that way you spend less time in tasks that are unproductive and spend more time on productive tasks.
Download apps like Zoho Projects, Time Management App, My Time App.
#2 Set Time Limit on Each Task
Go to your Time Audits and find out those tasks that take more of your time and limit it effectively.
By setting time limits, it will enable you focus on your work and deliver more productive results. For some reason, you still spend more time on some tasks beyond the time limit you set, then you need to check your schedule and eliminate things that waste your time.
#3 Create To Do List
To achieve your goals, there are little things that needs to be done to enable you get to your Goal. To be able to monitor your progress on any defined Goal or Project creating ‘To Do List’ will enable you know which task needs more time and which need lesser time. This will also motivates you as you are able to see what you have achieved and what task you need to revisit.
#4 Plan Ahead
Learn to plan your week mostly on Sundays or plan a night or day before. When you have your day planned ahead, you wake up with a productive mind-set and that helps you to achieve your goals more successfully.
Do not procrastinate once you have these plans set up. Achieve each task in your list. Remember your energy drops as the week progresses, so set up low tasks on Monday like reading and replying emails. Creative and demanding tasks should be set up for Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday should be scheduled for meetings and Fridays for mostly networking.
#5 Learn To Delegate/Outsource
Some people find it difficult to let others do some work that they used to do or they feel another can’t get the work done perfectly as they would want it or don’t have time to train another to do the work.
By delegating work to others that are qualified to do so it saves you a lot of time and enables you to focus on more important tasks. Statistics have shown that outsourcing some of the work you need to do to a freelance or a qualified staff are real TIME-SAVERS. Delegating/outsourcing can be very tricky but at the end most times it’s worth it.
#6 Learn to Say No
It’s very good to help out family and friends when they need you. But it’s very important to learn to say No when you’re not available to do so. Do not add too many task that you can’t handle at any given time. Let others know you can’t be available for certain task that they might need you to do. There’s absolutely nothing wrong in being sincere and letting others know you can’t be available.
Your objective should be to take on only those commitments that you know you have time for and that you truly care about.
#7 Devote your focus on the Task at hand.
Close out all that social media distractions. Put your phone on silent if you have to. Find a quiet place to work or write.
Do not multi-task as researchers have disproven the multitask myth. You can’t do all these at the same time and still deliver high quality standard.
Concentrate on one task at a time.
#8 Make use of Waiting Time.
We do have lots of time while waiting in an office, Subways, lines in stores, time in the saloon and lots more.
Find things to do during this waiting time. I tend to usually use my laptop or tablet and write during waiting time in an office or in the saloon. Or sometimes I just read my emails.
#9 Be Conscientious of amount of TV/Internet/Gaming time.
Time spent browsing social media or gaming or watching TVs or Movies can be one of the biggest drains on productivity.
Become aware of the time you spend doing these activities as this will enable you know how much time these activities suck up your productive hours. I will suggest instead of doing this all day spend some of your time to be STILL as its extraordinary what STILLNESS practice can do. This will help you reduce Anxiety and rush less in life.
#10 Exercise, eat healthily and Sleep Well.
Studies have shown that healthy lifestyle links with work productivity. Exercising and eating healthy and getting enough sleep boosts ones energy level and that in turn boosts productivity and helps to clear your mind which allows you to focus more.
Give your brain at least 8 hours sleep every night.
One last most important Tip to remember is BE HAPPY AND ENJOY ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO DO.
These tips are to help you achieve your goals happily. Work should be done with all sense of fulfillment.
The goal should be to arrange your commitments in a way that brings happiness and fulfillment while you work.
“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given” to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein”
_ H. Jackson Brown Jr.