Time should not be taken for granted. The way you spend time dictates the course of your life. It also plays a role in how much time you’ll have for leisure activities. Applying these tips in time management will help you get more things done in a shorter amount of time.
Utilize a timer efficiently. If focusing for a set amount of time is difficult, setting a timer can help. The more you practice this technique, the more ingrained it will become.
Make it a plan to plan a day ahead. If you can, plan your day before it even starts. A great way to end your work day is to prepare your to-do list for the next day. You can get right down to work when you know what is coming.
If you are constantly late and behind, try heeding deadlines more. This can cause your tasks to suffer if you do not. However, by staying on top of deadlines and keeping track of your time, you will not get into the position where you have to abandon on task to attend to another.
Allocate wise use of your time. Estimate how long it will take to complete each task, and establish a firm schedule. This aids you in using your time wisely, providing you with a better quality of life. If you find yourself with some unexpected time on your hands, use it on yourself or to get caught up on other things.
Plan your day the evening before to help get your time organized. You can either do a quick to-do list or a detailed schedule. This will ease your mind and make you more prepared.
Prioritize all the activities you do every day. If not, nonessential tasks can consume your day. Put strong effort into tasks which really need to get done. Make a list of your tasks, starting with the most important one.
If you are in the middle of an important task, try not to let yourself get interrupted with a text message or phone call. When you get interrupted, you will struggle to regain your focus. If it’s not emergency, ignore other less important things until you complete the first thing you are working on.
Stay focused on a task in order to make life easier. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted while working on a project. You may find that people try to layer on additional “important” tasks while you still are working on completing the first. This is unacceptable. Make sure that you complete one task before moving on to the next one.
Make your to-do list start with the most important things first. This is the best way to get your day organized. Consider which of your tasks is most important. Make these things a priority on your schedule by listing them on top. Then take on the items that are not that important.
Make sure your space is organized if you find yourself always running out of time. If it takes you five minutes to find something, you are wasting time. Anything used frequently should be easy to access. It will save time and stress.
Try to prepare yourself mentally for the tasks you must accomplish. Thinking through tasks in advance can make them go more efficiently and cause less stress. Just put it in your mind that you can truly focus for that time and stick to it.
Take your to-do list along wherever you go. It can help you remember what you need to do. There may be activities that you need to do that lead you to feel a bit unsettled. Completing stressful tasks can make you forget what other tasks need to be completed. You can stay focused when you have the list.
Reward yourself only after you have accomplished what you set out to do. Make sure this is done after you finish though, so it does not interrupt your task. When you have a good handle on managing your time, give yourself a reward.
Divide your list of tasks into four quadrants. The two columns should hold the important tasks and those which are less important. On the left put urgent tasks, on the right those that are not as urgent. Don’t spend over 10% of time doing those not serious and insignificant sections. Focus on the important, beginning with the urgent but, making room for the non-urgent. Be sure to make time for the tasks that are important but not urgent to make sure they don’t become urgent.
The Pomodoro method may be of help to you. The method of Pomodoro advises people to do 25 minutes of work and then rest around five minutes. This helps you work smarter, not harder. You can work when you want and move on for the day.
Think about what you want to get out of life. If you have the dedication to a task, you should make time to complete it. Start cutting menial activities from your schedule, and start penciling in the ones that matter. You’ll be happier when it’s possible to give these tasks more time.
Big projects should have some extra time built in. Things that take a long time could have setbacks that will require additional time. These things can lengthen the process as well as affect the times you scheduled for completion. Prepare in advance by allowing a buffer.
If you have something that you can complete under five minutes, then you should do it right away. If it will take a while, write it on your to-do list. If you are dealing with routine occurrences, make sure that you allow for that time by making it a habit. That way, it won’t sit in your to-do list.
Time is a commodity that should be valued. Making use of your time wisely will allow you to have time to spend on the things that really matter. Follow the suggestions above so you start enjoying your life more by making efficient use of your time.