Time is a priceless commodity yet time is being wasted. Can you effectively manage your time, if your answer is no then you are in the right place.
I will show you practical rules for proper management of time. I too found myself in the same situation, didn’t know how to organize my day and the negative effects were felt heavily in my life. Yet my existence has improved enormously thanks to these 10 great tips that I will now give you:
1. Create A Daily Plan.
Plan your day in advance . Do this early in the morning or, better yet, in the evening before you sleep. This way you will have a good overview of what you want to accomplish and never get caught off guard. And stick to the plan as best you can.
2. Establish A Time Deadline For Each Task.
Time your self so as to utilize your time, be clear and set deadline to complete each task e.g tutorial by 10am, football by 3pm, and research by 5.30. This prevents you from trailing behind.
3. Use A Calendar And Have An Agenda.
Having a calendar is the key move for effective time management. You can use your phone, where the calendar is part of the software. Google Calendar is excellent. The agenda is an essential tool for organizing information, “to do lists”, projects and everything in between. At this point you need to be crystal clear on what your goals and objectives are, put down the steps to achieve them in the to do list.
4. Be Realistic And Make Firm Decision.
Don’t take on more than you can handle. If annoying unnecessary distractions occur while you are doing more important things, oppose a firm NO. Or at least refer or redirect to someone else.
5. Set Yourself The Goal.
If you try to be on time, most of the time you will be late due to the unexpected. So try to get to your appointments early and you will surely be on time. As for deadlines, work as if the deadline is a little closer than required.
6. Always Wear A Watch.
Sometimes we are so absorbed in our work that we lose track of time. Having a watch on your wrist will make you aware of the passage of time.
7. Fix Some REMINDERS 15 minutes Before Any Activity.
Many calendars have a reminder function to remind you of your commitments. If you are attending an important meeting, adjust the reminder a few minutes ahead. We humans are forgetful at times, set the remainder for every task you plan to carry out at their time interval for the day.
8. FOCUS On The tasks MOST IMPORTANT To You And Block Sources Of Distraction.
Focus on only one important task at a time. Avoid excessive “multi-tasking”, Close all applications that you are not using and that only distract you. Stop checking your emails, Facebook, Twitter, etc. too often, so you will be much more efficient and productive. Or better still turn off your mobile phone, this helps you to concentrate better on the task at hand.
9. Forget The Unnecessary Details And SET THE RIGHT PRIORITIES.
Since you can’t do everything, learn to apply the 80/20 principle , which is a key rule of time management. Dedicate yourself to that 20% of “critical” activities that guarantee you 80% of the results. Hence work smart not hard.
10. Always Stop In Between Tasks.
If you want to avoid the risk of a nervous breakdown, don’t be afraid to stop work when you realize you just can’t take it anymore.
A few healthy breaks and a bit of relaxation could increase productivity.
