Juggling day-to-day tasks, more in-depth projects and non-urgent jobs that are none-the-less necessary to fulfil long-term aims - not to mention fielding unexpected phone calls, emails and other items that suddenly appear on the "Eek, must do now!" list - can be challenging, to say the least.
Sometimes you can work all day, but not feel that you've got anywhere by the end of it. If only you'd had more time! But do we really need more hours to get everything done - or are there other ways to gain time?
Goal setting The first step is to set a clear vision. Think about what you want to achieve. Imagine you were driving in a car, before you set off you'd know where you were going, probably have an idea of the best route and how long it might take to get there. If you don't have a clear vision of where you are going, how can you determine the best route to get there and how will you know when you have arrived?
To-do lists Obvious? Maybe - but they remain one of the best and most simple organisational tools around. And organised time means more efficient time.
Setting goals for each day can ensure that you really make progress. Plus, it's great motivation, as you mark each completed item with a satisfied tick. Your to do lists should tie in with the goals you have set and should be prioritised in terms of importance and urgency. The items that are both important and urgent should be completed first, followed by the items that are important but non-urgent.
To keep motivated pick one task off your list (every day!) that you are dreading, and do it first. When you finish this task it will leave you clear to focus on the remaining tasks without the "horrible" one hanging over your head. You'll also feel a sense of achievement and this will help push you forward.
Calendars Many software-based calendars - e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Google Calendar - can help you to not only schedule meetings and events, but also organise other aspects of your time.
Allocate times in the day to tackle tasks on your to-do list and really try to stick with your schedule. Again, this will help you to stay motivated and complete tasks on time.
If you have a task that needs to be completed on a specific day, put it in your calendar on that day, even if you don't allocate a specific time. Your calendar should also list deadlines, commitments and promises you've made, then the information is always to hand and you are more likely to deliver.
Scheduling your tasks will also help you in retrospect. You'll see how long certain tasks took to complete - and therefore know how much time to allow for them in future.
Don't skip lunch Think quality, not quantity. Eating boosts your energy levels and helps you to stay focused - and you'll achieve more in half an hour of focused work than in an hour of distracted work. Hence, more time!
Try a short walk, too - it works wonders for your concentration.
Don't be an email slave If you're really going to get everything done, you should minimise distractions - and email is a big one. You don't need to respond to all emails immediately - why not make that a separate task and answer a load in one go?
Delegate Sometimes you really have too much to do - in which case, make sure you don't have a premature heart attack and get some help. Use someone reliable who you can trust - there's no point delegating work if you have to do it all over again yourself.
If there's no-one you can delegate to, why not investigate other options, such as virtual assistants? A virtual assistant is a professional support service that operates remotely, acting as an efficient PA. They can take care of various tasks for you, from processing paperwork to carrying out internet research. They are ideal if you don't have the budget or resources to hire extra staff.
Make sure you investigate credentials beforehand - only give your work to trained professionals you can trust.
Focus If you want to succeed then you need to hone your focussing skills. You need to be able to focus on those tasks that have the highest priority and continue working on them until you bring them to completion. You need to concentrate completely on the task in hand. Trying to do several things at the same time will only lead to you being distracted and less efficient.
Adopt the principle of clear desk - clear head - clear focus!
How often have you said that to someone?
Some say that time is much more important than wealth. Most effective people think so and top business leaders mention this in interviews and biographies. They know how to get more time in a day, and they have mastered the art of utilizing time effectively to do more productive things that contribute to their advancement or success. So how do they do it? What is different about their time management and ours?
We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Some people do seem to have more time than others, but no one gets it any differently. So what is the difference? What can we do to become like them? Don't you deserve to find the time to get things done, have time for your family and enjoy the freedom you desire? Time management is about you being in control of your time instead of letting it control you.
Anyone with a dust-covered day planner on the shelf, or a PDA with nothing entered in the calendar knows that the concept of "time management" can seem like a hollow promise. The harder we try to get a handle on those passing minutes, the more minutes that seem to pass by. Perhaps it is time for you to look at your paradigm of time management. Are you really in control?
The less time you think you have, the more critical it is for you to plan. You might say that you're so busy you don't even have time to plan. If this is you, then you know where you need to change. If you want to enjoy the harvest, so you must plant. Can you imagine a farmer that doesn't put out any seed and then expects a bountiful crop? The planning phase is very important in organizing your thoughts to carry out the desired effects.
Your plan will be your road map for time management. Spend enough time to ponder through the different approaches and activities. Stephen Covey, in his new book The 8th Habit, explains an excellent metaphor of "big rocks." Your important tasks are the "big rocks" and all the other things are like "sand." If you let the sand fill up your day, you will not be able to fit in the big rocks, but if you instead schedule in the big rocks, you'll have room for the sand as it easily fits in between the big rocks.
Know what your big rocks are. The key to effective time management is to honestly manage all of the things which need you. Is spending time with your family important to you? Then it is a big rock and should be in your schedule.
Time management skills require practice and balance. If you only apply time management to work, you will still have the feeling you lack control outside of work. Effective time management is about striving to be effective and honest with yourself when things don't work the way you planned. It is through this adaptive learning process that we can achieve freedom and balance in life.
Both Trudy Spikesman & Dave Saunders are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Trudy Spikesman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Small Business. Trudy Spikesman owns and runs offering a comprehensive range of. Trudy Spikesman's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Dave Saunders has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Computers and The Internet and Nutrition. Dave Saunders is a professional lecturer, and successful entrepreneur. He enjoys creating interconnections through his writings and lectures to help others create context and see new discoveries and technologies in more a practical light. You can find mor. Dave Saunders's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.