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[D656]Downloadable Time Management Games

by Paula Eder, Pau

Symptom Number One: Your priorities are dislodged from their assigned order as soon as your day heats up. Each task has to scramble for a new place. Before long, you are working off of urgency, not overview or efficiency.

Symptom Number Two: You feel out of control. You ask people to bail you out, or you feel people let you down, because you're caught once again with too much to do in too little time.

Symptom Number Three: You lose credibility. People mistrust your plans and your boundaries, because you're constantly revising your priorities, wasting their time and yours.

The good news is, you can overcome this malady! Just practice and perfect the following 3 tips:

Tip Number One: Make a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish.

* Sort these into 2 lists: ongoing tasks and one-time events

* Circle time-limited items in each category. (Those that have a set due date or time.)

Tip Number Two: Categorize systematically. Develop a system of prioritizing that remains relevant, even when the pressure mounts.

* Determine which ongoing tasks are most important, and, if needed, how much cooperation is required.

For example, you must file a budget report by the third Tuesday of each month. Since it's involves finance, it is probably a high priority. If you simply need to integrate daily records, this job is a relatively short and straightforward. Therefore, you can schedule it around more complex tasks.

However, if you can't proceed without financial data from seven colleagues, and you are unable to collect all the information until the day before you need to hand in the report, this task becomes a time-limited, top priority!

Whenever you are dependent on other people for information or material, your task's level of difficulty increases. This is because you may have to take additional steps to get the data you need. And certainly you need to build in time to integrate the information and create a cohesive report.

So, when prioritizing, look for dependencies. Any task that depends on others' cooperation rises in priority.

* Next, examine your short-term or one-time events. What tasks on this list carry the greatest consequences for yourself or others? Mark these as highest priority.

For example, if your child needs a costume in 2 weeks, it is a high priority! If you do not get this done, your child will be the only one in the play without a costume.

Tip Number Three: Reintegrate. After you have set priorities for each task using this system, combine both lists and create your calendar. Now you are ready to communicate your priorities and start accomplishing them!

The more care you take in setting clear priorities, the easier it becomes to mobilize yourself. How can you develop the action steps you need to experience success at prioritizing and finding time?

Time wasted is Life wasted. Once wasted, time can never be regained. You cannot speed it or slow it down to suit you needs. Hence implementation of Time Management Strategies is necessary to grow and achieve the full potential of your Home Based Business. How best you organize your time in your daily lives will make all the difference between success and failure or even attaining your personal goals.

"Time is the scarcest resource of the manager; if it is not managed, nothing else can be managed."? Peter F. Drucker

How best can you organize and manage your time?

Good time management gives us the opportunity to balance our work with the various demands of our personal life. Unless these are balanced well, life can be frustrating and both work and leisure are bound to suffer.

It is wise to plan your time by scheduling your work on a monthly, weekly and daily basis. In this manner you can plan your work schedule well in advance. While planning your work schedule you will have to prioritize your work. If you don't, you can fall into the dangerous habit of doing the easy work and procrastinating over the difficult ones, which are quite often the most important ones. The consequences of procrastination can be very disastrous to your home based business. Hence the necessicity for time management. Whenever you prioritize your work, you should fit your priority work into your best productivity time.

It is a known fact that all of us have certain times of the day when we are at our best, feel happy, creative and our energy levels are at their peak. This will naturally be our most productive period and this time should be allotted for the most difficult tasks and high priority jobs. The rest of the time could be utilized for simple and routine tasks you have to do. This is good time management.

Interruptions such as telephone calls from friends and direct interruptions by family members at home can be a nuisance and this should be discouraged. All external interruptions can be discouraged by being politely assertive. Family members can be discouraged by placing a sign on your door, not to interrupt you.

Another great way to manage your time is to clean up your working area on a regular basis. In this manner all unwanted papers could be destroyed, leaving behind only what is necessary while ensuring that important documents need not go astray or misplaced. Very often much valuable time is wasted searching for documents, thereby causing much frustration and stress. This is bad time management causing much frustration, stress and counter productive.

Variety is the spice of life. A monotonous schedule of work, day after day can be boring. Always plan your daily work schedule in a manner that will add variety, thereby creating a mood and desire to continue your work with enthusiasm.

Time management for a home based business entrepreneur is much easier today if you can take advantage of the tools that are available such as the Fax machine, Computer, E-mail, Auto responder and the Telephone. Making the best use of these tools is the wisest way to manage your time and increase your productivity.

Successful implementation of the above Time Management Tips and Strategies will lay the foundation for increased productivity, reliability and success of your home based business.

Article Source : Pg. 6

About Author

Both Paula Eder & Kanaga Siva 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.

Paula Eder has sinced written about articles on various topics from self improvement and motivation, Health and self improvement and motivation. Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder, has 35+ years experience guiding individuals and organizations to effectively align values with time choices. For free weekly time tips & award-winning monthly Ezines, visit. Paula Eder's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.

Kanaga Siva has sinced written about articles on various topics from Site Promotion, Home Based Business and Small Business. Copyright ? 2007 Kanaga Siva. Kanaga Siva is an experienced Author and Marketer. Welcome to visit his Website for Tips, Ideas and Advice on oper. Kanaga Siva's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.