Time management is the most important asset one can have these days, with the collapse of traditional values any person can find himself running a few, parallel different lives all at once. I am sure you are not a stranger to this situation, you have too much you need to do, you do not have the time, and you see all your leisure time fade away as you calculate how will you manage to do all these things you must.
Not only do most people know this situation, most people know about time management, but fail to understand it correctly and most importantly, fail to comprehend the basic concepts of time management and implement them in their very busy lives.
Time management is not about doing too many things in less time but doing right things at right time in right way. How you manage your time is part of your personal agenda. However, there are a few generic steps that help you manage your time in a better way, more so in case of executives and ever-occupied corporate.
It take the average adult about 5 years until he or she understands that they had enough of stress and trouble over not getting the work done on time, the laundry on time and all those family activities they have been wishing to do for so long - ever. Time management is the answer to most of these problems and almost anyone can find a way to have a little more time to do more things and enjoy life a whole lot more.
The first step towards effective time management, and a regular time management routine is to set clear goals and targets, keeping your mind on the target and goal will assist you in getting where you want . Goal setting makes you more focused and sets a direction for how the tasks should proceed. The goals should be clear, concise, unambiguous. Try and evaluate, realistically, how much time you got and what you want to achieve and than set a plan of getting it.
This planning will allow you to "see" time and plan how to use it, you will know how much time you want to allocate to any task and you will also have the ability to keep an eye on your advancement as you go along, taking more time if needed or delaying the goal when realizing it will take more time.
Prioritizing is the most important thing in time management, you need to understand how to create an importance level and assign it to all the things in your life, your time management will be as successful and as clear as the priority you set in your life. Important point to be remembered here is that prioritizing does not mean doing only what is important and leaving out on rest, rather it is doing what is important first and then proceeding with the rest.
Scheduling and Routine Setting: Scheduling binds your prioritized tasks and goals in a time frame such that you get a productive outcome of your available time. A carefully made schedule motivates you to complete your tasks on time and cuts down on the time bandits by limiting the amount of time you spend on a particular task.
These steps outline the basics of effective time management.
The following time management tips for families are the same ones I discussed as a featured guest on the television talk show A.M. Northwest. These are simple, basic, easy-to-follow time management tips for both parents and children. And they are the same time management tips that have worked for me in my business as a motivational speaker and author:
1. Have white dry erase boards personalized for each person: Place one in the kitchen and one in each bedroom. The benefit of white boards in the kitchen and in each bedroom is that you and your kids will constantly see them and be reminded of what needs to be accomplished.
2. Write down tasks with specific time frames for each parent and child: Set aside specific times and stick with them. For example, you would write on the white board, "Brandon and Chloe, homework 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m." And for the mom or dad, "Mom/Dad cook dinner 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m." and so forth. This way you are constantly reminded of what to do and when. You will get around to completing these tasks sooner rather than later because by "seeing" them all the time, you'll want to cross them off your list. Erase the tasks after completing them so you no longer have to look at them!
3. Color code for each family member: It's easy to visualize who is supposed to do what when each individual has their own color. A lot of teams utilize this same technique in the workplace to help with time management.
4. Clear off your desk or work area: This helps you and your kids to clear out clutter so you can concentrate single-mindedly on those projects such as paying bills or doing homework.
Time management rule number one: do the thing you like least first.
5. Do the thing you like least first and plan a reward such as a fun family activity for afterward: We all have tasks that we have to do that we don't want to do. It's easy to procrastinate. Research points to the fact that the longer you procrastinate, the harder it is to get motivated. The hardest part is just getting started. And once you're done, you feel so much better, lighter and happier. You and your family will feel deserving of a reward afterward such as fun time watching TV, playing games, or attending a Saturday picnic.
6. Be a positive role model: Teach your children to form good time management habits from the beginning. When your kids see you as self-disciplined and overcoming procrastination by doing things you'd rather not, it reinforces that behavior in them as well. It sets them up later in life to be good parents themselves, and better leaders at school and in the workplace.
Keep in mind that everything you procrastinate today only compounds tomorrow's pressure. Decide what you want. What tasks must be done in order for you and your family to accomplish your goals, dreams and aspirations? Act now. Don't wait another day. The future is now.
Both John Furnem & Colleen Kettenhofen 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.
John Furnem has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family Concerns, Health and Guided Meditation. John Furnem is a dot com veteran, specializing in human resources and work psychology he has written articles and held workshops/seminars for stress relief and time management. John currently writes article for the. John Furnem's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Colleen Kettenhofen has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Difficult people and Leadership. Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker and co-author of The Masters of Success, seen on NBC's Today Show. Topics: leadership, management, difficult people, communication. For free articles, e-newsletter or to order the book visit. Colleen Kettenhofen's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.