What Is Time Management?
Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems working together to help you get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life.
The important point is that time management is not necessarily about getting lots of stuff done, because much more important than that is making sure that you are working on the right things, the things that truly need to be done.
Smart time managers know that there is much more to do than anyone could possibly accomplish. So instead of trying to do it all, smart time managers are very picky about how they spend their time.
They choose to focus and spend their time doing a few vital projects that will really make a difference, rather than spending all their time doing many trivial things that don’t really matter all that much.
If you become a good time manager, you’ll not only get a lot more done in less time, but you’ll feel more relaxed, focused and in control of your life.
You’ll be able to use your time in a much more balanced and effective way, and you’ll be able to make time for the people and activities that you love. When you get to the end of a busy day, you’ll feel a strong sense of accomplishment from everything that you actually got done.
Improving your time management skills can improve your efficiency by 25% or more.
Here are 10 Tips:
- Write things down
A common time management mistake is to try to use your memory to keep track of too many details leading to information overload. Using a to-do list to write things down is a great way to take control of your projects and tasks and keep yourself organized. As such, it helps to carry a small notebook or digital recorder.
- Plan your week
Spend some time Sunday evening to plan your week. Be sure your schedule includes something life giving for you every day. Taking the extra time to do this will help increase your productivity and balance your important long-term projects with your more urgent tasks. This should only take about fifteen to thirty minutes but the benefits are huge. Every day, you fine tune your schedule as needed.
- Prioritize your list
Prioritizing your to-do list helps you focus and spend more of your time on the things that really matter to you. I suggest you have a MUST DO list rather than a to do list. Rate them according to importance and deadline. Be sure to give your own wellbeing item top priority.
- Learn to say no
Many people become overloaded with too much work because they overcommit; they say yes when they really should be saying no. Ask yourself, “Do I really need this right now in my life?” Learn to say no to low priority requests and you will free up time to spend on things that are more important. You can always change your mind later.
- Continuously improve yourself
Make time in your schedule to learn new things and develop your natural talents and abilities. For example, you could take a class, attend a training program, or read a book. Continuously improving your knowledge and skills increases your marketability, can help boost your career, and is the most reliable path to financial independence.
- Think about what you are giving up to do your regular activities
It is a good idea to evaluate regularly how you are spending your time. In some cases, the best thing you can do is to stop doing an activity that is no longer serving you so you can spend the time doing something more valuable. Consider what you are giving up in order to maintain your current activities.
- Identify bad habits
Make a list of bad habits that are stealing your time, sabotaging your goals, and blocking your success. After you do, work on them one at a time and systematically eliminate them from your life. Remember that the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace it with a better habit.
- Don’t do other people’s work
Are you in the habit of doing other people’s work because or a “hero” mentality?
Doing this takes up time that you may not have. Instead, focus on your own projects and goals, learn to delegate effectively, and teach others how to do their own work.
- Keep a goal journal
Schedule time to set and evaluate your goals. Start a journal and write down your progress for each goal. Go through your goal journal each week to make sure you are on the right track. Keeping a journal on your computer has never been easier!
- Don’t be a perfectionist
Some tasks don’t require your best effort. Sending a short email to a colleague, for example, shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes. Learn to distinguish between tasks that deserve to be done excellently and tasks that just need to be done.