Time management is the process of organising , planning and controlling how much time to spend on specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter and as an individual to complete more in a shorter period of time even when time is tight and pressures are high.Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.
If you’re not managing your time well, there’s no way you’re going to reach your goals at work and the life outside of it.Sure, you might make some progress. But your time management will be an uphill battle if you don’t take your time seriously.
Benefits of Time Management ?
It may seem counter-intuitive to dedicate precious time to learning about time management, instead of using it to get on with your work, but the benefits are enormous:
- Greater productivity and efficiency.
- A better professional reputation.
- Less stress.
- Increased opportunities for advancement.
- Greater opportunities to achieve important life and career goals.
Failing to manage your time effectively can have some very undesirable consequences:
- Missed deadlines.
- Inefficient work flow.
- Poor work quality.
- A poor professional reputation and a stalled career.
- Higher stress levels.
Tips of Time Management
We all want to make the most of the 24 hours we get each day. However, some people achieve more happiness, productivity, and success – in the same amount of time as everyone else!
The ability to manage your time effectively is important. Good time management leads to improved efficiency and productivity, less stress, and more success in life. here are some crucial time management tips for getting the proverbial job done.
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1. Set goals the right way
you will fall off track and will not be able to achieve your target If you don’t set your goals the right way . But when you set them the right way, the sky is the limit. Use the SMART goal setting method to help you see things through. And when you do set those goals, make sure you have powerful deep down meanings for wanting to achieve them.
2. Find a good time management system.
One of the tips is to find the right system for managing your time . The quadrant time-management system is probably the most effective. It splits your activities into four quadrants based on urgency and importance. Things are either urgent or important, both, or neither. Neither (quadrant 4) are the activities that you want to stay away from, but it’s the not-urgent-but-important quadrant (2) that you want to focus on.
3.Create a daily plan.
Use the first 30 minutes of your day to create a daily to-do list that suits your weekly plan. What are you doing? Record it in a journal or on your phone. Split this up into blocks of 30 minutes or an hour. What did you get done? Was it time wasted? Was it well spent?
If you use the quadrant system, circle or log the quadrant that the activity was associated with. At the end of the seven days, tally up all the numbers. Where did you spend the most time? Which quadrants? The results might shock you.
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4. Spend your mornings on MITs.
The problem? We don’t spend enough of our time defining the most important tasks (also known as MITs) that we need to do each day to get us closer to our goals.
Tackle your biggest tasks in the morning. These are your most important tasks (MITs) of the day. Accomplishing those will give you the biggest momentum to help you sail through the rest of the day.
Most of us find our first hour of the work the most productive – make sure to use yours wisely! Oddly enough, you can focus more easily when your brain isn’t fully awake. Booting-up brains have less excess energy for daydreaming and worrying about other tasks.
5. Block out distractions.
One of the biggest time-wasters we have are our bad habits. Whether it’s Netflix binge-watching, excessively surfing social media, playing games, going out frequently to drink with friends, or so on, those bad habits take away the precious little time that we do have. Use your time wisely by eliminating your bad habits if you’re serious about achieving big goals in life.
And also during the work use your computer’s “do not disturb” function when working on focused tasks. Channel your attention by working at only one monitor and opening only one window. Going offline might also be an option, but let’s not go that far.
6. Take frequent breaks when working.
When doing a lot of tasks without a break, it is harder to stay focused and motivated. The human brain can only focus for about 90-minutes at a time. Schedule a break at least every 90 minutes to avoid burnout and maintain high productivity throughout your day.Keep your mental, emotional and physical states at peak levels by breaking frequently.
7. Find inspiration when you’re feeling lackluster.
It’s hard to stay on track with your time when you lose that drive inside of you. when you’re lacking inspiration , Turn to YouTube, TED Talks and any other inspirational source . Find ways you can turn the fire back on by focusing inspiring content and seeking out others who’ve achieved big goals.
8. Get a mentor who can guide you.
Find a good mentor that can help you along your path. I know finding a mentor is crucial. without mentor It’s easy to get distracted and discouraged when you don’t have someone guiding you. But when you can personally rely on someone who’s been through the wringer and can help you achieve your goals, it’s easier to stay on track with your time.
9. Have a great time – no matter what.
Don’t obsess about checking off all the items on your to-do list. Enjoy every day with an appropriate work/life balance. Finishing an oversized workload today isn’t worth an unproductive, burnt-out day tomorrow.
Work steadily and stay at your best pace. Rushing through tasks reduces work quality and creates stress.It may sound like a cliché, but keep in mind: the road is always more important than the destination.
Effective time management is ultimately a result of having the right attitude and commitment to your goals. Software tools can help aid in your time management efforts, and there are plenty of calendars and time-tracking devices available to help you manage time effectively.
Whatever tips or tools you use, use your time wisely, but also make time for rest and relaxation to keep you happy and motivated all throughout your life.
What tips and tricks do you use to better manage your time or your team? Tell us in the comments.