Everyone has the same amount of time every day. Where do you spend your time on a daily basis?
By taking a deeper look at where your time is spent, you have the power to change your behaviors and make time for things/experiences/people that honor you.
5 Tips for Effective Time Management
1. Prioritize
Classify your tasks. Group all urgent tasks together and think of them as Group A. These are tasks that must be done first, no matter what. To prevent a stressful day, try to limit your urgent tasks to 3 a day. Next are important tasks - Group B. Lean on the support of loved ones to help in getting your important tasks done. It's ok and sometimes necessary to ask your spouse/partner/ etc. to help out.
2. Just Say No
Time is a commodity that we easily give away, then we wonder why we have no time left for what we want. If you find your schedule is full of things you don’t want to do, then it’s time to start saying no. Otherwise we feel frazzled, tired and grumpy.
3. Plan Ahead
Goal setting worksheets are great for helping you to plan ahead. If you are a night owl, take 15 minutes to delineate what needs to get done tomorrow or next week to get you closer to your goals. A clear idea for the most pressing matters of the day saves you time wondering what to do next or performing a task unrelated to your goal. If you are an early riser, work on your to-do list over your cup of morning coffee or juice. This may be the most productive, time-effective thing you do all day.
4. Focus
We can easily check our phones over 50 times a day, which is distracting and a poor use of time. While at work, switch your phone to vibrate mode and put it away from arms reach. Wait until your lunch break to check your phone. While not at work, pick a dedicated time to check your email and social media. Try to keep it to one hour a day. Studies have shown that over 4 hours a day is spent on social media.
5. Self-Care
Taking care of yourself is a great time management technique. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night and 2.5 hours of moderate exercise weekly ensures your mind and body are in tip-top shape. A well-rested, healthy individual will always get more done than the sedentary one who pulls frequent all-nighters or sleeps only a few hours per night.
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