Have you ever wondered why some people appear to have enough time to complete their daily duties and goals, while others constantly jump from task to task and never manage to do anything?
Do you believe this is because the former has less to do? No, they are considerably more likely to be properly managing their time and employing time management practises.
While time management is a simple concept, it is significantly more complex to practise well. Time management refers to the way we choose to spend our available time in order to maximise our productivity and accomplish specific short- and long-term goals.
We all want to utilize the 24 hours available to the full extent! However, some individuals reach higher levels of productivity, achievement, and life quality in the same period of time as others. As a result, we could ask ourselves how we might effectively manage our time. This set of critical techniques will assist you in getting there.
How to Effectively Manage Time?
1. Determine where you Waste Time
Often, we fall victim to the so-called “time thieves,” who rob us of hours we could be spending much more efficiently. It is critical to determine what is a waste of our time. Social media, WhatsApp, and email are just a few of the factors that contribute to our daily time investment of up to three hours.
2. Distinguish between Urgent and Important
It is critical to distinguish between urgent tasks – those that must be prioritised and completed promptly – and significant tasks that can be completed later.
Answering the office phone is critical, as failure to do so results in the call being lost. While reading mail is critical, it is not always necessary. Examining our personal Facebook or Instagram feeds is neither urgent nor necessary during the workday, and it is a chore we can save until the end of the day when we get home. This distinction between urgent and important jobs is critical for properly managing our time, planning work, and avoiding distractions.
3. Create a Daily Routine for better time management
Spend the first 30 minutes of the day creating a daily to-do list that corresponds to your weekly goal preparation. Establish a performance benchmark to help you prioritise jobs for the day. For instance, if you have twenty activities scheduled for a particular day, how many of them do you truly need to do that day?
4. Follow Routines
While unexpected events do occur during the workday, you will be far more productive if you become accustomed to following work patterns for the most of the time. For the majority of people, developing and adhering to a routine enables them to better manage their time and complete daily activities.
5. Set Time Limit for Tasks
A process as simple as reading and responding to emails can easily consume a whole day if we do not establish a time limit for it. As a result, it is recommended to set aside 15-minute blocks every three hours to check the email inbox.
Additionally, it is critical to indicate the start and finish of meetings to avoid their dragging on and squandering the day doing nothing. This time-management method may be applied to a variety of jobs, and in this way, we avoid the sense that anything specific always consumes the majority of our working day.
6. Organize your Environment
A cluttered atmosphere impairs concentration and causes you to lose focus. And when we are not focused, we are more prone to spend more time on our everyday work duties than necessary.
To avoid this, it is critical to keep our table and work space tidy and orderly, free of stacks of documents and worthless objects that constantly cause confusion. Begin by clearing your table one day, then go on to a drawer, a shelf, or your closet. Order will assist you in better managing your time and increasing your productivity.
7. Stop Procrastination
If you find yourself delaying or inventing justifications for not completing anything, consider why. Procrastination is one of the primary enemies of effective time management, and what causes it is that you frequently feel overwhelmed at the end of the day by all the duties you’ve been putting off and have accumulated.
8. Don’t Try Multitasking
In general, few people are adept at multitasking, as the mind becomes disorganised and it becomes harder to refocus on our work. It is far more efficient to complete one task before moving on to the next. If you’re responsible for a variety of different jobs, arrange them together and complete related ones consecutively.
9. Learn to Delegate
For many people, delegation is one of the most difficult skills to master because they assume that by doing everything themselves and managing every detail, everything would end out far better.
Failure to delegate impairs time management and administration effectiveness. As a result, it is vital and useful to share and distribute the load of responsibilities among members of your team in order to maximise each member’s time.
10. Value your Sleep
The average human body and mind require approximately eight hours of sleep to function well. According to University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine studies, individuals with appropriate sleep habits are more productive, less stressed, and healthier. What occurs is that when you work, your brain gathers a significant amount of data throughout the day.
And when you sleep, your brain turns to processing mode, collecting all the information it has gathered and organising it in a way that makes sense. Even your intellect understands the organization’s worth! Pay attention to your body and the amount of sleep it requires. Additionally, consider that your pals want you to be human rather than a zombie.
11. Be Health Conscious
Who among us does not enjoy pizza or burgers? We all have a right to these joys! However, we are well aware on an internal level that they are not the healthiest options. Maintaining a healthy physique is critical for your overall well-being and to have a better time management while performing any task.
Consuming an excessive amount of sugar or salt can be extremely distracting and result in food or snack cravings, which can leave you feeling more exhausted than energised. Consume a healthy meal consisting of fruits, almonds, vegetables with hummus, and granola. And while we’re at it, why not mix your diet with physical activity?
Time Management is very crucial for maintaining your health. 45 minutes of exercise per day, whether it’s yoga, running, or bicycling, can help enhance your energy, focus, and performance. Additionally, this will aid with your sleep. Another helpful hint? Get outside and soak in the sunshine. Take breaks outside to gain some much-needed vitamin D. Remember to stay hydrated with plenty of water!
Also Read: 13 Characteristics and Skills required to become a good Leader!