Time Management Tips: Simple Tricks For Busy Schedules
If you are like me, days just seem to FLY by!
Photo by Vanishing-SWhoosh... where did they go?
I like to keep a little to-do list on my desk each day. At the top I write things that I must get to and as the list progresses, it becomes more and more of a wishful-thinking-type of index. I cross off each task as I complete it and though I strive to reach the bottom and knock them all out, it rarely happens.
You know how it goes...whoosh...flies by, right?
Though I am constantly trying to improve on my time management skills, over the years I have been able to get little routines in place that do benefit me tremendously. I thought I would share a few tips that I try to follow.
I know that everyone works differently and that my methods might not assist you in the slightest, but just in case a few strategies do, I'll give it a whirl:
- Plan, Plan, Plan: I mentally plan for the day ahead all week long and nearly always outline tasks in writing as well. As I mentioned above, I jot down to-do lists and keep them on my desk (where I spend a great amount of time). If I have a particularly busy week ahead, I plan days ahead of time.
Photo by drekista
- Prioritize: Since there are only so many hours in a day, I start off with the most pressing of tasks and focus on them first. They aren't always the most enjoyable chores, but I don't usually allow myself to move down to the more trivial notations on the page until the essentials are attended to.
- Take the time to do things right the first time: While it can be tempting to just dash through tasks, if I don't do them well the first time, it will usually just come back to bite me in the end. When that happens, backing up, making corrections and many times having to start again will really just add precious time and frustration to an already busy day.
- Curtail Distractions: Though I don't like to follow this one, when working online (where both of my business are located), removing distractions can help tremendously. For me, that includes things like: facebook, myspace, twitter, reading other blogs I love, looking for new vegan recipes, checking out new tattoo art, Stumbling (oh, StumbleUpon, you can be so evil at times, diverting my attention so masterfully), and things of this sort. Though I normally have music on while I work, even that gets turned down occasionally if I really need to concentrate while writing. It's easy for time to tick by if I get sidetracked, so I usually let these aforementioned types of distractions be my reward for getting through the more daunting deeds.
- Break Up Bigger and More Time-Consuming Tasks Up: For projects that I know I can't finish all at once, I try to devote little segments of time and build up the progress in baby steps. It makes something that might otherwise feel overwhelming, not feel quite so bad when you give it bits of attention here and there.
- Just Start: Don't you hate it when you have something you just dread doing and you put it off again and again, until it becomes this monster that you don't even want to face? I know this feeling and though I don't always follow this advice, I know that the best solution is to just bite the bullet and START. Usually, once I do, it's not so bad after all once I get the ball rolling.
Photo by torobala
- Sleep, Diet, Exercise: For me, these are key components of a productive day. Eating healthy food, getting through my exercise routine, and getting to bed in time for an ample amount of sleep can make all the difference in how much I accomplish and how well I do things. Again, I know this differs for everyone, but for me, these are such essential elements.
- Take a Time-Out When You Need One: I know this is a hard tip to follow when you are rushing from task to task and trying hard to get to the finish line, but if you feel overwhelmed don't let the stress eat you up. Stop, breathe, relax, step away from the source of your frustration and regroup. At times, just walking outside, stretching, or letting silence soak in can make a world of difference. I wrote this blog awhile back about finding peace in a busy world (complete with a sign to hang on your computer when things get REALLY exasperating).
- Just Do Your Best: We all have our abilities and limits. As important as time management skills can be, to-do lists are certainly not the end-all in life. Being productive is important, but being happy is even MORE important, so find the groove that works the best for you. As Harvey MacKay once said:
"Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it you can never get it back."
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 9:17AM
Reader Comments (3)
I am printing this right now! :)
Very helpful - Thanks, Jinxi.
i am all about making a list and just knockin it out. sometimes i make a list longer than there are hours in a day lol. like today i set out to accomplish so much and before i knew it, it was 10:00 now about 10 after and i'm just sitting down. whew & I have an even longer list for tomorrow..hope i can reach the bottom before it's time for bed zzzzzzzzzzzzz
If you’d like a tool for managing your time and projects, you can use this application inspired by David Allen’s GTD:
http://www.Gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage and prioritize your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version is available too.