How to Improve Your Time Management

Distractions are all around us. We dash from one task to the next until we fall exhausted at the end of the day. We usually link working long hours or being busy all day with efficiency. But the truth is managing your time is all about working smarter, not harder.

However, organizing your time is a crucial skill set to acquire in order to achieve both personal and professional goals. It requires planning and self-discipline, but once things start moving in the right direction, you’ll feel like you can achieve anything you set your mind to. It’ll definitely pay off and you’ll feel less stressed and more successful at work and at home.

“The way we spend our time says a lot about who we are, and our approach can either make or break our happiness,” notes Anna Winterstein, co-founder of Smarter Time, a time management app that helps you improve how you use your time, allows you to balance between work and your personal life.

Winterstein defines time management as, “The process of understanding ourselves and learning to make the right lifestyle choices.”

According to her, learning how to effectively manage your time has many benefits which include:

• A boost in productivity
• Improved self-awareness
• Reduced stress levels
• Reduced wasted time
• A healthier balance between work and personal life
• Increased sense of satisfaction and pride

Here are some ways you can improve your ability to effectively manage your time and get more out of your day.

1. Set up daily goals
As you’re eating your breakfast, think about what you want to get done during the day. It could be work-related or not, the point is to plan out each task and visualize it already completed. Write them down to make them feel more concrete. This will boost your drive to complete each task with vigor and energy without putting them off. A great way to do this is to give each task a deadline. It could be 30 minutes or several hours – the main thing is to stick to it and avoid dragging your feet.

2. Stop multitasking
Studies show that we’re less productive when we do several things at once. Trying to do several things at once results in a burn out, stress levels increase and concentration levels drop. To help avoid this, prioritize and focus your efforts on one task at a time before starting a new one. Then once you finish one, cross it out so you can visually see your progress and feel pride in your accomplishments.

3. Take breaks
Taking a few minutes during the day to go for a walk, get some fresh air, or meditate will help you rejuvenate and release some of the tension that builds up during long hours of work and concentration. Experts agree that taking 15-minute breaks every hour creates a stress-free work environment, boosts production and energy levels.

4. Delegate tasks
It can be hard to delegate if you’re a control freak. But no one can do it all on their own. Delegating is a reflection of maturity, responsibility and work-smarts because putting others’ capabilities and strengths to good use means you’re not sidestepping your responsibilities, just the opposite.

5. Say ‘No’.
People sometimes have a hard time saying ‘no’ when they’re asked to pile on more responsibilities. But if you have too many projects on your plate going on at the same time, this can influence the quality of your work and increase anxiety levels. If you’re asked to do additional work and it’s not on your list of priorities, then don’t be afraid to say ‘no’. If you don’t respect your time, then no one else will.

 

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