Managing Your Time More Effectively

I’m sure that you have had many days that end with your saying, “I didn’t get anything done today!” It happens to everyone. It’s frustrating, and if it happens too often, bigger problems will result. Time management can be one of the toughest skills to learn, especially if you are a stay-at-home parent or if you own your own business.

We all get 24 hours every day, and how we spend that time makes all the difference. Why do some people get so much more done in that time than others do? The answer is simple–they manage their time better.

Here are 5 strategies to better time management:

1. Identify your priorities for the week.

Time management expert Stephen Covey said that weekly planning is the critical skill to living a successful life. He called it “putting first things first.” Why is this true? When you take an hour to identify what your most important tasks are for the week and then schedule those tasks, you are much more likely to execute. Covey says, “Putting first things first means organizing and executing around your most important priorities. It is living and being driven by the principles you value most, not by the agendas and forces surrounding you.”

2. Plan out your day and work your plan.

After you plan your week, it is vital to plan out your day. Daily planning is simply plugging in the times when you will execute on your predetermined priorities. If you don’t have a plan for your day, it will get hijacked by email, by social media, and by other people’s agendas. Daily planning gives you a track on which to run. Try to block out chunks of time to complete your objectives for the day. 60- to 90-minute increments seem to work best to ensure focus and ensure you can complete a task.

3. Say “no” politely.

One huge benefit to having your day planned is that it allows you to say no politely. If someone asks you to attend a meeting or event that would be a distraction, you can easily say, “I’m sorry, I already have something scheduled at that time. I won’t be able to attend.” If you don’t have a plan, however, it’s much more difficult to avoid the invitations and agendas of those around you.

4. Block out distractions.

Managing your time well depends on your ability to focus. Although many people feel like they can multitask well, recent studies have shown that multitasking is not possible. What is really happening is that you are moving your attention back and forth between two objectives very quickly. The end result is that we are less effective because we are not focusing. You can get more done with better results when you work without distraction. If social media is not part of your work day, eliminate it. The same applies to email. Turn off the music and the television. Work when it’s time to work, and play when it’s time to play.

5. Give yourself a clear deadline.

Give each and every task a deadline. Isn’t it amazing how much you can get done the day before you leave for vacation? Why are we so productive on that day? The answer is simple—there’s a clear deadline. The work simply must be done before you leave! You can create this focused state every day with clear deadlines. Tell yourself that each task or objective must be done by a specific time. Something happens to you psychologically, and the result is complete focus.

Again, we all get 24 hours every day. How you choose to spend those hours will produce results that are either positive or negative. Manage your time well, and you will experience a better life.