Find More Time – Time Management Strategies

Do you wonder why, in this day and age, we all just seem to get busier and busier? Many times you have said to yourself, “I wish there were more hours in the day?”

Is there some magic formula that can help you get more tasks done each day? No, of course not! But there are specific things you can do that will help you become more organized and efficient. In return, you’ll get more time to do the things you always wish you had time for.

Not everyone has the natural ability to get organized. It takes a serious amount of effort and a lot of trial and error, for some of us, to develop organizational skills.

If you’re one of those who weren’t born with the instinctive sense of organization and time management skills, don’t lose hope.  Here are some tips to help you find more time in your day.

If one doesn’t work, simply try another until you find the ones that fit best with your personality and lifestyle.

Time Management Strategies

  1. Plan & Schedule Your Day
    It is a lot easier to use paper to jot down your plans and schedules.  This seems rather simple, but seeing everything on paper can help you feel in control. Instead of letting an entire day get away from you and feeling like you’ve accomplished nothing, planning will put some order and structure into your day.
  • Use a family calendar or personal planner to organize your errands and appointments.
  1. Write a Daily To-Do List
    You can start by listing the most important tasks at the top and get them done first.  That way, there’s no rushing around doing last-minute tasks. The majority of your time and energy should be spent on accomplishing these more important tasks.
  • Keep your lists at a reasonable length, not too long, so you’ll feel productive crossing off completed tasks.
  1. Don’t Waste Time on Nonessential Tasks
    It is normal for us humans to do the easy jobs first, but these quick and simple jobs may not be as necessary as you once thought.   Ask yourself first, “Will this help me reach my ultimate goals, or will it keep me from them?”, just before setting your mind to do something.
  • Cut down your time on the not-so-important tasks, but rather, use those minutes to do something fun for yourself.
  1. Delegate Tasks
    It is certainly not “passing the buck” when you delegate certain tasks. It is realizing that you can’t do everything by yourself. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it.
  • Delegate chores to your family or hire professionals.
  1. Break Large Tasks Down into Smaller Jobs
    You will prevent getting overwhelmed by breaking large tasks into smaller jobs. Just focus on each small job, one at a time, instead of trying to paint the whole canvas at once.
  • Do you need to reorganize your kitchen or garage?  Start in one small corner and focus your attention there until it’s clean and organized. You can then proceed with the next area.
  1. Limit Distractions
    This can really be hard, but if at all possible, turn off the phone and close your email program. You can focus on the task at hand without constant interruptions.
  • Schedule your most important tasks at a time that offers the fewest disruptions.
  1. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
    This may seem out of place in this list, but studies show that people who eat right, exercise, and get plenty of sleep have more energy to accomplish more during the day. Your work quality will also improve when you feel healthy and when you are really healthy.
  • You don’t need to start a strict training regimen to regain your energy. You’ll see changes quickly by just making simple dietary changes and walking every day.
  1. Take Breaks
    Feeling too stressed out?  You need to get up and take a little walk or do some stretches. When you’re stressed about something, your energy isn’t being used on productive work but instead, you become scattered and unfocused.
  • A well-timed break can actually help you accomplish more in a shorter amount of time.
  1. Keep a diary and record how you spend your time for several days
    You can re-evaluate the way you do things by simply writing down how you spend the minutes in your day, for several days. Maybe there’s a way you can cut some minutes here and there to allow more flexibility in your schedule.
  • Effective time management is a key principle to a less stressful life.

It can have a huge impact on your overall well-being if you start making some simple changes in the way you handle your time. Go get started now!!