Time management is all about managing yourself some may consider it easy and some consider it hard. No one can really bend through time and fit everything inside it. However, you can control and manage your activities. Time is an important asset to you and everyone else as well. So we listed down 10 time management techniques in order to help you.
1.) Plan your day
Planning is the most common technique in managing time as it helps you keep track of what to do next. Without planning you might just end up doing whatever that you feel working on or that is urgent. Planning also helps you to become disciplined as you continue. Creating a plan has become easier since there is a lot of technology out there that you can use. You can use digital calendars, todo-lists, sticky notes, etc. To help you on track in your day-to-day activities. Another tip is that you should always prioritize activities based on their status to conserve time.
2.) The Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle or also known as the 80/20 rule tells that 20% of your work can produce 80% of your work. The principle just basically points out how you should perceive your time on your tasks. If you want to save more time on activities, you should know which are tasks that best fit your remaining time as they can produce more output.
3.) Be Productive
When you are given a task make sure you analyze it before placing it on your todo-list. There a lot of things to consider when you analyze your tasks:
- Make sure to check its priority. Is it time-consuming and important? If not, then leave it for later.
- Apply the Pareto principle on your list of tasks as this can help you set your flow.
- If time is really out of your hands you can always ask for somebody’s help.
- Never postpone any tasks if you have time as this can lead to panicking which can lessen the quality of your work.
4.) Saying No is An Option
Saying “no” to a request is an ordinary response because everyone has their own limits. Simply letting know other people that you cant handle their tasks is important, in that way they can efficiently distribute tasks to those who are suitable for it. Make sure to provide a proper reason when rejecting tasks so that they can understand.
5.) Effective Meetings
Meetings can be considered as a time waster if you have no proper plan on how to conduct it. Always set an objectives on a meeting to make sure that you’re not eating everyone’s time.
6.) Be Organized
Organizing tasks isn’t the only thing you need to worry about, you should also be organized in your workplace. Creating a healthy work environment can boost your productivity. Start by cleaning your desk, removing useless items that can distract you, redesign your desk setup, and organize your tools as this can help you be productive in the future.
7.) Eliminate Procrastination
Procrastination can eat up a huge amount of your time for work. Make sure that you stay away from objects that can cause your procrastination. A nice practice you can do is keep your phone away from you during your working hours as this can distract you.
8.) Eat The Frog
According to Mark Twain “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
To simplify it, prioritizing is the key to proper time management. As you go through your tasks make sure that the important comes first and slowly make your way to the less important one.
9.) Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand
Have you ever heard of the rocks, pebbles, and sand story? If not then I’ll only tell you the gist of it. You need to fill up a glass jar using the three items mentioned: rocks, pebbles, and sand. The rock indicates the important and urgent things, the pebbles are also important but not so crucial, and the sand is the not so important things. In order to fill up the jar, you need to put the rocks first then pebbles, and lastly the sand. if you change the priority of the items then you won’t be able to fill the jar. The story basically just tells us what and how we should prioritize our life and the same can be applied in tasks.
10.) Take Breaks
Be sure to take breaks every now and then. Your brain won’t function properly if you’re constantly working. You can go to a park, read a book, etc. Free yourself from stress so that you can refresh yourself and go back to work later. Also, be sure to check your health, neglecting your health can lead to many complications. You can’t work if your body can’t move. Therefore, take care of your health.