Time Management: 13 Tips To Take Advantage Of The Hours Of The Day
The demands of work, personal obligations and the pace of daily life mean that on many occasions we accumulate immense amounts of work that we do not know very well how to deal with.
Thanks to proper time management, we can reduce this accumulation of tasks and alleviate the feeling of pressure and stress that they usually bring. Here we will see several tips to improve our skills when it comes to making good use of the time available and performing better in everyday tasks, such as work in the professional field, study sessions, etc.
Take advantage of the hours of the day: do more with less
Optimal time management is a very important skill both at work and when carrying out the activities of our daily lives and, although this seems more than evident, not all people are capable of organizing their time and tasks. more effective way.
Poor time management can almost certainly lead to high levels of stress and, obviously, lack of productivity. Therefore, when the person is able to understand and assimilate how to organize their time correctly, they will also be able to foresee possible conflicts and plan alternative solutions.
As mentioned above, knowing how to correctly manage time is a skill and as such it can be trained and improved. Although this is not difficult, requires discipline and perseverance.
The first step will always be to be aware and accept that we are not working well or making good use of our time, and then propose a series of guidelines to follow that Over time they will end up becoming habits which we will do automatically.
Below we suggest a series of tips to improve time management, which will help us be much more productive in less time and, consequently, will help us feel better about ourselves.
13 tips to improve time management
Below we present a series of tips that, applied daily, will enhance our productivity and prevent us from unconsciously wasting time.
1. Positive attitude
Maintaining a disposition and a positive attitude towards our work is essential to invest our time in an efficient and effective way. This motivational posture will help us have a clearer mind and be able to better plan our work.
If a task is presented in a way that does not motivate, surely We end up looking for excuses to distract ourselves, something to avoid. Therefore, before getting to work we must promote self-motivation strategies, which can even involve stopping to close our eyes and imagine the feeling of having finished what we must do, so that that feeling of satisfaction invades us.
2. Be realistic
It is illogical to try to cover more tasks than we can really do. Another important point when it comes to proper time management is be realistic and honest with yourself and know what we can do and what we can’t.
Otherwise, all we will achieve is frustration and stress.
Thus, it is best to take into account both our abilities and what we do not stand out positively, to create concrete goals adjusted to what we know about what we are capable of doing.
3. Set goals
Having clear objectives is essential to know where we are going. Nevertheless, The objectives set must have a series of characteristics that makes them viable. For this they must be:
4. Clarify tasks
Being clear about what tasks must be carried out to achieve the objectives is essential to avoid wasting time on activities that we do not know if they will be of any use to us or not. A good trick is break them down and turn them into smaller, simpler tasks. The reason is that these will cost us less and therefore we will not waste energy on them.
It is obvious that not all tasks or objectives are equally important and urgent, so draw up an action plan and prioritize tasks It will help us stay organized, be able to keep track of our achievements and anticipate possible complications.
6. Make an agenda or calendar
Once our tasks have been prioritized, the next step is to plan them. Optimal planning will minimize the appearance of unforeseen tasks and forgetfulness, leaving us with more time for our free time.
7. Do the lighter tasks first
There is a law in time management that says that if we have one or more tasks that we can complete in two minutes or less, we do them immediately. Otherwise, after a heavy task we are still left with many small, light tasks for which we no longer have the energy.
Furthermore, if we follow this rule also we will feel more fulfilled having done many things in a very short time.
8. Focus on a single task
It is very important not to try to monopolize several tasks or activities at the same time. Even though we have many things to do, it is better to do them one by one thus ensuring good concentration and optimal performance.
9. Reduce distractions
By distractions we mean any possible external stimulus that diverts our attention from the task we are doing. Mobile phone, internet, social networks, other people or tasks can divert our attention from work, so it is necessary that they be as little visible or present as possible.
In the event that an unforeseen event or task appears, it is better to write it down and do it later, to do not interrupt the activity.
It is not worth overloading yourself and putting up with fatigue just to try to finish earlier or do more tasks. It is necessary to rest from time to time, change posture and make our brain rest and be distracted a little. On the contrary, the most likely thing is that this accumulation of fatigue will end up making us more tired, becoming less mentally agile and giving us the feeling that we cannot do everything.
11. Disconnect
Just as it is necessary to rest while we carry out a task, it is essential to disconnect once we have finished the day. To the extent possible, leave tasks for business or work hours and spend free time disconnecting and invest it in ourselves.
12. Take care of the media and the workplace
It is equally important to take care of our attitude as well as our workplace. We must make sure we have prepared everything we are going to need as well as ensuring that everything works correctly.
An orderly space or workplace with the right conditions will help us perform better and not waste time on other matters.
13. Avoid procrastination
Procrastinating means postponing, delaying or postponing all those activities or habits that we feel like doing or we do not feel motivated, replacing them with others that stimulate us more or are more irrelevant.
Bibliographic references:
LeBoeuf, M. (1979). Working Smart. New York: Warner Books.
Morgenstern, J. (2004). Time Management from the Inside Out: The Foolproof System for Taking Control of Your Schedule—and Your Life. New York: Henry Holt/Owl Books.
Richard, W. (2008). Time Management: Proven Techniques for Making Every Minute Count. Adams Media. pp. 232 – 238.
Sandberg, J. (2004). To-Do Lists Can Take More Time Than Doing, But That Isn’t the Point. The Wall Street Journal.
Stella, C. (2013). The Study Skills Handbook. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
