50 Time Management Tactics (Part 1).
The First 25 Tactics For Making Your Time More Productive.
- Realize firstly that time management is a myth. Many want to squeeze too much into one day. Coming to the realization that there are only 24 hours in a day and that one can only fit so much into those hours, releases you from the worries and anxieties of things that are yet to be done.
- Find out where you’re wasting time. Conduct a complete time examination. Walk through your day in 15 minute intervals, writing down what you are doing and for how long.
- Create time management goals. Having clear goals will guide you through the process of getting control of your time. The best way to start is with pen and paper in hand and write out what you want more time to do.
- Implement a time management plan. Just like a budget guides money spending, a time management plan will guide how you can use your time.
- Use time management tools. There are thousands of time management tools available today. The best is a daily or weekly planner. Other options are online calendar’s such as Google Calendar or Outlook.
- Prioritize ruthlessly. Learn to cut out what is not important to you. Make a list of all the things that you need to get done, then think through each one and decide if it is worth your time or not. If not, cut it from the list.
- Learn to delegate. Look at your to do list and see what can be handed off to other people, a spouse, a coworker or a friend.
- Establish routines and stick to them. Find your rhythm in life. Learn what time you need to go to bed, what time is best to wake up and find specific times to do daily tasks, such as checking email and filing, washing the dishes, clothes, ironing, cleaning, vacuuming, blogging, shopping.
- Set time limits for tasks. Time can get away from you really quickly if you do not have a set amount of time for a task. Especially if you work on computer tasks!
- Organize your systems. Do you use several email addresses? Several online programs? Bookmark often visited websites or put them on your explorer tool bar.
- Don’t waste time waiting. If you find yourself waiting for things to get done, bring work along with you, or even a good book that you have been wanting to read. Getting an oil change? Bring something to work on.
- Get a planner. There are many types of planners out there today, some of the better ones outline each day of the week in 15 minute intervals, as well as a full page monthly calendar. Once you find one you like, use it.
- Differentiate between urgent and vital. Urgent are things that are due soon, but may not be life or death. Vital are things that may or may not be urgent, but that you absolutely must do.
- Schedule your priorities – do not prioritize your schedule. Take charge of what you have before you. You have the power to decide what you do and when.
- Capture your time in a journal – “Time journal” for two weeks, giving account for every 15 or 30 minutes of time. This will help you see where your time is going and what takes up most of your time. You may be horrified to see how much time you’re wasting in front of the TV or stuck in traffic. Maybe getting up from the lounge in every ad break would help – go and fold some laundry, do a sink of dishes, pickup a load of laundry and put it on to wash, write the opening paragraph of your next blog post, find a great image on Pixabay, write a thank you card to a friend, check your email and unsubscribe from 10 lists. All of those things could be done during just one 1-hour TV show, just by getting up during the ad breaks.
- Learn to say no. This is your greatest ally. Practice saying no in polite but firm ways. You are no one’s door mat. Decide what you are going to do, then do not get distracted by other tasks that people may want you to do for them.
- Learn what drives procrastination. Examine that times that you find yourself procrastinating. Is it because of the task, the time of day, or your overall mood?
- Figure out what your time is worth. If you make 30,000 a year, each hour is worth roughly $3.50 (including waking and sleeping hours). Now, decide what tasks are worth your pay and don’t sweat the small stuff.
- Set clear goals. Having a clear direction will help keep you on task. For everyone item on your to do list, think through each step that needs to get done to complete that task.
- Put things into perspective. Take a moment each day to take a larger picture look. This can be considering yourself in relation to your life goals, or to humanity in general.
- Respond to email when you read it. Most people have to read an email at least twice, once when it arrives then again whenever they get around to replying to it. To cut out one reading, just reply to the email as soon as you get it.
- Admit multi-tasking is your worst enemy. Studies have shown that multitasking actually inhibits productivity. The best thing to do is take on one task at a time, stay focused, and finish it before you begin another task.
- Do the most important things first. Find the more urgent and vital things on your list, concentrate on them first. Getting a big gorilla off your back first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day.
- Check your email on a schedule. Find a specific time or times to check your email on a consistent basis. For example: check it first thing in the morning then right after lunch or right before you leave for the day.
- Keep web site addresses organized. The fewer clicks or buttons you have to push to get to a frequented site the more time saved.
Check back here for Part Two of this list.
I hope some of these time management tactics have given you food for thought.
I’ve certainly enjoyed bringing them to you.
Let me know in the comments what your best tips
are for making your time more productive?
Where to now? Pick a page!!!!