Ten Tips for Time Management

We all have 24 hours in a day; but somehow some people are always pressed for time. No matter how much time they are given to work on a project or a deadline, they will always find themselves struggling till the last minute. Not having enough time to do what needs to be done, is often related to poor time management and has very little to do with the task at hand. Some of the most successful people in the world are juggling multiple hats. They are entrepreneurs at the top of their game, devoted parents to their beloved children, have a great social life and manage to commit to philanthropic causes also. They find the time to squeeze in their marathon training before a board meeting too. How do they do it? It’s all about time management!

Here are top 10 tips for time management:

·    Make a to-do list. If you don’t know what exactly has to be done, chances are you won’t get to it. Sometimes, mental lists just don’t work. So make a list on your phone, on paper or on your computer.

·    Put a deadline next to each task; make sure it is a realistic deadline; it should be believable to you. Even if it is about returning a phone call, put it down in writing and put the timing next to it.

·    Be honest with yourself and with others. Agreeing to things you have no intention of doing is a sure shot recipe for wasting your precious time and resources. The same rule applies to doing something half heartedly. So take on what you can and be honest about what you don’t want to be accountable for.

·    Get your priorities in order. Sometimes, the tasks just need to be placed in the right order for the chaos to disappear.

·    Don’t let one responsibility suffer because of another commitment. Sometimes we just don’t have a choice in this matter; but barring family emergencies and other dire situations, finish what you start before moving on to the next task.

·    Take responsibility. If you have messed up or made a mistake and you are in denial about it, you will end up wasting more time on covering your tracks instead of finding a solution.

·    Give up on blame. It is always easy to blame hundreds of things on the external circumstances. But it hasn’t helped anyone be successful; so let go of things that are causing unnecessary stress and focus on what’s important.

·    Set aside personal time for things you enjoy doing. Nothing recharges the mind, body and soul like a passionate hobby few times a week. It could be playing a sport, learning a language or playing a musical instrument.

·    Know when to throw in the towel. There is no bravery attached to flogging a dead horse. Accept if something is not working out and create change instead of wasting time over something that’s not going to change.

·    Have fun. You have to enjoy the things you do on a daily basis.

Efficient time management is definitely important to lead a well-balanced, wholesome life.