Time Management; Make Your Life Easier
Most of all us spend a good portion of the day wondering how to juggle everything we need to do in a day’s time. It seems there is never enough time to do it all. There is work, kids and household responsibilities to manage and that doesn’t include the things we want to do like pursuing our hobbies or earning an online degree. But with effective time management you can do more in a day and have time for leisure activities as well. Here are four time management tips to put to use.
The infamous to-do list is one of the main tools of successful time management. It can help you keep on task. When you make a daily, weekly and monthly goals list you can keep track of all your tasks. Start with those that are the most important. Then add other jobs in as needed. Cross off the things you get done and move the things you don’t to the next day’s list of jobs. Of course, sticking to the list is going to be crucial.
It can be very helpful to create blocks of time throughout the day to accomplish specific things. If you work from home this is an excellent tool to use. You might block off an hour for cleaning out a closet, writing an article or answering emails. Whatever you decide, mark it on your schedule and do only that for the scheduled time frame. When your time is up then stop and move on. One thing that will be crucial to your success is not letting distractions interrupt.
Making use of wasted time is another time management tip that successful people use. Wasted time is time spent in places like doctor’s waiting rooms, sitting at the playground watching the kids play or even stuck in traffic. Be prepared for these situations when possible and use the time wisely. Carry a small folder in your car with what you need to keep up with correspondence or other small office chores. Use that time to go over your lists, read pertinent books, write articles or plan your week. Don’t just spend it daydreaming.
Delegating is very important to time management success. When you use your resources, whether people or things, wisely and allow them to work for you then you free up more of your own time. In the home a timer can be used to start the oven or the coffee pot and a crock-pot can cook dinner while you do other things. In the office you can hire people to do things that take up a lot of time but are crucial to your business. Good examples of areas to outsource in would be article writing or web building.
Time management is all about managing your day and using your resources wisely. When you follow the simple tips given in this article you will find you have much more time to do what you need. And when this happens you also have the time to do what you want.
Brooke Gray is an education and career coach who counsels adults on college scholarships, career training, and online college graduate degree programs.