Time Management Techniques: Are You Getting More Done In Less Time?

Time, the most valuable currency on Earth.

Time, the most squandered resource on Earth.

Agree?

Everyone has just 24 hours in a day.

Yet some people get more done in their 24 hours than what others could in a week or a month.

Time management is among the most important factors for success.

Being organized is the first step in better time management.

Prioritization is the second.

Getting started and sticking to the time management plan is third.

If you are going to work on the urgent stuff first instead of the important, the important is going to become urgent by the time you get to it and guess what happens to the important tasks for that day? They become urgent in the next day or two.

This is a great plan to fail. To get sucked into a vicious cycle of fire-fighting, constantly being overwhelmed and stressed.

Here is a  simple approach to manage your time better:

1. Create a master list

Write down everything you need to do. EVERYTHING, irrespective of whether its for today or three years from now. If it’s on your mind as a ‘to do’ it needs to get onto the master list.

This ensures couple of things, one , you will never forget any task as its written down,two, you can use your valuable brain to do high value,creative thinking and problem solving instead of menial,trivial tasks.

2. Prioritize the master list

Code all important tasks that you MUST do as 1, code the next most important tasks as 2 and so on and so forth.

3. First things first

Get started on number 1 activities. Stay with these until they are completed. Do not get tempted to spend your valuable time or energy on other tasks until all #1 tasks are completed.

This way even if you manage to finish only 50% of your total tasks, majority of them would be important tasks and by completing them you will have a truer sense of accomplishment, greater motivation and higher peace of mind

4. Plan your day the evening before

Make your to do list the evening before so you are ready to start the moment your day begins. Make every minute count.

5. Optimize your environment

Reduce clutter, keep things organized so you are not spending valuable time searching for misplaced files, documents, tools of your trade. Next reduce the noise levels as this can create distractions and suck away your energy.

6. Productivity capsules

Finally work in a 45 – 5 – 45 – 5 – 45 schedule. ie you work for 45 minutes uninterrupted, take a 5 minute break , work for another 45 minutes uninterrupted, take a 5 minute break and so on.

This ensures you stay focused,concentrate well and also keep recharging yourself with the multiple 5 minute breaks

Time – the most valuable currency in the world.

Time – need not be the most squandered of your resources.

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