TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS

Work out who you want to be, your priorities in life, and what you want to achieve in your career or personal life. That is then the guiding principle for how you spend your time and how you manage it.

Once you have worked out the big picture, you can then work out some short-term and medium-term goals. Knowing your goals will help you plan better and focus on the things that will help you achieve those goals.

Make a list

To-do lists are a good way to stay organised. Try it and see what works best for you.

You should keep a single to-do list, to avoid losing track of multiple lists. Keeping a list will help you work out your priorities and timings. It can help you put off the non-urgent tasks.

Make sure you keep your list somewhere accessible. If you always have your phone, for example, keep it on your phone.

Focus on results

Good time management at work means doing high-quality work, not high quantity. You should concentrate not on how busy you are, but on results.

Excessive focus on results may lead to insufficient time to prepare resulting in a reduction in performance levels and a failure to gain new knowledge and learn new skills thus stagnating and limiting your potential.

Spending more time on something does not necessarily achieve more. Staying an extra hour at work at the end of the day may not be the most effective way to manage your time.

Have a lunch break

Lots of people work through their lunch break, but it can be counter-productive. As a general rule, taking at least 30 minutes away from your desk will help you to be more effective in the afternoon.

Neck and back pain can result from the continuous hours stuck behind a desk. Poor posture and sitting in one posture puts strain on your spine and the muscles that help support it. Getting up, changing position and moving around by leaving the office at lunch, counters the effects of enforced immobility, enhancing your comfort for the rest of the day.

Spending your lunch time with your friends or co-workers can erase the negative effects of a hectic workday. Releasing stress by venting about work, or sharing a laugh is a guaranteed mood lifter.

Do some simple exercises. You will come back to your work desk re-energized, with a new set of eyes and renewed focus.

Planning your day with a midday break will also help you to break up your work into more manageable chunks.

Prioritize important tasks

Tasks can be grouped into 4 categories:

• urgent and important
• not urgent but important
• urgent but not important
• neither urgent nor important

People who manage their time well concentrate on "not urgent but important" activities. That way they lower the chances of activities ever becoming "urgent and important".

The aim is to learn how to become better at reducing the number of urgent and important tasks. Having to deal with too many urgent tasks can be stressful.

Practice the '4 Ds'

One study found that one in three office workers suffers from email stress. Making a decision the first time you open an email is crucial for good time management.

You are advised to practice the "4 Ds":

• Delete: you can probably delete half the emails you get immediately.
• Do: if the email is urgent or can be completed quickly.
• Delegate: if the email can be better dealt with by someone else.
• Defer: set aside time later to spend on emails that will take longer to deal with.

Establish Routines and Stick to Them as Much as Possible

While crises will arise, you will be much more productive if you can follow routines most of the time. For most people, creating and following a routine lets them get right down to the tasks of the day rather than frittering away time getting started.

Get in the Habit of Setting Time Limits for Tasks

For instance, reading and answering email can consume your whole day if you let it. Instead, set a limit of two hours a day for this task and stick to it. 

Be Sure Your Systems Are Organized

Are you wasting a lot of time looking for files on your computer? Take the time to organize a file management system. Is your filing system slowing you down? Redo it, so it is organized to the point that you can quickly lay your hands on what you need. 

Don't Waste Time Waiting

From client meetings to dentist appointments, it is impossible to avoid waiting for someone or something. But you do not need to just sit there and twiddle your thumbs. Technology makes it easy to work wherever you are; your tablet or smartphone will help you stay connected. You can read a report, check a spreadsheet, or plan your next marketing campaign while waiting.

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