Many people find it challenging to manage their time effectively. They are often seen during the rush hour trying to complete a particular project or task. This happens when you cannot plan and control how you spend your time and the activities that you spend them on. Some people can complete their tasks before deadlines. They can do this because they have good time management skills. Today, we will be discussing tips that can help you manage your time, and this will help you complete your task within a shorter period.
Below are the tips. (Please, read it till the end and enjoy the bonus of knowing the app that can help you do a better job with your time).
Set SMART goals.
When you set unrealistic goals, it becomes difficult to control your time. Don’t just set goals. You have to make sure that your goals are broken into achievable pieces. This time management tip gives you extra time to do things well. When you set goals that are not smart, you will always find yourself stressed and scared of starting. Instead of starting, you will be worried about your inability to do all that you have stated. Set goals that are “smart” to help reduce your level of anxiety. Therefore, your goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (your goal should have a deadline for its achievement). You may want to ask, “why goal setting in time management”? Goal setting is needed because a person without a goal will see no value or need to manage his time well.
Have a plan
Planning makes things easy. Before starting your day, dedicate an hour to yourself; have a clear view of how you want your day to go. Don’t be scared to have a to-do list. It will help if you have a list as a guideline for your daily activities. This is one of the best ways to hit your daily target. However, at the end of each day, you don’t have to beat yourself up if you cannot carry out all the activities on the list. Practice the art of writing a to-do list daily; soon, it will become a habit.
Figure out what is taking up your time presently
If you are going to succeed in managing your time, you have to first begin by figuring out what you are currently spending your time on; this will help you avoid those things. Knowing the activities that waste your time will help you focus on what needs your time concerning your set goals.
Set your priority right
When you are working on writing down your list for the day, you have to set your priorities right. Prioritisation is the tool used in eliminating things or activities that are not important from your list. When writing your list, your most significant activities should come first. The vital task should go first to give it most of your time, attention and energy. Some projects are important and urgent; they should be on top of the list so that you can finish them before the submission date.
Avoid multi-tasking
Multi-tasking is not for everybody; avoid it if it doesn’t work well for you. Some people are good at doing two or three tasks simultaneously. However, this can reduce the quality of results for each job. This is because equal attention cannot be given to the task equally. This tip is vital when working on projects. Instead of rushing to get two projects down simultaneously, focus on doing them one after the other. This will block distractions, and it saves you the stress of doing the task twice.
Set a time limit for each project
Your schedule is incomplete if you don’t set an assigned time limit for completing each project. This will prevent you from spending half of your day on only one of the numerous tasks you have for the day. It won’t be easy to manage your time if you don’t know how to divide it across each activity appropriately.
Learn to say NO without feeling guilty
There is nothing wrong with saying no when you don’t have the time to take on another task. For instance, when your friend invites you to a weekend party, there is nothing wrong with saying NO if you have plans for your weekend. Don’t forget, wasted time can never be recovered.
Eliminate distractions
When it’s time to get to work, try to avoid distraction. This will help you to spend time on your task, and you will record some level of progress. We all know how much time we spend scrolling on social media when working on a project. This is something that we all do, but it takes much of our time. When next you have an important task to do, if you don’t need your cell phone, consider putting it away. This will make it easy for you to avoid distractions.
Train your brain to do things at the right time
Our mind is something that we can always work on. If you want to achieve your goals within a short time frame, learn to begin your task at the right time. This will help the brain adjust to your way of doing things at the right time. Think of it; if you do a task now, there is no need to worry about it later.
BONUS POINT
Google calendar
This app helps you to manage your time well. It makes the planning and organising of your task easy. With this app, you can plan your projects, meeting schedules and other essential activities. You can also set reminders for the activities you want to get notified about. If you are working towards managing your time, Google calendar should be your friend.
In conclusion,
If you practice and master these tips above, it will help you live a better life. There will be an improvement in your level of productivity. This will help you spend time on only essential things.
If you are enjoying this post, please like, share and signup to our newsletter for more updates. Don’t forget to leave a comment as well. You can check out also our previous article on “7 principles of wealth that only rich people know“.
Ebooks:
https://lifestyletipsbyantoaneta.com/ebooks/
Seminar:
https://lifestyletipsbyantoaneta.com/business-online-masterclasses/
Recommended books for further reading:
Proper time management is crucial