You will be able to manage your time effectively once you are able to manage the events and activities in your life per day.
Just as it is often said, time is money. Time and money are limited and valuable and must be used wisely.
People who manage their time effectively usually get more things done in time, have more time to do things they want, and are more productive.
Your ability to manage and use your time effectively depends on your ability to discipline yourself (self-discipline) and your ability to motivate yourself (self-motivation). By incorporating the steps and tips below, you will be able to use and manage your time effectively.
1. Determine How You Use Your Time
You need to know how you use and spend your time, and the best way to determine this is to create a time log.
Record what you will be doing every day, every hour, and every week. Do everything needed and get to know when you are more productive.
You need to know the tasks that are time-consuming and invest your time in activities that are more productive. Do hard tasks first, and do the simpler ones later.
2. Know What Is Important and What Is Urgent
The ability to manage your time effectively is the ability to know what is important and what is urgent—that is to say, setting your priorities right.
The important tasks are not the urgent tasks, while both tasks are important. You need to spend less time on tasks that are not important so that you can focus on the urgent ones, but without allowing the urgent ones to dominate your time.
When you focus on important tasks, you gain control, and important tasks that may become urgent tasks are reduced.
3. Be Organized
You need to get organized to manage your time effectively. For example, email tasks can eat up your time. To avoid wasting your time, you need to set up organizational structures that allow you to process information as fast as possible. You can use a color-coded organizational system to keep track of what’s this and what’s that.
4. Schedule Tasks
Build in time for things you plan to do. Use your time log to identify times you are most productive. Do hard tasks when you have the most energy.
Avoid unproductive activities such as watching videos on social media or playing games. Plan. Dream. Think.
5. Delegate
Sometimes, you can’t do it alone. Assign tasks that don’t require your expertise to others. Do tasks that require your expertise.
Assign or employ someone who is experienced and skillful in specific tasks. Check how the person is progressing at regular intervals, but do not take over the responsibility in the process. Hiring someone for specialized projects saves you time, and it’s worth the cost.
6. Avoid Multitasking
Avoid multitasking by all means—it kills; it doesn’t save time. Switching from one task to another without completing one makes you less productive, and you may find it difficult to maintain focus.
Focus on one task at a time to save yourself from distraction. Sometimes, focusing on one task may require turning off notifications so as to carry out a specific task within a dedicated time.
7. Stay Healthy and Work Healthy
Work smart, not hard. The attention you give yourself is as important as the time you give to the task.
Make sure you relax, exercise, and sleep well. If you are always on a screen, monitor your screen time and take foods rich in Vitamin A for clear vision.
Above all, make sure you have a healthy balance between work and home life. Invest in your well-being. It is when you feel better that you will be able to work better.