Time Management
Time Management
People underestimate the value of time in their lives and most waste it without thinking or the consequences of what they are doing. There are 24 hours in a day which is 1440 minutes and 86400 seconds. Every person in the world has the same amount of time in each day. The richest people in the world have the same amount of time as you and I but they seem to be able to get more done, make more money or are just generally better off. Why is this? Well it is probably because they utilise all of this time more efficiently.
There are numerous ways to manage time but few of us use systems. Most people just approach each day as it comes with little regard to tine and how they are wasting it. From the moment you are born time works against you as you get older. The average age people live to now is determined to be ninety. Based on that and the fact that there are 24 hours in a day, each year you have 8760 hours in which to live your life and achieve what you want and over ninety years that’s 78840 hours. That may seem a lot but have you noticed how time seems to slip away un noticed? Have you ever looked at your watch and thought, where has the time gone?
If you want to get the most out of you life whether it be at work with your family or generally just being able to do what you want then managing your time should be something you should focus on as time is the most precious thing we have and it should not be wasted.
There is a simple time management system that I like to use for my work. It helps me get things done and concentrate on what is important and what is not. But you can adopt it to other areas of your life.
At the end of each day before I leave my office I make a list of everything I need to do the following day. I make the list in my diary and order them into an order of importance. The next day a look at the list, start at number one and keep going until I have completed all the tasks in order.
Not glamorous but it is simple and effective. Below is a five step system based on what I have just said:
1. Make a list at the end of each day – A lot of people decide on their activities in the morning when they enter the office. The problem with that is it takes up valuable time deciding on what you actually need to do, the phone rings and you get distracted and before you know it lunchtime is here and you have done nothing. Make you list the night before so when you enter the office you can start straight away and you can delegate tasks that you do not need to do yourself.
2. Tick off what you have done – When you complete it task tick it off your list. This motivates you because you can see your progression as you finish each task. A sense of satisfaction and achievement keeps your brain active and motivated.
3. Stick to your list – You may find occasions that you will not complete your list. Prioritising you list correctly will ensure the most important tasks are completed first and those you could not complete can be carried over to the next day.
4. Do the nasty jobs first – Always make sure you do any nasty jobs first. I know the temptation is there to do all of the easy tasks first just to get them done but this is counter productive, If you leave the nasty job until last you often find that by the time you get to it you often have no motivation to do it as you have been putting it of all day. By doing it first you can get it done and out of the way which gives you as sense of relief and satisfaction and you know that you have the jobs you like doing to look forward to!
5. Deal with interruptions effectively – I am sure you have constant interruptions during your day. The phone rings, someone has a problem or there is some sort of an emergency. What ever it is you should decide how important the interruption is and when to deal with it. If it does not need to be dealt with immediately then put it on your list somewhere.
It is important not to procrastinate if you want to be successful at what you do whether at work or at home. Putting off things you do not want to do will only make your situation worse. You do not achieve what you want and have excuses as to why you have not achieved your goals turning you into a non achiever. Do not put things off, deal with them and get ahead of everyone else.
Poor time management can lead to stress at work or at home. I am not going to talk about stress now as that is not the point of the article. But being aware that how you manage your time, can cause stress is something to think about.
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