1. Write things down
A common time management mistake is to try to use your memory
to keep track of too many details leading to information overload. Using a
to-do list to write things down is a great way to take control of your
projects and tasks and keep yourself organized.
2. Prioritize your list
Prioritizing your to-do list helps you focus and spend more
of your time on the things that really matter to you. Rate your tasks into
categories using the ABCD prioritization system described in the time
management course.
3. Plan your week
Spend some time at the beginning of each week to plan your
schedule. Taking the extra time to do this will help increase your
productivity and balance your important long-term projects with your more
urgent tasks. All you need is fifteen to thirty minutes each week for your
planning session.
4. Carry a notebook
You never know when you are going to have a great idea or
brilliant insight. Carry a small notebook with you wherever you go so you
can capture your thoughts. If you wait too long to write them down you
could forget. Another option is to use a digital recorder.
5. Learn to say no
Many people become overloaded with too much work because they
over-commit; they say yes when they really should be saying no. Learn to
say no to low priority requests and you will free up time to spend on
things that are more important.
6. Think before acting
How many times have you said yes to something you later
regretted? Before committing to a new task, stop to think about it before
you give your answer. This will prevent you from taking on too much work.
7. Continuously improve yourself
Make time in your schedule to learn new things and develop
your natural talents and abilities. For example, you could take a class,
attend a training program, or read a book. Continuously improving your
knowledge and skills increases your marketability, can help boost your
career, and is the most reliable path to financial independence.
8. Think about what you are giving up to do your regular activities
It is a good idea to evaluate regularly how you are spending
your time. In some cases, the best thing you can do is to stop doing an
activity that is no longer serving you so you can spend the time doing
something more valuable. Consider what you are giving up in order to
maintain your current activities.
9. Use a time management system
Using a time management system can help you keep track of
everything that you need to do, organize and prioritize your work, and
develop sound plans to complete it. An integrated system is like glue that
holds all the best time management practices together.
10. Identify bad habits
Make a list of bad habits that are stealing your time,
sabotaging your goals, and blocking your success. After you do, work on
them one at a time and systematically eliminate them from your life.
Remember that the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace it
with a better habit.
11. Don't do other people's work
Are you in the habit of doing other people's work because or
a 'hero' mentality? Doing this takes up time that you may not have.
Instead, focus on your own projects and goals, learn to delegate
effectively, and teach others how to do their own work.
12. Keep a goal journal
Schedule time to set and evaluate your goals. Start a journal
and write down your progress for each goal. Go through your goal journal
each week to make sure you are on the right track.
13. Don't be a perfectionist
Some tasks don't require your best effort. Sending a short
email to a colleague, for example, shouldn't take any more than a few
minutes. Learn to distinguish between tasks that deserve to be done
excellently and tasks that just need to be done.
14. Beware of "filler" tasks
When you have a to-do list filled with important tasks, be
careful not to get distracted by "filler" tasks. Things such as
organizing your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you tackle the
items that have the highest priority.
15. Avoid "efficiency traps"
Being efficient doesn't necessarily mean that you are being
productive. Avoid taking on tasks that you can do with efficiency that
don't need to be done at all. Just because you are busy and getting things
done doesn't mean you are actually accomplishing anything significant.
16. Utilize "productive procrastination"
Procrastination doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing if
you use it to delay working on low priority tasks that may not need to be
done at all. Wait until a task becomes important enough to deserve your
time before you work on it.
17. Ask questions
Asking questions can be an effective tool to help keep you on
track. Whenever you are unsure of what to do next, just ask yourself
"What is the most valuable use of my time right now?"
18. Apply the 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule states that 20% of your tasks account for 80%
of the value in your to-do list. Some tasks have a much greater return on
your investment of time and energy than others. Use prioritization to
identify and focus your time on these high payoff tasks.
19. Avoid attempting to do too much
While it is good to balance important long-term projects with
urgent tasks, you can take this too far. If you spread your time and
energy over too many different projects, you may not be able to make
meaningful progress on any of them. Good time management often requires
that you focus your time on a smaller set of objectives.
20. Use your energy cycles
We all have times in our day when we feel productive and
other times when we feel sluggish. Use these highs and lows to your
advantage. Get complex and mentally challenging tasks done during your
energy highs. During the lows, take care of low priority, routine, or
non-challenging tasks.
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