There are 24 hours in each day, each filled with 60 minutes of sixty seconds. This is the physical reality of the world we live in and it cannot be denied, but there never seems to be enough time when we need it and there's always too much when we don't. They key to time management is not about finding out how much you can accomplish within a set amount of time, it is more about finding out how you can utilise those 24 hours to maximum effect, because we all know that time is money. Here are some ideas to making the most of your time.
Sometimes we have to spend time to make time. It helps considerably to spend a little time planning how you intend to spend your time. This is most effective when done on a weekly and on a daily basis. Before you start your working week, know what you want to achieve on each day. At the start of each day, know what you want to achieve and what is possible to be completed by particular times. An appointment book is far more effective and clear than a todo list.
Prioritisation is obviously an important factor in time management. When you are creating your daily plan, make sure to define which are the most important tasks and ensure these are completed first. This will relieve a lot of stress when you are trying to complete the less important tasks later on in the day.
Building in time for interruptions and urgent matters ensures that you will not end up with an overwhelming amount of work because of a pressing email that turns up in your inbox. Not everything can be predicted, but we can predict that something is likely to turn up that requires our attention or that something is going to go wrong, and for the sake of your sanity as well as effectively managing your time, this should be considered when planning your work day.
By avoiding distractions, you can complete your work in a quicker time frame. Tools such as Facebook and other social networking sites may be excellent marketing tools, but they also offer and endless supply of wasted hours. Switch off your mobile when possible, close your social accounts and focus your energy on your work to ensure you are achieving your goals at a reasonable rate.
Maintaining a positive attitude and discipline towards your appointment book is vital to preserving motivation. Make sure you have a clear goal in mind, both short term and long term, to ensure you have the energy to power through your work, even when it feels like the seconds are stretching out.
By focussing on one task at a time, you can cut down on useless productivity. If you're constantly switching between your emails and your calls and chasing after everything you will waste a lot of time despite feeling productive. Again, this comes down to discipline and maintaining an effective appointment book.
If you can simplify your work by refining down a process or even eliminating it altogether you will be saving both time and money. Sometimes it pays to spend a few minutes considering what really needs to be done and what can be shortened to save more time in the long run.
Always remember to build in time for yourself. Ensure you are eating a healthy diet, try to get a decent 8 hours of sleep to ensure your body and your mind is functioning properly, and spend enough time doing what you love to help maintain a positive attitude, even while you are at work.