We all know how difficult it can be to manage our time and get the most important things in our lives done. Because of that we’ve put together these 35 time management tips to help you feel better and get more done.
- Plan each day.
- Prioritize your tasks.
- Say no to unessential tasks.
- Delegate.
- START – the hardest and most important step.
- Avoid the getting trapped in the social networking time-sucks.
- Take frequent, short breaks.
- Be accountable. Reach out to friends or coworkers to hold you to a commitment.
- Discover the real purpose behind your tasks.
- Eliminate tasks that don’t have a real purpose.
- Find a scheduling tool you love and can update frequently (Day Planner, smartphone calendar, notebook, etc.)
- Take on fewer things and do better work.
- Turn off your phone or use the do not disturb button when you need to focus.
- Create a team mentality. Make it okay to trade tasks and/or help out when someone falls behind.
- SLEEP – Taking the time to rest your body will help you be much more effective when you’re awake.
- Exercise – You can naturally reduce tension and improve focus by moving your body.
- Eat well – Eating quality food will help you avoid the afternoon slump and will give you increased energy.
- Track how you spend your time during the day. Keeping a log will quickly show you where you can improve.
- Take a vacation day. Sometimes a day away from the office can really help you refocus and reenergize.
- Do what excites you the most first. Crossing things off your to-do list will give you motivation to do the things that are less exciting.
- Choose the 3 most important things on your to-do list and work on those today.
- Find your most productive time. It’s different for everyone. Make the most of that time.
- Work in a clutter free zone.
- If you have a lot of clutter, spend 15 minutes every day clearing it out. No more, no less.
- Unplug. Internet access is a double edged sword. Stay away unless it’s necessary to the task at hand.
- Turn off your email and instant messaging notifications. Staying focused is impossible when distractions continually take us away. Turn off your notifications and check email every 30 minutes to an hour.
- No Multitasking! Doing more than one thing at a time erodes productivity.
- Keep meetings to a minimum. If it can be discussed or handled through another (quicker) medium, do that.
- Set clear goals and spend your valuable time working toward those goals.
- Don’t get overwhelmed by big projects. Break them into smaller projects or phases.
- Don’t let email accumulate. Even though you’re disabling notifications, it’s still important to reply to all your messages when you do check your email. This will help you avoid getting overwhelmed by your inbox. It’s okay to unsubscribe to mail that isn’t relevant.
- Respect deadlines.
- Be honest with yourself about how long a task will take to complete.
- Once you’ve delegated, let it go. Then follow a reporting plan.
- Love what you do, and you’ll find yourself getting it done.
If there are any others you’d like to add, go ahead and leave them int he comments!