5 Tips To Better Manage Your Time
It can be easy to get caught up in a whirl wind and let life happen to us instead of living each day with intention. All of us have struggled to manage our time at some point. So, what are the most common hang ups and how can we avoid them? Here are five quick tips to better time management.
1. Plan ahead: In order to overcome obstacles we have to anticipate their arrival and how we will react to them ahead of time. We have to make a decision on how we will react to a certain situation before it happens so we are less likely to get overwhelmed in the moment. Always have a plan B!
Ask...
-What might keep me from accomplishing my goals today?
-How can I react positively when something outside my control happens?
2. Categorize your time: This tip is so important for those who juggle many priorities and wear a lot of different hats. Try this! Separate your tasks into categories on paper. (Work, personal, family etc.) This will help the day feel less cluttered and help you see clearly everything that needs done.
3. Do it now, not later: Why do it later when you can do it now? It doesn’t take that much time, it just takes some time. The reward we get from discipline is the sense of accomplishment we feel after completing what it is we set out to do.
4. Utilize your planner: A planner can be such a great tool if you know how to use it! Here are three practical things you can do everyday to get the most out of using a planner. - Write out priorities for the day with the most important item at the top. - Check your planner regularly and tick things off as you go. - Keep the list short. Don’t overwhelm yourself. You can always add later once you’ve completed your highest priorities . 5. You control your planner, it doesn't control you:
Prioritize! Don't just say yes to every little thing that comes your way. When your planner starts to fill up learn to pick the things that are most important to you and focus on one thing at a time. Free up your time/limit your priorities. We can’t say yes to everything and it doesn’t help anyone when we do.
Ask...
-What is most important to me?
-Is this helping me long term?
-Am I doing it for the right reasons?
Implementing these five tips has certainly helped me over the years. I hope it helps you too! What is your biggest hang up with time management? How are you going to do better? Leave a comment below!
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