3 Ways to Effectively Manage Your Time
By Genevieve Cunningham
Good time management is a skill. When we don't know how to manage our time, it leads to poor habits, poor work performance, and even poor health. But if we're being completely honest with ourselves, managing our time can be really difficult. We get so used to things like procrastinating, distracting ourselves, and working at the last minute. Managing our time and completing tasks in advance feels so foreign! But if we want to live happy, healthy, productive lives, it's a skill that we absolutely must learn. If you're read to finally use your time for a purpose, take a look at these three tips for helping you make the change.
Make a Rigid Schedule
We like to think that we don't need schedules. We like to think that punching a time clock is something we do only because we have to, not because we actually need it. But the truth is that most of us need some kind of time clock. We need a schedule. We need structure. If you're poor on time management, chances are good that you're also poor with scheduling. Focus on creating a schedule for your day that is structured down to the smallest detail. Though it might feel like a drag, it will almost guarantee that you'll get more done in the long run.
Create a Distraction-Free Environment
Distractions keep us from getting the real work done. They play right into our procrastinating hands and make it so easy to continually push things off. If you want to stop, you need your space to be as distraction-free as possible. And distractions come in all shapes and sizes -- open tabs, social media, phones, and a whole bevy of other toys and gadgets. Create a space where very few of these things exist, and you'll be a little closer to managing your time and getting more done.
Use Cues
Sometimes we need little helpers to get us back on track when our mind wanders. These might be alarms on the phone, a friend who gently nudges us in the right direction, or a quote or picture on our desk that forces us to reevaluate our current actions. These cues should be placed wherever we spend a lot of time, and most especially wherever we need to get things done. Use these cues regularly as you're learning, and you should need them less and less as you master the art of time management.
Time management is a skill that we all need. We need it at work and at home, and we need it to be more productive and successful. Use these tips to manage your time, and stick with it. With some practice and perseverance, you can learn to be effective with your time and resources for the rest of your life.
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