Effective Time Management Tips – There is plenty of time to get everything done in the workday – you just have to plan your schedule wisely. Mastering this skill is difficult but well worth it. Read on for our top time management tips!
Working less and earning more has been a long-sought-after goal for many people – after all, it implies a successful lifestyle. And it isn’t impossible to obtain; all you have to do is properly manage your own time. If you can do that, you can achieve any goal. To help you learn how to manage your time wisely and unlock your earning potential, we’ve compiled some tips.
- Set Goals Wisely
If you set an unreasonable goal, underestimate the time and resources needed to achieve it, or pick the wrong means to get there, success will be much harder to reach. To set goals wisely, you must:
- Evaluate your capabilities.
- Highlight the most specific and realistic desired result.
- Determine the ways to achieve the goal and choose the best one.
- Think over possible problems that may arise, and provide ways to solve them.
Always keep in mind why you are doing all this, and then the actual manifestation of the goal will come soon.
- Make a Plan of Action
After you set your goals, you need to make a plan of action. This can be short-term or long-term; common periods of time are a day, a week, and even a year. It is important to always understand how you will spend the next hour to achieve maximum results. Planning principles include:
- Split long-term plans into intervals of time, and write them down.
- Divide large tasks into small ones. For example, instead of “find a supplier,” you would have several smaller steps like study the market, read reviews, select candidates, evaluate products, and so on.
- Set aside some extra time to account for unforeseen circumstances. Trust us; you’ll be happy you have this buffer!
This approach will allow you to achieve great productivity and complete all important tasks — not a minute wasted.
- Prioritize
So, the goals have already been set, and the list of tasks has been created. However, not all tasks are equally important. To properly distribute your time and resources, you can use the ABCDE principle:
- Task A is the most important and highest priority. It is not necessarily long or complicated, but sometimes the whole business depends on it. It must be done first.
- Task B is the second priority; it can be a single task or multiple ones. It is important for business, but not critical — it can be done after task A.
- Tasks C, D, and E are less important, and there can be an unlimited number of them.
Thus, time management experts advise doing task A first. This method is jokingly called “eat a frog for breakfast” for not putting off the hardest for lunch or dinner. And only then will less important tasks go smoothly.
- Don`t Get Distracted
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is not focusing on the essentials. Time management is not a science on how to do more; instead, it’s about how to spend time on necessary and important things. Try the following techniques:
- Delegation of authority. Unnecessary tasks should not distract you from the main priority, so pass them to others, if possible.
- Combining work and pleasure. Allow yourself to go on social networks, reply to friends’ messages, and just aimlessly surf the Internet. Set strictly defined hours; otherwise, this activity will devour a huge part of your time.
- Saying no. Don’t be afraid to decline unnecessary tasks and turn away distractions. For example, if you are working on an important task (thinking over an advertising budget or developing strategies for business development), and employees are constantly knocking on the door with nonsense tasks, then it is important to say “no” and send them to another responsible subordinate.
- Take Time to Rest
Working nonstop isn’t the key to maximum productivity; you need a balance between focused work and rewarding relaxation. Make sure to plan some rest time in your busy schedule. It can be family travel on vacation or an interesting weekend.
Equally important are meeting friends, going to the gym, shopping — it doesn’t matter what activity it is, as long as it gives you pleasure. Such rest will restore your strength and give you a boost of vivacity. Take breaks during the working day: if you are tired, have a snack with a cup of coffee or tea, allow yourself to watch videos, etc. This time will not be wasted, as you are rewarding yourself for your hard work.
All these tips regarding time management can be used during work or study and while achieving any other goals. The main thing is to make every effort to plan your time, and then all tasks will be completed quickly!
