Five Tips for Effective Time Management

The clock is an equal opportunity taskmaster. No matter where you live or work we all march to the same 24-hour drumbeat.

With that being said then why is it that some people seem to accomplish so much more than others. Is it possible that they have a different clock? Nah, can’t be!

So what are their secrets? Plain and simple, how do they get so much done?

Here are a few tips from people who have mastered the skill and art of effective time management:

1. Have a daily plan. Having a plan will not only help you to actually accomplish what you have set out to do, it will also give you a feeling of being in charge of your to-do list and not the other way around. Having a plan doesn’t mean that you can’t add or delete to-dos; it simply means that you have a direction and can put into place the action steps to get you there.

2. Bundle your tasks. Jumping from one task to another eats away at your time and productivity. Allocate a specific amount of time to complete a task or at least make enough headway so that taking a break or moving on to something else won’t cause significant disruption. Bundling “like” tasks enables you to become more proficient at accomplishing the task; hence, it will usually take less time and work to get it completed.

3. Breaks are mandatory. The best time managers know that they MUST take periodic breaks to refresh their mind and body. A little 10-minute break to get some air, have a beverage, check in with a colleague or a loved one can go a long way to improving your spirit and increasing your stamina.

4. You can’t do it all. Sometimes 24 hours isn’t enough; in fact 48 hours won’t do it either. You simply have too much to do and when you find yourself in that situation, time management dictates that you delegate some of what is on your plate and earn back some time by having other people do tasks for you. (Attention all micro-managers: you CAN delegate some of your tasks. It just takes planning and due diligence!)

5. Don’t rush. Sounds counter-intuitive doesn’t it, but rushing through a task usually means that you won’t do as good of a job or you will make mistakes, both of which will require you to go back to the drawing board and redo the work…causing you to spend more time! Take time the first time and you won’t have to deal with re-do’s.

There are many more effective time management strategies and scads of books and courses on the topic as well. It’s a good idea to read and study the topic of time management because one thing is for sure, the clock is staying put at 24 hours.

Here is a link to some popular time management books if you are so inclined – http://www.amazon.com/TOP-TEN-BOOKS-TIME-MANAGEMENT/lm/R34QKG0QTEIPQG