By Vitaliy Knysh
Have you ever found yourself complaining bitterly about how poor you are when it comes to time management? Well, if your answer to this is yes, then you are not alone. Time is the fabric of life and the very essence of existence itself. If you are able to manage your time, then managing your life becomes not just easy but also very interesting.
In the following sections, we will navigate through the various time management tips and strategies that you can easily use for even better results in your life. All you have to do is to pay close attention to these tips and carry them out as faithfully as possible. Let’s roll!
1. Eliminating procrastination
Without a doubt, the greatest thief of time is procrastination. The day you are able to get rid of procrastination is the day that you gain real mastery over time. And once you gain control over time, your destiny lies in your own hands. It is very easy for us to keep procrastinating and pushing activities till tomorrow that will never come.
However, I must say that getting rid of procrastination will not just be in a day. It will take some patience and a lot of discipline. A method that you can use is to carefully observe the major activities or tasks that waste huge chunks of your time. Once you identify them, begin to eliminate them strategically.
2. Learn to say “No”
You remember that time when you wake up early in the morning determined to make the best use of the day and then your best friend just shows up and begs you with teary eyes to accompany her to her swimming lessons for just a couple of hours? Yes, that is exactly how your whole day gets messed up. Learn the art of saying no in a firm and respectful way. Once you have charted up your schedule and time-table for the day, do not allow any one to disrupt your agenda. Remember, no one can scatter your plans for the day, unless of course, if you allow them to. Let people know that you have already planned for the day, and if they really love you enough, then they will respect your decision as well.
One of the most powerful time management tips is the simple art of saying one word – “No”.
3. Be the delegator-in-chief
One thing you must realize with time is that even with the best and most effective strategies, you cannot achieve every single task that sputter from your mind. So what do you do? You list all the activities you really need to do, and start delegating them to others while you face the most crucial tasks. Outsourcing is a solution. Remember the Pareto Principle: 20% of effort will produce 80% of the results. So concentrate your energy on the most crucial tasks. Set up delegates to task the other jobs at hand.
4. Put it on paper
Try to write down all your major tasks for the day and the approximate duration for each of the activities. It has been discovered that writing down on paper tunes your mind subconsciously towards ensuring that you achieve all the goals.
5. Start with the most difficult
Once you do the most challenging tasks, others fall like a pack of cards. This is one time management tip you can try out right away!
Time management is an important part of any business.