Given the fast-paced and ever-growing pressures we are all under in our day-to-day lives, it is not surprising that time management is now seen as the key to achieving success in both our personal and professional lives. In fact, poor time management has been shown to increase stress levels, as well as negatively affect our career prospects and put pressure on our relationships.
Most of us have, at one time or another, felt daunted and overwhelmed by the number of tasks and commitments thrust in our direction. But rather than floundering and frantically treading water the key to tackling this situation is effective time management.
"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."
-- H. Jackson Brown
So what are some of the top tips for managing your time more effectively and how can we incorporate them into our daily lives? Below are six secrets to successful time management:
Define your goals
To be effective at time management and avoid the pitfalls of confusion and lack of motivation, it is vital that you clarify what you want to achieve. The most successful people in life set clear goals and don't deviate from them.
A classic technique for goal setting used by many of the worlds top organizations is the SMART program. According to the smart programs, your goals should be:
Specific - Have you clearly defined your goal?
Measurable - How do you know if you are making progress?
Achievable - Is your goal really achievable? Be ambitious but honest.
Rewarding - Is your goal something you are willing to make sacrifices for?
Timely - Is your goal achievable in a meaningful timeframe?
Most importantly - write your goals down! Be familiar with your goals, and don't be afraid to tell other people. This is a simple technique that has been proven to help in achieving goals.
Prioritize and plan your tasks
Successful time management is the ability to identify the most important tasks and to work diligently on them until they are completed. Above all avoid procrastination. To help you do this effectively, it is important to have a comprehensive task list whether on paper, your PDA, your laptop or your favorite task list software. By carefully planning your tasks in this way you'll save valuable time.
Focus on one task at a time
A key factor of effective time management is to tackle one task on your task list at a time. This will help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of what you are trying to achieve.
"The first requisite for success is to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary".
-- Thomas Jefferson
Next time you have a big task in front of you, try breaking the task up into smaller and smaller chunks. Eventually, you will see that the task is achievable by following a series of simple steps. This helps you gain confidence and see that the task ahead is really not so difficult. Once you have done this, focus on completing the smaller tasks - one step at a time.
Prepare in advance
You'll save time and increase productivity if you prepare your work environment and equipment beforehand. Get Organized! Tidy your desk, make sure you chair is in the correct position and you have all the information you need close at hand.
Basic organization skills will help you find information faster and also help prevent stress.
Look after yourself
A key factor of successful time management is your own well being. It is vital that you eat a healthy diet, have enough sleep and avoid working excessively long hours as these factors will undoubtedly have a negative effect on your productivity and energy levels.
Exercise is very important to effective time management. Think of exercise as an investment. Ten to twenty minutes of daily exercise will pay dividends on your concentration later in the day. Maintaining a high level of concentration over an extended period of time requires a basic level of physical fitness.
Also, in order to stay motivated and avoid feelings of apathy, it is important to be positive about your tasks. Look for solutions and not problems and you'll remain energized and enthusiastic.
Keep up the momentum
And finally, the last secret to successful time management is to keep your drive and determination alive. Effective people work quickly and continuously and in doing so save precious time. It's essential to be disciplined and keep the momentum going as this will make you work faster, keep you motivated and increase productivity.
Of course everyone is different. The real secret of success is knowing yourself well enough to know what works and what doesn't. For most people this is a constant process of trying to learn new things and apply new techniques. The best time management advice we can give is to find something that works for you and stick with it!
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
-- Michael Altshuler
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posted @ Wednesday, July 25, 2007 10:00 PM
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