Time management is not just a buzzword, it’s something that all of us need to tackle at some point in our lives. Most of us are ‘lazy’ people who don’t want to spend too much time organising and planning our days so instead we procrastinate, leave things until the last minute, or find ways to avoid doing anything productive. WHO ARE WE KIDDING? Even though we all know this isn’t the best way to manage our time – many of us tend to do exactly that when it comes to managing our time on a daily basis. But there is no need to despair – Organised People Everywhere won’t let you give up quite so easily! Read on for some great tips…
Be Really Really Organised
You might not realise it, but being disorganised is one of the biggest time wasters on the planet. If you’re not careful, paper piles will grow out of control, your calendar will be full of unimportant appointments, and important documents will be left forgotten in drawers. At worst, being disorganised can lead to missed opportunities, unnecessary stress, and a lower quality of life. Don’t let it happen to you! Keeping your life in order doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are a few tips to get you started. – Set up a filing system to cut down on paper clutter. – Clean up your email inbox and calendar with apps like Unroll.me and Calendly. – Create to-do lists. – Stay focused by blocking off times on your calendar for uninterrupted work.
Organise Your Desk/Workspace
If you’re lucky enough to have a dedicated office space, then it’s worth investing a bit of time and effort into making the space as functional as possible. For those of us who have to make do with limited space or those who have to share a desk at the office, however, a few quick-fix tricks can make a big difference. – If you have enough room for a bookshelf, try to arrange your desk items in such a way that they’re easily accessible. Put your most frequently used items – such as the computer, pad of paper, etc. – close to your desk chair. – If you have limited space, try to stack things vertically. This will make the most of your space and make it easier to see what’s where. – Having a messy/disorganised desk can affect your productivity. It can also have a negative impact on your health – research shows that sitting in an unhealthily messy/disorganised environment for a long period of time can have the same effect on your health as smoking. – Put a timer on your computer when you’re working – the Pomodoro technique is a tried and tested way to keep on top of distractions and stay focused on the task at hand.
Plan Your Day The Night Before
Effective time management begins with having a clear outline of what your day will look like. Do this before you go to bed and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches come morning. It may sound counterintuitive, but planning your day the night before is a great way to sidestep the urge to procrastinate. Here are some tips to help you get started. – Get everything out of your head and onto a piece of paper. – Outline your to-do list with the most important tasks at the top. – Put your most important tasks at the beginning of the day. – If you want to make sure you prioritise sleep, put your bedtime on the list so you can ensure you get a good night’s rest. – If you don’t want to write out everything that you need to do, try using a task management app like Getting Things Done (GTD).
Hold Yourself To A High Standard
Productivity can be a fickle beast. When you’re in the flow, you’ll feel productive even on your worst days. On your best days, you’ll reach a flow state where you’re able to get more done in a few hours than most people do in a day. Unfortunately, flow states and productivity don’t come with a guarantee. There are things you can do to increase the likelihood of being productive on any given day, but it’s not something that you can rely on. That’s why it’s important to hold yourself to a high standard. Make sure that you’re always doing the best you can with the resources available to you. Be strict and uncompromising with yourself, and you’ll have a better shot at getting things done.
Conclusion
There’s no denying that life comes with a lot of challenges and responsibilities. This can make it difficult to find the time to do the things that are important to you. Luckily, there are ways to manage your time so you can get things done while still having time for the things that you enjoy. Try the tips in this article to become more organised, work more efficiently, and find more time in your day.