Reaching desired success level(s) boil down to the ability to be disciplined as well as how effective we are at utilizing our time. You may have heard the phrase ” Invest your time, don’t spend it”. Our personal approach to time management is what honestly defines our ability to be successful & if we spend more time than we invest its unlikely we’re successful at all.
Time Management is one of those things that requires you to be fully devoted. Developing a thorough plan to manage your time is the first step in truly making your goals attainable. It may require some intuitive energy to master, however, a promising plan will make the struggle worthwhile in the end. These next advisable methods of time management are what have worked in my favor but are basic yet effective enough to be transferrable to anyone’s schedule
Prioritize
Everything that comes up is NOT urgent. If you want to make real traction in your day & be able to move your tasks from “To Do” to “Done” try rating by levels of urgency. This will also make it easier to later assign your task list to a time block as well as expected completion duration. Set deadlines based on importance & stick to them. Learn to not only say not to others but also to yourself when distractions arise.
Time Block
Organize tasks by time blocks. I schedule my most important tasks in the morning and leave the less demanding & urgent ones for the late afternoon since this is typically the time where I am less motivated & alert. I know that if I get what is most important done early, I can have the freedom to work or not. I’m also less likely to extend my workday beyond my comfort point when sticking true to this system.
Planning days for me are Sundays. I list out my weekly intentions as well as tasks then proceed to assign them to time slots based on level of urgency, deadline & then realistically allot enough time for each. Mental notes that come up during the day irrelevant to what I’m working on are deferred and taken to either sticky notes or space in my planner dedicated just to the unexpected especially if not urgent enough to take precedence over the current schedule & fill in to a later time slot that day or week.
Mono-task MORE, Multitask LESS
Realistically, our brains are not wired to focus on more than one task at a time. In some environments, a version of multitasking is possible, however, there are times where multitasking becomes more cumbersome. Knowing the difference between the two terms & applying them where relevant can make a drastic improvement to your ability to manage your time more wisely. Mono-tasking allows you to focus on 1 simple task rather than attempting to share your focus between 2 different tasks which may result in errors & ultimately requiring you to spend more time to fix, & cutting into time that could be dedicated to other urgent items. To be successful at mono-tasking, time block your day with tasks you’ve set out to have completed & eliminate or control any possible distractions. Turn off call notifications, email notifications & “Get Sh*t Done”.
Discipline over Inspiration
Habits are formed on our ability to remain disciplined. We are less likely to be as productive as we desire if we lean on inspiration to help us through. Instead of waiting for the right feeling to get something done, push yourself through the discomforts & adopt the habit of being disciplined. Its easy to push something off to the next day or even later on in life because we’re waiting around for the perfect time or something else to provoke action. I have had times where this was the case, however going this route just hasn’t been very rewarding. Despite how “not into it” I am, focusing on the results & benefits from getting what I need to get done is what helps me achieve that successfully.
Progress Audits
I’ve realized I have a better attitude at the end of each day & also going into the next when I’ve successfully accomplished my workload for the day. Have a list of completed tasks, for me, has been a great boost to productivity & also provides some motivation to start the day with a similar high base on the previous day’s success. Start keeping a list for yourself and your progress & see what affect it has. Same goes for the lack of progress. Consider it a daily/ weekly progress audit. This way you can pinpoint when & on what tasks you are least productive. Make the necessary adjustments by taking small measures to fine tune your new time management system into a system that produces the results you need.