Time management (keeping in mind that you can’t MANAGE TIME, but you can manage the way you USE TIME). Let’s talk about time management: getting more done in less time, When you’re planning and managing the way in which you approach the 24 hours you’re given in a day, you need to have a process in place to plan and control how much time you spend on specific activities. Good strategies for managing your time will allow you to complete more of the things that matter, in a shorter period of time. It will also lower your stress and lead to more client and income growth.
Time Management: Getting More Done In Less Time
Here are some of the most common ways in which to manage your time and your tasks.
- Breaks. Yes, take breaks to avoid burnout and overwhelm.I set my fitness tracker to vibrate every 60 minutes and it prompts me to get up and move around.
- Delegate. Train yourself to assign tasks to others on your team so you can focus on your zones of genius.
- Efficiency. Find ways to do tasks — especially recurring ones — quickly and effectively.
- Plan: Set goals and create a schedule to achieve those goals.
- Prioritize: Decide which tasks are most important and need to be done first.
Time management is more of a “personal approach to efficiency management and task management” and can be learned and improved upon with focus and practice. By following these time management strategies, you can learn to manage your time more effectively and get more done in less time.
Here are additional strategies to put in your time management toolbox:
- Set realistic goals. You can’t do it all and you can’t do it all at one time. If you try you will end up being overwhelmed and possibly suffer from burnout.
- Break down large tasks into smaller ones. If you’ve ever heard the comment, “How do you eat an elephant?” the answer is “One bite at a time.” This is the same with your large projects — one bite, one step at a time.
- Set deadlines. Even if a project doesn’t have a deadline, setting one for yourself will keep you accountable and moving forward. This is something I’ve learned to do when it comes to writing my cozy mystery.
- Eliminate distractions. The dings and pings of social media, your phone and emails will pull you away from the task you’re focusing on and scatter your focus. Turn off your phone, close your email and, if possible, find a quiet place to work. Or, as I do, find a coffee shop in which to work — the distractions there aren’t going to pull me away from the task at hand.
- Reward yourself. When you complete a task, take a few minutes to relax and celebrate your accomplishment.
Implement these tips. Learn to manage your approach to time. Reach out if you want to learn more or join my Tea With Robbi Time Tips group.