Time is the one resource that almost all humans are equal in. There are only 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, and 365 days in a year. While some people’s lives do get cut short, the time that we are given is equal to all. Five minutes to me is five minutes to the most wealthy person on Earth, which is also the same five minutes for the least wealthy person on Earth. How, then, can some achieve so much in comparison to others?
While there are many factors at play, time management is a skill that is essential for the mastery and proper use of our time. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or a homemaker, managing your time effectively will help you achieve your goals and lead a fulfilling life. If that’s something you think you could benefit from, then this article will go over our top tips for making the most out of the time you are given.
Tip #1: Plan and Prioritize
The #1 tip we give is usually the most obvious, and yet it is often the one practiced the least. In this case, it is planning and prioritizing.
This involves identifying your goals and tasks, and determining the order in which they need to be completed. Start by making a to-do list of all the tasks that need to be completed, and then prioritize them according to their importance and urgency. Prioritization is important, because not all chores and tasks are created equal, and it’s important to make sure the right things are getting done.
What I find to be useful is to use a digital calendar such as a Google Calendar to break apart my day. When I first started using it, my intention was to keep myself on-track throughout the day. An unexpected benefit I got, however, was realizing how much free time I actually had. When everything is organized and given a concrete deadline, you realize how much time you actually have. This time can be used to be more productive, or it can be used as time to relax and enjoy the life you were given.
Tip #2: Learn to Say No
The more tightly packed your schedule becomes with things to do, the more likely you are to realize that you take on too much. We often feel pressured to say yes to every request or opportunity that comes our way, whether it’s a social invitation or a work project. However, we only have so much time and do not want to get over-committed. Once we make that mistake, things (oftentimes important things) begin to slip through the cracks.
Learning to say no is an important skill that can help you manage your time effectively. This means being clear about your priorities and limitations, and declining requests or invitations that don’t match up with them. It may feel uncomfortable or awkward at first, but saying no can actually help you create more time and space for the things that matter most. Plus, people rarely get upset about you declining, so long as you are polite and your reasons are clear and understandable.
Tip #3: Practice Time Blocking
Time blocking is a powerful technique that can help you stay focused and productive throughout the day. This involves dividing your day into blocks of time, and assigning specific tasks to each block. For example, you might allocate 30 minutes for checking emails, 2 hours for completing a work project, and 1 hour for exercise or self-care.
This might seem like it’s the same as the ‘plan and prioritize’ tip above, but it’s really here to take that thought a step further. It’s one thing to make a to-do list and say “I need to do X,Y, and Z today”. It’s another step, however, to assign those tasks a chunk of time and block those times off. This prevents you from wasting more time than necessary completing a task. It also allows you to stay focused and prevent yourself from getting pulled in another direction. Which leads nicely into the next tip we’re going to discuss.
Tip #4: Eliminate Distractions
Social media notifications, email alerts, coworkers dropping by your desk: distractions such as these and more will disrupt your focus and waste valuable time. That doesn’t mean that these distractions don’t warrant your attention, but many of them don’t need your attention in the exact moment they are presented to you. Many things can wait until you can better plan and prioritize to complete them, rather than throwing you out of your groove mid-project. To overcome this challenge, it’s important to identify and eliminate sources of distraction as much as possible.
Start by turning off notifications on your phone and computer, and closing unnecessary tabs or apps. You can also try working in a quiet, distraction-free environment, or using noise-cancelling headphones to block out background noise. If you work in a busy office or shared space, consider using a “do not disturb” sign or a designated focus area to signal to others that you’re in the zone.
If you’re going to follow this tip, though, be communicative with others so they understand why you’re suddenly making this change. It also may be good to set up time specifically for those types of distractions to pop up. If you have an hour that you dedicate to random requests and emails, then that can funnel it all into one place rather than spreading it out throughout the full workday.
Tip #5: Take Breaks and Rest
Finally, it’s important to remember that we are not machines (as much as we may like to try to be). Effective time management isn’t just about working harder or longer – it’s also about taking care of yourself and your wellbeing. Taking regular breaks and getting enough rest is crucial for maintaining your focus, creativity, and productivity over the long term.
Try to take short breaks every hour or two, and use this time to stretch, walk around, or do something that relaxes you. Then, make sure you have a day or two each week where the workload is minimal or nonexistent. If you’re going to be hyper-productive, you’re ‘relaxing’ time needs to be just as planned and prioritized as your ‘productive’ time. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself half-working rather than actually getting the most out of your break. This can be tricky at first, but will hep you more and more as you learn to trust yourself over time.
Our Most Valuable Resource
We only get one life, and on average we all live similar lifespans depending on our habits. Some people choose to let it pass them by, others choose to push themselves to the limit to get the absolute most out of each second. Rather than allowing either of the extremes to happen, I believe it’s best to focus on finding the place in the middle of the spectrum that you find most fulfilling and positive.
Effective time management is a critical skill that can help you achieve your goals and improve your productivity. By following the tips and techniques outlined in this article, you can master the art of time management and make the most of your time. While it may be daunting to implement initially and rough to stick with at times, it will leave you feeling satisfied with your work at the end of each day. Then, when you look back on the last month or year of your life, you can do so fondly and with pride at what you accomplished.