Time Management Techniques

Importance of Time Management Techniques

Effective time management isn't about making each day last longer. It's about learning how to make the most of the time that you have. No matter how much time you spend wishing for more hours in each day, the number of minutes, seconds, and hours in a single day will never change.

When you wonder how certain people seem to be able to accomplish so much more than you every day, it's important to remind yourself that you and the other people all have the same 24 hours in every single day. When you learn how to manage your time better, you'll be able to accomplish more tasks and experience less stress without having to give up the activities you love.

Technique 1: Set Limits

Prioritizing and Choosing Tasks

There is one word you will need to add to your vocabulary before you can begin to master the skill of time management. That word is no. Of course, refusing to assist a client or telling your boss you won't take an assignment would not be a good idea. What you need to do is learn to say no to those activities that aren't directly related to your job, family, or other aspects of your life that you need to prioritize right now.

If you are a reliable and dependable person, it's likely that you are frequently asked to head up committees, fundraisers, events, etc. While these types of activities are important and rewarding, you should pick and choose which ones you choose to add to your workload. Don't allow yourself to feel pressured into agreeing to take on every task that is posed to you.

Limit Setting Language

Phrases that can help you say no in these situations include:

• I'm not able to fit that into my schedule at this point in time.
• I am flattered to be asked, but am not available to take on additional responsibilities at this time.
• I'm sure you need someone in charge of this event who can commit time and energy to it, and I'm not available to do that right now.

Remember to stick to your decision. Sometimes people will keep asking, thinking that you will change your mind if they phrase the question a different way. If you let yourself be bullied into taking on a project that you don't want and don't have time to handle, you'll be resentful, angry, and become even more stressed out.

If the club or committee representative keeps asking even though you have politely declined, you may have to be more assertive. You may have to say something like, "I have explained my position and will not be changing my mind. This is not something I can do. My answer is no.

Technique 2: Recognize Time Wasters

Most people are surprised to learn how much time they spend engaging in time wasting activities every day. It's important to realize that activity and productivity are not the same thing at all. You can be busy all day, yet still feel as if you have accomplished nothing 8 or 10 hours later.

Logging Activities

Try keeping a log of the activities you engage in throughout the day for a week or two. You don't have to write down every single thing you do, but rather keep track of the types of activities that occupy your time. Make a list of the things you do on a daily basis, and then notate the times you spend engaging in such activities. Make sure to include a category for other and room to add additional categories.

When you look at your time log after a few days, you're likely to find large chunks of time going to nonproductive activities that do not contribute to your personal or professional well being. These are the activities you need to find a way to consolidate, or in some cases eliminate.

Category Suggestions

Time log categories may vary greatly from one person to another. The idea is to come up with categories of things that occupy your time. You may want to begin with headings such as:

• Chatting with co-workers (not work related)
• Co-worker discussions (work related)
• Checking email
• Communication with clients
• Opening the mail
• Watching television
• Any other tasks that take up even what seem to be small chunks of your time

Technique 3: Set Priorities

Once you've learned how to refuse to take on projects that keep you from being able to focus your time and energy on things that really matter and you have an idea of where your time goes every day, you'll be able to set priorities.

Many people have a tendency to work on the tasks and assignments they enjoy first, putting off less pleasant projects as long as possible. It's a much better idea to prioritize your workload so that you focus first on tasks with the most immediate deadlines and those that are the most important.

Technique 4: Avoid Procrastination

If you consistently put off things you don't want to do, you'll end up wasting time dreading having to work on those tasks. Remind yourself that an unpleasant task doesn't take any longer to complete right now than it will a week from now. Putting unwanted tasks off doesn't make them go away, and can actually make getting them completed and out of the way much more difficult in the long run.

Technique 5: The 15 Minute Manager

Organizational guru Marla Cilley, founder of FlyLady.net, suggests using a timer and doing as much of a task as you can in 15 minutes. In 'racing the clock', many people discover that work-related tasks they had thought would be very time consuming can be done much more quickly than they anticipated. By breaking tasks down into manageable increments, less time is wasted and people feel less overwhelmed, enabling them to make use of their time more effectively.

Getting Your Schedule Under Control

Taking the time to implement these time management techniques into your daily life can help you get rid of that feeling of being out of control. When you allow yourself to say no and develop a firm understanding of where you're time is going, it can become much easier to prioritize your workload and accomplish everything you need to get done. Remember to reward yourself for making progress toward your goals, and you'll soon be on your way to putting yourself in control of your schedule.