Simply talking about time management is one thing and actually walking the path and implementing it, is altogether a different ball game. Here in “11 Time Management Tips: Master Your Time and Your Destiny“, the focus is on practical application. Go beyond empty rhetoric, and try implementing the tips, if you find any difficulties, come back and we shall discuss and find solutions. Let’s get to work and damn, achieve the targets.
We all know that time is limited and the winner and loser gets the same time. Time itself is the most precious, non-renewable resource that is equally distributed to all humans. Some use it efficiently and effectively, while others need some guidance. We have a lot to do in the world while the clock is ticking. Hearing a lecture about time management is one thing and implementing it to get the results is another. In the previous article on this blog, we learnt about the importance and benefits of time management. Now since we understand time management fully, its time to get to the ground zero and work. Am pretty sure that you have been trying many things. Some will help and some will teach you a lesson. Knowing the basics is important because when you have a firm grasp of the concept then your approach to it is more sober and hard-hitting. Remember, we are here to make a difference and not to just talk and discuss and pass the time.
After reading this article you’ll be having some practical wisdom to manage your time and gain control in your life. You’ll be able to make a difference and start seeing the results by implementing the simple tips mentioned in this article.
Tips for Effective Time Management: Practical Approach
1. Basic Rule is “Prioritization”
Yes, you have read it right. This is the basic of the basics. For this first, you need to know what you need in life. Not talking about salvation or philosophy. Here am talking about goals, timelines, your dreams, what you want to achieve and within what time frame. Based on your dreams and ambitions, prioritize what you want to achieve in short term, which if done consistently will be creating a synergy towards the achievement of greater goals. Prioritize your tasks and decide their importance. See what habits you need to inculcate and what habits you need to get rid off. At this stage, just make a decision and keep a mental note of your analysis. This prioritization will serve as a compass to guide your daily actions towards your goals. Whenever you’ll not be able to manage time well, your priorities will ring an alarm and will be telling you, that dreams are being ignored.
2. Using Time Planners and To-do lists
These simple tasks are much trickier than they seem to be. Lots of android applications have created more mess. Time planners and To-do lists are of greater use if you have clarity in mind and a balanced approach. Remember we are going to manage a “human day” with glorified labour to make it outstanding in our history and making it count for the future. Don’t make a colossal To-Do list and burden yourself. Doing things in a hurried manner is like doing more damage than not doing them at all. You need to be fully committed to your tasks but keep buffer for any unforeseen emergencies and tasks. Have that much buffer so that in case something threatens your To-Do list and Plan for the Day, you can bounce back and align it again. Accomplish a few things, but do accomplish something daily. Don’t try any Herculean effort to pack a whole life into a day. This game is for long terms players, you need to build a solid base, build it slowly, build it daily but build for sure. Keep up the good work.
3. Time It
Nope! It’s not any repetition of the above point. We are moving forward cadets. Keep up. Now you have your shot terms plans and daily goals to accomplish. The trick here is, have time-slabs to finish the task. Don’t drag it all day long and fool yourself to be very busy. This approach may seem ruthless but is effective. Try to finish your tasks within given time-frame and then you’ll be able to judge your efficiency. If you can finish a task within a time-frame, maybe you can allot and finish another task and can take a day off in a week to go on a picnic or a movie or a date. The idea is that while accomplishing things, you have to live your life. All things happen while you are living. There is no before or after. You need to pack achievement, hustle and smelling the roses in one single life. Balance it. Time it!
4. Wake-up Early
Don’t be swayed away by “am a day person”, “am a night person”, ideology. Get up your ass before the Sun and start shining. Self-serving excuses are not going to help lazy bums to achieve anything in life. Follow 21/90 rule. 21 days to make a habit and 90 days to build a lifestyle. You need to wake up early because you live on the planet, where other people are working during the day. You may need to socialize, do networking, gather resources, get important tasks done from others, arrange cooperation etc. You cannot implement all this in the night when half of the world is asleep while you are awake. For students, even this is not right. Why? By waking up all night and working till morning, students fool themselves of the “midnight toil” that they have worked too hard and study day and night. But actually, in 24hrs, their self-study time is only 5 to 6 hrs. That could be enough if your goals are low, but if you wish to fight, raise a punch higher Bob.
5. Work on Weekends
“Arise Awake Sleep, not till the goal is reached” – this was mantra given by a great sage Vivekananda. If you are a student, businessman, entrepreneur or a person with a dedicated goal, then remember there are ‘no Sundays’ to waste your human days. Let the world party while you build your dream life. Remember, you have to pay the price and rise above the average if you need something extraordinary. You have to leave the security of flock if you want to be the eagle to fly so high.
6. Wear a Wrist Watch
What? Nope, am not selling any brand of wrist watch. Even a cheap digital one will do. Yes, I know you have watch in your smartphone, but that is not helping. Wear a watch, feel the importance of time. Don’t swipe the phone to know the time, lest the notifications will kidnap you to another world of average concentration spans and will dilute your quality time. Keep track of your time. Take pains to measure your time. Be responsible. Wear a watch, and when you need to see the time, see it in your wrist watch. It’s more than psychological. A time measuring instrument on your wrist implies the importance you give to your time. Let it be formal, the better. Try it and you’ll know.
7. Eat Healthy and Drink Water
What does this have to do with time management? A lot. A healthy body with a sound mind can accomplish much more than a mind which is constantly under the pressure of emergencies and unplanned daily routines. Whatever you want to do, the currency to do it is energy. You feel tired all day because what fuels your body is not giving you energy level enough to fight the day. A dehydrated body can never concentrate. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Nope am not asking to be 100% vegan or something like it. What am emphasizing is that eat at regular intervals, have fixed time to eat, don’t keep yourself hungry. Whatever you want to achieve in this life, your body is the medium through which things will be accomplished.
8. First do Important Tasks
After daily routines, focus on what’s important in your To-Do list. The thing which will take you one more step closer to your goal. That’s what should be done first. If that can’t be done first due to some logistics, then finish unimportant tasks fast and come back to important things quick. Remember you need to take just one step daily towards your goals and you’ll be 30 steps closer to it within a month.
9. Work Less, Achieve More
Multitasking is good. But for those tasks which are repetitive and don’t require much attention. These type of tasks are mainly routine tasks. You can switch on a much player loud and can take a bath or water the plants. But don’t do multitasking with a critical task which is directed towards your goal. A half-hearted effort is a totally wasted effort. Be a lion, put 100% effort with full dedication and catch your prey. One important task at a time and you’ll be cruising towards your goal.
10. Delegate
Some tasks are neither important nor critical. You need them to do because they are just meant to be done. They are unproductive or does not require that much attention. Such tasks can be delegated to friends and family. No am not saying keeping your room clean. You can ask a friend to get your grocery while he is getting his and you return the favour next week. Thus alternatively, every week you save a lot of time and divert it to your priorities. Go buy things online, and save from going to markets and wasting time, when you know what things to buy and at what price. But don’t keep surfing e-commerce sites and do more damage but looking for useless amazing deals which are eating your precious time.
11. Time to Relax and Look Back
You are doing well, but where are you going captain. Lets stop, take out the map and see how much have we covered. Are we on the right track or we need a course correction? Take a break. Relax and keep replenishing your energies. Go out for a jog, listen to your favourite music tracks and feel the world around you. Be part of the action. Take measure. See from where you started and where are you heading. Your plans and daily To-Do lists effectiveness need to be checked. Are there any factors which have changed in the outside world for which you need to do some changes. Is the pace too slow or too fast? Are you missing something important in life which is needed to be taken care of?
These above tips may look simple enough but they are great deal in implementation. If they look like a piece of cake to you, then go ahead Alexander and conquer the world. The world needs a leader and a worthy achiever. Congrats that you have decided to rise to the call.
So here you learnt about effective time management tips to work smart and achieve higher productivity. Time management more than a tea time discussion. I have always emphasised the point to go deep into the basics so that the foundation of any concept is strong. Time management is a personal thing. Learning its benefits and WHY? behind a concept gives clarity and deeper understanding. Motivation comes from the connection to the cause and understanding, not just empty rhetoric. Think over it!
Rajat Jhingan
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