Time Management 101

Managing time efficiently is one of those things almost everyone wants to learn how to do properly. The good news is that many people have learned how to manage their time in a healthy and effective manner – and so can you! Here’s our crash course on time management.

Don’t Stress It

It’s easier said than done, but the fact of the matter is that stressing about everything you need to get done, compared to how much time you have to do it, is a surefire way to waste time. Trying to complete tasks – any task – while harried and stressed can result in subpar work, missing information, overlooked details, and, ultimately, more work down the road.

So take a breath! Take a few, if you need to. Whenever you feel like you’re getting overwhelmed, just breathe. Remember that stressing yourself isn’t going to do anyone any good, and it certainly won’t save you any time.

Stop Multitasking

If you’re a chronic multitasker: don’t be! Tackling multiple tasks at once may seem like a clever way of getting things done without getting ‘tired’ of one thing or wearing yourself out, but research shows that our brains just aren’t really meant for doing multiple things simultaneously. Each time you switch from one task to another, your brain takes a bit to shake off what you were just doing and refocus on the new thing.

So while it might seem that multitasking is a way to trick a short attention span and save some time, you’ll likely spend twice as long doing two tasks simultaneously as you would if you just tackled them sequentially.

Prioritize

If you’re never sure what you should be doing with yourself, or you feel like you have a hundred things that need to be done and have no idea where to start, it’s time for you to get your priorities in order. Take some time at the beginning of each day to list out everything you’d like to get done – then, using that list, put those tasks in order from most important to least important.

Anything extremely pressing or time-sensitive goes to the top, and things that you’d like to get done but aren’t an immediate emergency go at the bottom. Instead of stressing over getting everything on your list done, just focus on whatever is currently at the top of your list. Nothing else!

Stay Organized

Keeping a time diary, bullet journal, or even just a notebook for jotting down lists and notes can help you stay organized. Time diaries are helpful if you need to see how and where you’re spending your time – so you can figure out what you should spend less time on and what deserves more time.

Bullet journals or notebooks are important for keeping your thoughts and agenda in order. If you often find yourself stressing over whether or not you’ve forgotten something you need to do, or if you feel like your thoughts are too cluttered with a bunch of things you need to remember, then having somewhere to jot them down can feel like a lifesaver!

Countless articles have been written on ‘life hacks’ and ‘smart tips’ to go from a stressed-out mess to a time-saving wonder, but proper time management doesn’t come from ‘one simple trick’ or doing ‘this one easy thing for a minute every day’. It comes from practice and setting up good habits. Next time you’re feeling like there’s just not enough time in the day, remember these tips and try some out to see what works for you!