Effective Time Management Tips

[Power]

1. Making and Creating Time

"I don't have time"
"I'm very busy"
"I'll do it later"

Yes, all of us are guilty of these debilitating energy. So how can we find more time when we don't have any?

First of all,... be aware that we all have 24hrs in a day. There is not one person on this entire planet who's got 1min more than you and me. Whether we are rich or poor, no matter what age we are, what our educational background and culture. We all have the same amount of time.

At one time, it did got me thinking... why do other people achieve more than others? or why do other people get more things done?... Again, we all have the same amount of time. Clearly, it will depend on what you do with your time. For example an athlete would spend at least an hour training, while a business owner would be selling his products. You see, our excuses of, "I don't have enough time" or "I'm very busy" are just excuses to procrastinate.

Here is the solution on how to find time when you don't have any: You create time.
Instead of finding time for our goals and the things we would like to do in life, we should set aside a time for it. Whenever you set aside a time for something you will always have the time to do it, just like an appointment. If you set an hour each day to exercise, to read, to learn something, to build, to spend time with someone, to do something... you will have accomplished something for that hour.

What's the difference between people who are living their dream and the people who don't? The people who are living their dream spends even a small amount of time each day pursuing their dream. I remember once when I said to myself that I don't have enough time, then later that evening I saw this lady on TV. She was a single mother with 4 kids(age 12,10,8 & 6), she was studying medicine and was working fulltime. She finished her bachelor of medicine. I was in shocked, I've done full time study with part time work but with no kids and I found it very very very hard. Why is it?.... time management; it is what you do with your time.

If you don't have any time... think about it twice and make the time.

[magi13]

Do you consider making a routine a good example?

[Power]

2. Allocating Time

Here is a tip on how you can use your time wisely and even get more time than how much you spend in doing something.

Tip: You need to allocate a certain amount of time for you to finish your "to do list" or your simple goal.

Sounds too simple!? yes, but here is a deep principle under this concept. There are higher chances of you finishing a goal if you allocate a deadline compared to not allocating a deadline or finishing time/date.
Here is the kicker, say that your goal is to wash your car. You got 2 option: set an amount of time to finish or just go about cleaning it. If you don't set a time, most likely it will take you an hour to wash your car. Why? because you will tend to stroll along, you will take it easy because you are not in a hurry. Now, if you give yourself to wash the car only 15mins, most likely you will finish in 15 mins.
Whatever you are trying to accomplish will more likely to get finished in how much time you allocate it.

Can you remember when you had to submit your written essay at school?... well you finished it on the deadline or maybe 1-4 days late. Can you imagine if the teacher told you that you can submit it whenever you finished it. Most likely, you will hand it at the end of the year because you will have put it off. You will hand it in the end of the year because school is finishing and it is a kind of a deadline so that you can get to the next year level.

Without a specific date or deadline to finish a goal/project, it will take longer for it to get done than if the goal/project had an expected date and time.

... be sure to set a time frame so that you can get more things done

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@ Magi13 Routines definitely a plus. Big company and corporations accomplish work because of daily routines and setting time deadlines. It can be applied to personal schedules for effective time management

[thenzengineer]

That's right. I had two assignments in two different subjects. For both of them I got an extension. The one lecturer gave me 7 days extra to do it and the other lecturer more relaxed told me hand it in whenever i want.

Guess which one i have completed to date. Yes, your right the assignment where I had only 7 extra days. So far I haven't even started on the other one. So I believe this advice does make a lot of sense. Cheerz.

[Remiel]

Originally Posted by thenzengineer

That's right. I had two assignments in two different subjects. For both of them I got an extension. The one lecturer gave me 7 days extra to do it and the other lecturer more relaxed told me hand it in whenever i want.

Guess which one i have completed to date. Yes, your right the assignment where I had only 7 extra days. So far I haven't even started on the other one. So I believe this advice does make a lot of sense. Cheerz.

Predictably Irrational (Book / Audiobook) went and did a study on that and they found hard deadlines worked best, next up was deadlines that were picked by the students (with the end of the semester being a choice) but once you picked it you had to stick with it, and last was no deadlines at all except the end of the semester. It is pretty interesting isn't it?

[Power]

3. Be organized

You know when you are looking for something and you seem to can't find it? Then you realize the thing that you’re looking for is under a pile of clutter. We have time and time is with us. Although, time is under all the clutter we have in our life. There was a statistic done and the result was that we spend a good 15-30min looking for things.

Tip: You can find more time when you are organized.

We need to be organized, once in awhile clean out your clutter. Be sure to put things in an order once you finished with it. Sooner or later you will find yourself cruising and sailing smoothly. How and why?... because you don't have to look for things and it stops you from being frustrated unable to find your things and you will be less stressed. Imagine if you had to look for 4 things today,... that's 1hr wasted looking for it. I'd rather play for an hour than look for things.

Smart and successful people love to invest a small amount and get a return that is bigger. When you put away things in order it will take you how long?... 1-3mins? Let’s even say it will take you 5mins because you want to put it away nicely. 5mins spent is a wise investment compared to a 15mins loss of time. That's leverage at its simplicity Anything in life that is not organized is a time waster Whether it's you or your keys playing hide and seek