HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TIME 

Everybody  want to be genuinely successful in ones  Studies , Carrier , Business , We all get the same     24 hours – so why do some people seem to achieve more with their time than others? The answer is       Good Time Management .                                                                                                                            

Time management is the coordination of and exercising conscious control of time spent on various activities, especially to increase  Productivity , Efficiency, and Effectiveness .  It involves the balancing of various demands upon a person relating to study, career, social life , family life, personal hobbies ,  personal interests, and commitments with the definite  nature of time. Using time effectively gives the person liberty on spending or managing activities at their own time and expediency. , and you'll end up working smarter, not harder, to get more done in less time – even when time is tight and pressures are high.

Time management may be aided by a range of  Skills , Tools, and  Techniques used to manage  time when accomplishing specific tasks, projects, and goals complying with a due date. Initially, time management referred to just projects , business or work activities, but eventually, the term broadened to include personal activities and family life as well. A time management system is a designed combination of processes, tools, techniques, and methods.  Essentially, the purpose of Time Management is enabling people to get more and better work done Smartly in less time.

NEED OF TIME MANAGEMENT

There are lot of benefits associated with Time Management and once you understand  the benefits , you start to manage you time.

To Save Time – Time is precious , Time lost is money lost , Time never comes back … so Time Management help you to save and properly use your time . Time saved is more money  earned .

To Reduce Stress – Everybody is so over busy  due to heavy work load and responsibilities , result -- it creates stress , Time management helps to reduce Stress .

To function Effectively – It helps to be more constructive and efficient at your work place rather than always busy .

Increase your work output – Every time busy does not mean that you are giving more output , if Time Management is followed your work output will automatically increased .

Get more done in less time – Work is still pending and you are busy  is not appreciated , to get more done in less time with the help of proper use of time and scheduling of your work  is the benefit of time management .

More Quality work – It is not important how much work you agree to do . Question is how many assignments you complete successfully in designated  time . there should be quality in work not quantity . Only quality work would bring you in good books .

Delivery  v/s Promise – to make promise for the work done just to avail appreciation from seniors will not get you famous . how many promises you convert into deliveries in specified or less time will help you to get attention .

Help to Prioritise – With the help of Time Management , you will understand well and more clearly how to Prioritise your work , what is needed first  ! which work out of your daily routine needs to be done urgently !

Here very interesting concept which is worth to explain – Lot of people say all the time that I am busy , but there is a lot of difference being busy and productive , when some one ask where are you busy ? then there is a question mark on your face , difficult to answer , the reality is -- you TEND  to be busy , but not productive at all .

Difference Between Busy and Productive –

             BUSY  PEOPLE                                                  PRODUCTIVE  PEOPLE

Have numerous priorities                                         Have couple of priorities

Respond with YES very fast                                    Think twice before saying YES

Keep all doors open                                                 Close all the doors

Keep talking how busy they are .                             Let the result speak for themselves

Multi Tasker                                                              Concentrate on one important Goal

Ask for advice                                                          Take real action & get the job done

 

HOW TO MANAGE TIME

Time Management is not only learning about how to manage Time , Its about Manage yourself in relation to the Time . Everybody wants to be Productive , Nobody is born productive, but you can cultivate it over time and this change cannot happen until you take a big step and change your MINDSET. How you manage time is very important.

The only thing everyone has in common is  TIME  no matter  Status ,Position , Wealth, Fame etc is . Yes --  Everybody have the same 24 hours a day , So just to remind you. behind every success, there is someone doing his or her best every day in  Time .

Here few steps for you to follow and Manage your Time and being Productive –

Create your Time Log

A very important way to manage  your time is to create your productive journal for day to day activities ,right from the time to get up and up to the time of retire to bed , It should be bifurcate into TWO section , one for your professional and other for your personal activities , for every work  Label , Date , Time should be clearly mentioned . Prioritise your first three task which you want to finish . Use it in your activities every day , it should not be that just for one day that you make your priority journal and use it and forget it for another weak or so . It should be in your normal practice to make and follow your priority journal .

Maximise the power of your productivity journal

Plan your journal a night before , reason is when you sleep your subconscious mind is more active and alert  so when you wake up  in morning  it reminds you  what to do first so it is important to make it night before rather than in the morning.

Prioritise your Task

It is very important to prioritise your  task , means you should be aware which task needs to do first , then second and so on….

Cross off completed Task  

There is nothing more accomplishing and motivating when putting the tick mark in your productive journal  when you complete the specific task and it gives you mental satisfaction and there is hormones gets  released whenever you feel motivated and feel proud.

Carry over unfinished Task

If for some reason you could not finished your task today , it doesn’t matter , carry over this particular task for next day , write it down in your next day schedule and finish it in time .

Making a TO DO list

Making a to do list is very important to make sure that your task is fully captured  completed in specific time in your day. Reason wise why it is important that you have noted down all your task which you have to do .

Step 1 – Capture everything you have to do, the task is small or big doesn’t matter write down your each and every task

Step 2 – Follow ABC method of priority . All those task which you feel most important write A in front of them , which are less important write B and those least important write down C in front of them , it will help you to prioritise your task .

Step 3 – How long does each next step takes -- try to understand that each task needs time to finish in  time , now you have to decide which particular needs to be done first , this step will help a lot to finish your task .

Step 4 – Tick the action when done – use your excellence to finish the task and when it gets completed tick it as finished. This will boost your satisfaction and  confidence .

Chunk , Block & Tackle

When you faced  a very huge project that you need to do , It is very overwhelming and proud feeling… but you get scared or afraid to think .. such a big task ,..how you will manage and do it . In this situation you should  CHUNK  the huge project into small and manageable tasks  which will certainly help you to get started the huge project .

Set specific time for each small task - which you have chunked down out of huge project  and try to complete in scheduled time .

Avoid Interruption – when you are focused on specific  task , always Avoid Interruption like Unnecessary meetings , Phone calls , Technology , and similar types of Interruptions.

Tackle One Task At A Time – Never try to be multi tasker , choose the task which is more important and urgent , finish it in time and then start other task and so on..

The Urgent / Important Matrix   

What is Urgent and  what is Important , is there is any difference between two terms  or they are similar , if you don’t do the important task then they become urgent and that something you would like to avoid , you won’t like to be in urgent zone. So let’s start doing the task which are  important .   

There are four segment in Urgent / Important matrix –

Urgent and Important – there are certain task which are urgent as well as important , you need to complete it in time few of them are.. Emergencies and Crises , Pressing Problems, Dead Lines  -- Driven Projects , Meetings Preparations etc .

Important but not Urgent – Preparation , Prevention , Value Clarification , Planning , Relationship building with family and friends , True recreation , Empowerment etc . It is advisable to focus on those activities which are Important but not urgent , this will certainly help you to Manage your Time .

Urgent but not Important – Interruptions , Some Phone Calls , Social Media , Mails , Reports , Some meetings , Many proximate , Pressing matters , Many popular activities .

Not Urgent Not Important – Junk mail , Some phone calls , Time wasters , “Escape” activities , Trivia .

Pareto’s Principal – The 80 / 20 Rule

The Pareto Principal say – “ Put your efforts where they will make the most difference “  

                                      80 %  --- Results --- 20 % Action  

Mr. Pareto says – focus on your 20 % Action which will reap 80% of the Results . Most of the people accomplish to much in a day on the action  rather accomplish on those important action in the day which only call for 20% of the action . 

Benefits of Pareto Principles –

 Identify Important Problems – Before starting any task first think about the problems involved in that particular task , If problems are identified you would be able to put your efforts accordingly .

Concentrate of your strength – you are the only person who know and understand about your strengths and weakness . so at the beginning of the task , access every aspect honestly , how much you are able to accept the challenges , how you will manage them ,

Helps in undivided focus --  you must have heard – “ Jack of all but master of none “    You can not  pay attention on so many task at the same time , you can not do multiple job simultaneously , so never let your attention diverted , only focus on the most important task and give your best to complete it in specified time and as per standard .

Using tools most needed – you understand that nobody is Perfect . so while doing your particular job always use tools which are needed , Those tools may be in form of expert advice , help from juniors and  cooperation from your seniors , different Tips and tricks etc.

Tackling Procrastination

Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. It is the practice of doing more pleasurable things in place of less pleasurable ones , or carrying out less urgent task instead of more urgent ones , thus putting off impending task to a later time.

Nine way to overcome Procrastination

Delete --    If you fell that the task is getting carried over again and again , day by day it is much better to delete the task , if you feel that you are not meant to do it .       

Delegate – Delegation is very important to manage your time , delegate the task to  somebody who has the More time resources and intelligence to do the task .

Do It – when you have any task to complete , don’t think much  just do it, finish it off .

15 Minute Rule --  when you have task in hand , think it in your mind  make  plan properly to finish it in 15 minutes . Do not delay or linger on the task .

Chop it up – As mentioned before , is there any overwhelming or big project which you need to do and you are wondering from where to start , chop it up in small parts and one by one complete the project .

Ask for Advice – A lot of time you procrastinate  the task because you don’t have expert knowledge of  how do you go about it. Do not hesitate to  Ask for advice , do research , ask your seniors , ask your team leaders who will help you with their expert and recommended advice that will certainly help you to complete the task .

Clear Deadline – Most of the time task are procrastinated because you don’t set clear dead line , It is necessary to complete the task always assign clear deadline to your particular task . It will motivate you to  finish your task in time .

Reward Yourself – There is nothing more motivating to reward yourself , give a nice , gentle pat on your back that you have completed the task . Its motivating for your  self esteem and self confidence . So next time don’t forget to reward yourself .

Remove Destruction --  when you are focusing on very urgent and important task there might be lot of  destruction which may disturb you and divert your attention , always try to avoid all these unwanted activities and all kind of destruction .

Identifying your time wasters .

Poor Planning

Perfectionism

Trying to do everything yourself

Interruptions / Distractions

Taking on too much

Too much socialising

Not valuing your own time

Lack of skills

Now to conclude by saying that Time is equal to Money , time spent or lost will never come back again , Learn how to prioritise , Learn how to schedule your Priorities , Learn how to manage your time better . If you want to be successful in your life , If you want to be world class leader . Manage your time well.

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Sources – Jitendrasxnblogs / site has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, related books and journals. We always avoid using inauthentic references.

https://www.techtarget.com

https://en.wikipedia.org

https://skillsyouneed.com

https://www.lifehack.org

Disclaimer –

This article / blog is for information purpose only, but by no means it is a complete and exhaustive explanation on the whole topic, nor it’s intended as a substitute for therapy.