How to Manage Your Time – Time Management

Time management is organizing and planning time to accomplish the most important goals in the shortest amount of time. Time management requires that time be managed, that is, divided and organized. A key issue with time management is the ability to differentiate between tasks that are urgent vs.. tasks that are important. An urgent task is something that will require immediate attention and will usually mean a missed and irretrievable opportunity.
Follow these steps to effectively manage time.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Easy to manage organizer
• Calendar
• Positive outlook

1. Purchase an organizer and use it to plan on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

2. Positive reinforcement. This can be accomplished by posting copies of your values, goals, action plans, and self-contracts in places where you will often be reminded of them.

3. Create a list of short, medium, and long-term goals and make sure they are reflected in your daily calendar.

4. Plan for efficiency by combining activities whenever possible. You can also schedule activities to a time of maximum efficiency.

5. Minimize time wasters such as the television, telephone, visitors, and unproductive meetings.

6. Learn to say "no" sometimes. This demonstrates to others the limits on how much you will be able to help them.

7. Create a list of things to do when you’re waiting (downtime). This can be relaxation exercises, catch-up reading, or planning for next day.

8. Have a plan and avoid distractions when you are performing a high-priority activity, so you can focus your full attention to it.

9. Create an environment to support your values and goals. This means that if work requires you to focus and concentrate, have a quiet room available.

10. Don’t waste time on decisions that involve equally attractive inconsequential alternatives. Simply flip a coin.

Tips & Warnings

• The very fact that you are thinking about managing your time is a good start.

[ancasuciu]

on 7/21/2009 During these times it is absolutely necessary to use our time efficiently. Here is an interesting article about the reasons employee waste time at work.

http://blog.cyclope-series.com/2009/07/why-do-employees-waste-time-at-work-and-how-can-employers-stop-them/