How to Manage Your Time

How to Manage Your Time

Have a lot to accomplish? Learn to focus on what is most important. Here's a quick, efficient and organized technique for completing tasks:
edit Steps
1. 1
2. 2
Assign realistic priorities to each task.
o Priority 1: due today or tomorrow
o Priority 2: due in one week
o Priority 3: due in one month
o Priority 4: due next year
3. 3
Balance your effort. Work on small portions every day.
o Do the daily tasks. Concentrate on what is at hand, then move on to the next daily task. Once daily tasks are completed, proceed to the next step, if desired.
o Do the weekly tasks. Once weekly tasks are completed, proceed to the next step, if desired.
o Do the monthly tasks. Once monthly tasks are completed, proceed to the next step, if desired.
o Do the yearly tasks.
o Small portions of the future tasks will have been done ahead of time.
4. 4
Decide upon the time of day. Some people are more productive in the morning than the evening.
5. 5
Manage time in increments. Play a game with yourself by competing against time.
o Work in fifteen minute, half hour or hour intervals.
o Give yourself a time limit to complete a portion of a task or the entire task.
6. 6
Take a break. Clear your mind and refresh yourself to refocus.
o Decide beforehand on a 5, 10 or 15 minute break and stick to that decision.
o During your break, reasses to develop a new perspective.
o Breaks provide incentive by giving you something to look forward to.
7. 7
Keep track of your progress.
o Cross things off the list as they are completed.
o You'll feel more relieved and relaxed just by getting through the daily tasks.
o This will give you a sense of accomplishment and spur motivation.
8. 8
Reassess the list.
o Rewrite and reprioritize your list as needed.
o Add new tasks to the list.
o Eliminate certain tasks.
o Delegate tasks to others.
o Use technology to complete tasks more quickly, efficiently or accurately.
9. 9
Make sure to leave time for fun, it doesnt have to be a lot of time but
make sure that you do!
1. 1
Last thing: Sleep 6-8 hours every day. If you don't sleep for proper amount you'll probably suffer from lack of concentration and focus and that won't allow you to function well.
editSupplies
Pencil
Paper
Laptop or Computer
PDA
hi-lighter
pen
edit Tips
Allow for random things to be done between tasks.
Pick subjects and not verbs. List ideas and allot time per subject.
Keep track of your productive time with a chess clock. Set up a more realistic schedule once you understand the actual time it takes to complete a task. Just knowing that a certain task will take no more than a half hour will motivate you to complete it.
Set aside the concept of "everything has to be done yesterday" in order to create realistic priorities.
Don't "spread yourself too thin" by overwhelming your day with an unrealistic schedule that would be difficult to accomplish.
edit Warnings
Be flexible and relax. Allow for the unexpected in life. Other things may take precedence over a rigid and methodical routine. With most unusual circumstances, it may take no more than an hour or a few days to return to your usual schedule.

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