Looking for an effective time management system? Here are some key elements you will need to enjoy the fruits of effective time management.
Motivation. Humans are motivated by the avoidance of pain and the desire for pleasure. So, to achieve effective time management, you have to set up a time management system that increases pleasure and avoids pain. Therefore, the key to winning the time management pain is to focus on the pain that is associated with continued inaction. Then contrast that with the perceived pleasure associated with the freedom of having gotten everything done.
Write It Down. You must write down what you have to do. This may take the form of a simple to do list, inputting tasks into a software program or building spreadsheet. It really doesn’t matter how you do it, as long as it is easily accessible once its stored somewhere. You must get it down in writing. The 90% of your current timing problems can be traced back to not getting things out of your head. So keep a written record of everything that you need to do.
Accountability. Accountability is the twin sister of the written to do list. I am not talking about being accountable to some exterior person. No, I am talking about accountability to yourself and your plan to accomplish all that you have to do. In order to be able to practice effective time management, you have to have something to measure your progress. This should not be an opportunity to beat yourself up. It should be an opportunity to fine tune and adjust your course, or figure out why you have failed to meet your expectations. Use that information to make fine adjustments and resume course.
Learn To Multitask. While it is true that trying to do too many things at once can result in being a jack of all trades and master of none, effective time management requires that we learn to multitask. Multitasking might be as simple as bringing our laptop to a medical appointment and composing (but nor necessarily sending) some important emails. It might consist of running multiple errands while out for lunch.
Delegate. Everyone has the ability to delegate tasks to others in some form or fashion. Learn to delegate simple tasks to others even if you feel that you can do a better job. After all, most tasks do not have to be perfect. They need only be good enough. Place a value on your time. If you can pay someone to perform the task for a rate that is less than the value of your time, the economically rational solution is to pay to have the task performed. This might mean that the boy down the street mows your yard or the service station changes your oil. Your time is too valuable to waste.
No Is Not A Four Letter Word. Those with effective time management systems learn how to say No. Your time is as important as that of your colleague. You cannot volunteer your time, you can (1) keep it; (2) sell it; or (3) give it away. Since you only get a fixed amount each day, each hour you give away decreases your time by one hour and increase their time by exactly one hour. At the end of the day, the recipient has more time to complete his tasks and you have less. I am not advocating the refusal to help others. If time were food and you were starving, how much of your daily rations would you give away? None. You would save it to be consumed by you and your family, right? If your time is already scarce, should you be giving it away?
Effective time management is a process with many components. You must find a reason to motivate you to make more effective use of your time. You must write down those things that you need to do and be accountable to yourself. You must also learn to multitask and delegate so that more can be done in a given amount of time. Lastly, you must guard your time as a valuable resource and learn to say No when appropriate. If you incorporate all of these time management tips into your time management, you will eat the elephant and still have room for desert.
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- Learning Time Management: Is This A Common Problem Amongst Us?
- Managing Your Time In Your Own Way
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