Organizing your day and planning ahead will set you up for success. When you don't have a clear plan on what you want to accomplish today, this week, or even this month, you begin to see time fly by, and little is getting done.
How many times have you wanted to get a project done, yet every time you thought about doing it, something else comes up, and your attention becomes diverted? You may have even started to work on it, and you lost focus right away.
Having set goals and priorities planned out will help you to keep your eye on the prize.
Some Time Management Quick Stats:
There have been numerous studies conducted on productivity and time management over the years. Here are some current stats that may surprise you.
10-12 minutes invested in planning your day will save at least 2 hours of wasted time and effort throughout the day – from “Eat the Frog” by Brian Tracy.
46% of stress reported amongst employees in the US is caused by an overwhelming workload
Researchers found productivity dropped as much as 40% when subjects tried to do two or more things at once. (University of Michigan)—Entrepreneur
Business owners waste up to a third of their week through low-value activities.
Each day a typical office employee checks email 50 times and uses instant messaging 77 times (RescueTime).
87% of students could achieve better grades if they possessed better organization and time management skills.
Being strategic with your time is one of the best gifts you can give yourself!
Here are a few tips for you to try out this week.
1. Use calendars or daily planners. With the wide variety of calendars and planners on the market, there is genuinely no reason to be disorganized or miss deadlines. Not everyone will benefit from the same type of planner, so take your time and discover which system is best for you. Whether it’s traditional paper, an email calendar, or a web-based application, mark all of your deadlines and activities in it and discover where you have gaps so you can take some time to treat yourself.
Calendars or planners are only useful if you use them consistently. Bring your planner with you to mark down important appointments. Schedule your exercise classes on the planner and check your calendar before booking lunch with a friend. After just a few days, you’ll have a new habit, and using a planner will become second nature.
2. Set and respect deadlines. If you’re one of the many people who tend to stress out when a deadline looms ahead, build in some extra time to finish the job well ahead of schedule.
Your boss makes you accountable if you miss a deadline, but what about all those projects at home that get put off until tomorrow? Enlist the help of a friend or spouse to hold you accountable for completing these projects. It’s difficult to admit you didn't get it done, so you’ll end up working harder to avoid having to tell a partner that you missed a deadline.
3. Focus on one thing at a time. For years, experts have been touting the benefits of “multitasking,” praising those who can accomplish ten different things simultaneously. However, it has been recently discovered that multitasking often diminishes the quality of the work, even though it may be finished before a deadline.
Which sounds more productive: writing a 5-page report in one hour or spending three hours writing the report while also answering emails and phone calls? Just focus on one thing at a time to get things done and off your plate.
4. Take frequent breaks from long and arduous tasks. While this might sound counterproductive, taking regular short breaks can break the monotony of a job and can give you some new energy. If you’re just staring at the computer screen without typing the report that’s due, you might as well awaken your brain with a brisk walk.
Stepping away from a project for five minutes will relieve your stress, and you’ll feel more refreshed to come back and finish the job. Do some easy stretching exercises at your desk, go to the water fountain, or simply turn off your computer monitor and close your eyes for a moment. Just don’t get trapped in office politics or other time-wasting activities – that will zap you of your energy.
5. Set a specific time to check emails or return phone calls. Limiting your distractions does not mean you can’t communicate with the outside world. If you’re expecting client emails, allow yourself time to check and answer them every 90 minutes or so. If you’re dying to chat for two hours with your best friend in California, schedule that time in your planner. Once something is scheduled, allow yourself that time and activity.
Setting these boundaries is especially important if you own a home-based business. Your clients need to know your business hours and when they are allowed to call. Not many business owners or their families appreciate client calls during dinner or family time.
Getting organized will help you relieve stress, increase fulfillment, and improve your overall life satisfaction. Setting boundaries will remind you and those around you that your time is precious and take it seriously.
Try some of these tips this week to start building your energy levels and confidence in yourself to get the job done.
If you missed part one, click here: Part 1 – Procrastination
In part three, we will take a look at some easy wins you can implement to make things smoother.
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