For most people, time management skills must be learned and cultivated. You may notice that some people are better than average at managing their time, but in most cases this just means they were taught this skill at some point. No matter what your time management abilities are now, you can improve them. It will not, however, happen automatically, and you must pay close attention to how you spend your time. If you learn how to start and finish essential tasks and stick to a schedule, you will have mastered the most important time management skills. With this in mind, let's explore some proven time management strategies you can start using today.
You will get more done every day if you start out with the tasks that are most urgent. When you do this, you get these actions out of the way so they don't weigh you down. Starting off with the larger tasks also makes it certain that you will in fact get them done. You don't want to find out late in the day that you should have started a critical task earlier, and now you aren't able to give it your best effort because you have to hurry. In other words, you have to learn to prioritize the various activities on your schedule. Make a list of activities in order of their importance, and work on it top to bottom.
When people ask you to do something, don't be afraid to turn them down. The inability to say no is, in fact, a major cause of many people's time management problems. If people are in the habit of looking to you whenever they need help, you will have trouble finishing your own tasks. If someone asks you to do something, and you can see that it will mean not getting your own work finished, tell them, "sorry, but I just can't." You don't, of course, have to refuse all requests. When helping other people will prevent you from doing essential things, however, you should be able to say no.
If you're going to master time management, one thing you must learn how to do is delegate certain activities. It's simply not practical to do every single activity on your list all by yourself. If you delegate some of the less important but time consuming activities, you'll have more time for truly important ones. Then you can devote more time to your true objectives. You're more likely to complete the important activities when you aren't overwhelmed with smaller ones. Delegation is something that many people have difficulty with. This is important enough, however, that it's worth working on until you feel comfortable with it.
Time management skills are something that you develop gradually. If you catch yourself procrastinating, remember that it's a common problem. There are so many ways we can get diverted. No one is productive all the time. If you stay focused on improving, you will gradually make progress. Just focus on completing one activity at a time, and things will get done. Soon you will find that you are getting more tasks completed than ever before. It will be so natural that it won't require any thought. Then you will be the one others come to for advice on time management.
You will get more done every day if you start out with the tasks that are most urgent. When you do this, you get these actions out of the way so they don't weigh you down. Starting off with the larger tasks also makes it certain that you will in fact get them done. You don't want to find out late in the day that you should have started a critical task earlier, and now you aren't able to give it your best effort because you have to hurry. In other words, you have to learn to prioritize the various activities on your schedule. Make a list of activities in order of their importance, and work on it top to bottom.
When people ask you to do something, don't be afraid to turn them down. The inability to say no is, in fact, a major cause of many people's time management problems. If people are in the habit of looking to you whenever they need help, you will have trouble finishing your own tasks. If someone asks you to do something, and you can see that it will mean not getting your own work finished, tell them, "sorry, but I just can't." You don't, of course, have to refuse all requests. When helping other people will prevent you from doing essential things, however, you should be able to say no.
If you're going to master time management, one thing you must learn how to do is delegate certain activities. It's simply not practical to do every single activity on your list all by yourself. If you delegate some of the less important but time consuming activities, you'll have more time for truly important ones. Then you can devote more time to your true objectives. You're more likely to complete the important activities when you aren't overwhelmed with smaller ones. Delegation is something that many people have difficulty with. This is important enough, however, that it's worth working on until you feel comfortable with it.
Time management skills are something that you develop gradually. If you catch yourself procrastinating, remember that it's a common problem. There are so many ways we can get diverted. No one is productive all the time. If you stay focused on improving, you will gradually make progress. Just focus on completing one activity at a time, and things will get done. Soon you will find that you are getting more tasks completed than ever before. It will be so natural that it won't require any thought. Then you will be the one others come to for advice on time management.
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