Time Management: 11 Tips

Work more efficiently and be more productive using these time-management tips:

Use a timer.
Pick one item on your to-do list, set your timer for 15 minutes and get to work. Don't worry about finishing, just get started. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and get nothing done at all. Tackling tasks in small chunks helps you stay focused.

Delegate.
Don't be afraid to enlist the help of others to complete projects that are time consuming or monotonous. Whether you have to hire a professional or your 10-year old son, do it.

Set goals.
It's much easier to get something done if you know exactly what it is you're working toward. Set long-term goals first and then determine the short-term goals that will serve as stepping stones toward the larger goal.

Sort mail immediately.
Mail can quickly become beastly, taking over every nook and cranny. When you get your mail each day, open it directly over the garbage can. Most likely, the bulk of it can be dropped right in. For the rest, determine what action needs to be taken and deal with it appropriately.

Make an appointment with yourself.
Schedule at least one hour each day for "catch up" tasks such as work overflow, returning phone calls, answering emails etc. If you pencil time into your calendar, you're less likely to let the mundane (but necessary) tasks pile up.

Become friends with your voice mail.
Don't be a slave to the phone. It really is OK to let voice mail get it once in a while.

Have an assembly line mentality.
Complete like tasks together such as returning phone calls, answering email, sending out invoices etc. You'll be much more productive.

Work when you're most alert.
Figure out your most productive time of day and set your work schedule accordingly.

Use checklists.
For tasks that must be completed on a regular basis, make and keep simple checklists to ensure you don't overlook important steps in the process.

Give everything a place.
Don't waste your time trying to find things that seemed to have disappeared. Organize your workspace so that every item has a home. It'll make locating and storing items a snap.

Be prepared.
Reserve 5 minutes at the end of each day to review your schedule for the next. That way, you'll have no surprises.

Amy Andrews is the owner of SimplyComplete.com, where businesses & individuals hand off their "got-to-dos" so they can focus on their "want-to-dos."

Post a project for FREE!

---

Biggest Time Management Mistake

The biggest time management mistake you can ever make is... Read More

Time Mastery vs. Time Management - Knowing the Difference

How much time do you spend on Mastering Your Time?... Read More

Time Management - How To Get More Done In A Day?

Everyday, in life, we are bombarded with 101 tasks that... Read More

Time is Money?

Not 1 in 10 people can tell you where money... Read More

Time is Money - Dont Waste It

"If you control your time, you control your life" -... Read More

Having Time on Your Side

Clarity brings accomplishmentOne of the most important things you can... Read More

Time Management Doesnt Exist! So What Can You Do?

There is no such thing as time management. You cannot... Read More

More Time Wanted? Deal with Your Time-wasters Now!

Ever feel that you spend too much time shoring up... Read More

What to Do When Your Alarm Clock Doesn?t Wake You Up

Tring ? Tring the alarm rings?but did you fail to... Read More

Doing Things We Dread

As I sit here in front of the computer... Read More

Beyond Time Management ? Seven Ways to Leverage Your Time for Greater Results

Most of us have a to-do list ? some of... Read More

Setting Time Aside For Studying And Homework

When trying to achieve a quality education, everybody knows that... Read More

How to Conquer the Five Major Time Wasters?

* spreading yourself too thinTaking on too many things at... Read More

Time and Life, Bit by Bit

Looking out through my picture window during a recent winter... Read More

Making the Most of Your Time

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is... Read More

Get More Done at Your Office: Focus on These Eight Areas for Increased Productivity

Your productivity depends on good tools and effective environments, and... Read More

Keeping YOUR Calendar Full

When do you want to make time for a networking... Read More

The Key to High Productivity is Energy Management

One of the issues most often raised by my clients... Read More

Sharpen The Saw

Sometime ago, my lovely wife woke me up in the... Read More

Organize Your Time

Most people want to start a home-based business to make... Read More

Linking Purpose To Everyday Behaviors

How do you know what's the best use of your... Read More

Do You Have The Time?

Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number... Read More

Benefits of Speed Reading

In this digital age, the importance of being able to... Read More

Time Management? NO!

Many people want to be coached to manage their time... Read More

Will Your Epilogue Be ? I Got All My Emails Done?

Work life balance is the new Holy Grail; that search... Read More

Are You Watching Too Much TV?

Many folks tell me that they just don't have time... Read More

A Fatal Mistake that Can Cost You Your Business ? And More

Whether you're a new business owner or if you have... Read More

Controlling Family Chaos - Time Management for the Family

Balancing a family's varying schedules can be near impossible. Soccer,... Read More

10 Time Management Tips for Busy Professionals

If you feel like your life moves faster than a... Read More

Whats Keeping You At The Office (9 Tips To Get Home Quicker)

"Work smarter, not harder" is a cliché that has darted... Read More

Self Improvement and Prioritising

The ability to be able to set priorities and deal... Read More

Just Remind Yourself

This is one more article on "Organizing and Enjoying Your... Read More

Increasing Your ROI

All requests are not equal; all customers or clients are... Read More