Time Management Tips

Developing the habit of sticking to schedules and routines will not end up having no time left. On the contrary, it produces more opportunity that can be enjoyed without the stress of knowing that there are urgent things that are still waiting to be done.

Here are some time-tested tips on getting the most out of time and relieving stress.

- Let others work for sixteen hours a day. You do not have to. Realize that half of the 24 hours allotted to each of us each day are to be spent for personal necessities like eating, sleeping and toilet. The remaining hours is for travelling and other personal errands. The eight hours left to work everyday is not only very reasonable it is ideal.

- Individuals may differ but for most people, the first working hours in the morning are the most productive. Use it well. Say no to interruptions that you can do without. The greatest time stealer between the phone, the visitor, the prolonged break, the e-mail and the chit-chat is the never ending "do you have a minute?" approach.
Whenever possible say no. Allow a time each day that is dedicated to projected time lost.

- Find out why you are wasting time and have a realistic plan not to fall into the same pattern.

- Prioritize work from the most immediate to the least and work from there. You can also start from the work that you like doing least. This action plan allows you to somehow maintain your pace as the day moves on. Procrastinating on things that you do not like doing can only accumulate and create backlogs, which means poor time management.

- Allow a realistic time frame for each job.

- Delegate tasks whenever possible and do not commit to working on a project that could mean losing your personal time.

- At the end of the day, have a to do list for the following morning and stick to it.

- Use time management tolls. Different softwares are available on the net.

- Attend time management programs. If your company does not sponsor these, spend a little, you will gain more.

It is a misnomer to say that there is not enough time. For the successful and for those who are not, there is the same number of hours of each day at disposal. Time is always there in abundance. The ability to use it well spells the difference.