Everyone felt a lack of time, pressure from timelines, experienced stress from a forced rush and made a promise: the next time, I will definitely carefully monitor the time, I can plan everything in advance. So, which strategy is most effective?
- Make to-do lists
Be sure to fix everything that you planned (at least on paper, even in a mobile application or in a diary) and specify the time during which the task will be completed. For example, 9.00 is a meeting with employees. 10.00 – meeting with the supplier. 11.00 – meeting with a marketer. This will give you a clear plan and instructions on how and when to get things done. Maybe, adding some single women text chat here and there is not a bad idea!
- Divide large tasks into small ones
It’s easier even psychologically – it’s scary to start large tasks, so we pull them aside for later! When a large task is divided into several small, it is not so scary. Perform each one systematically and see how quickly you achieve the result.
- Set priorities
Every day, identify the most important thing and give all the resources and opportunities at it. Perform it first or return to it during the day – the main thing is that the task is completed. In the meantime, complete less important tasks because you shouldn’t forget about them either.
- Don’t be distracted
Set yourself certain hours for productive work during which it is forbidden to distract you. Don’t be distracted by calls, letters, and communication in messengers – they eat up several hours of your personal time. It is better to allocate half an hour in the morning, at lunch and in the evening to check all the messages and communicate, and not to go beyond this limit.
- ABC Method
Take a list of tasks and give each level a priority with the letters A, B, C (some also resort to the letters D and E).
A – important and urgent tasks, the highest priority in implementation. These are the cases, the failure or delay of which can have unpleasant or serious consequences. For example, to fix the error that caused the site to stop working, especially if the business loses money from the delay.
B – important but non-urgent tasks. The failure to fulfill them will not lead to serious consequences. This is important but if you slightly move it, it is unlikely that something irreparable will happen.
C – tasks that are not very important: spend an evening with friends or arrange dinner for your soulmate.
- Don’t rush to perform new tasks immediately
First, prioritize them. If you start a new task again and again, you will not have time to do the planned ones and there may be important ones among them. As a rule, nothing will happen if you agree with other people that you complete the new task tomorrow. There are not many tasks that you need to rush to do right away.
- Learn to say no
Not all tasks and projects in general are worth undertaking. Sometimes it just makes no sense to take a new project if there is no time for it and you don’t want to abandon others. Everyone has the right to no. Remember this.
- Work your way
We are all very different. We have different temperaments, different events in life occur, we are active at different times and in different ways. For example, if it is difficult for you to concentrate on the task for a long time, try the Tomato technique. It is named after the kitchen timer in the form of a tomato, which counts 25 minutes. Start the timer for 25 minutes and do this work only. Then take a break of 5 or 10 minutes. And if you have the opportunity to change the work schedule for yourself, then don’t refuse it.
- Measure the result
Complete the task and analyze what was good and what wasn’t. Perhaps some time management tools don’t suit you. The Tomato technique will not make you productive if it is more convenient for you to work for 1 or 2 hours and then take a good break. Note what interfered with the task: you were tired, distracted by mail or singing along to your favorite artist. Next time try to eliminate irritants.
- Have a rest
This is an important component of time management. Plan short breaks during the day, determine the time after which you will not do work. Try to fully relax on the weekend and don’t take work home. No one can be productive 24/7. We need to rest and replenish resources. Include time with loved ones and a full sleep in your schedule.
- Live by your biorhythms
In childhood and adolescence, we were forced to get up early. Do you remember the rises to school and college in the morning? Now you are the owner of your life and you can allow yourself to live in harmony with your body. If you are a night person but get up at 7.00, then you still be unproductive in this state. It is much more useful to get enough sleep and start working at 1 a.m., and then live according to your own schedule.
- Don’t be a perfectionist
Perfectionism makes it very difficult to complete tasks on time. Many believe that this quality is a strong point, however, a constant desire for excellence and dissatisfaction with the results are the reasons for the inefficient use of time. Finding opportunities to accept a “real” result instead of a “perfect” one, you save significant resources for other things.