Top 3 Time Management Tips

It’s often said that time is our greatest commodity.  It’s the only thing that everyone has in equal shares – each one of us has the same amount of time in each day.  Really, each one of us has all the time in the world.  Strange, but true if you think about it.  Since everyone has 24 hours in a day, why are some people so much more productive?  How can they get more out of the time they have?

The problem is understanding time management skills.  If you aren’t sure how to use your time efficiently, you’re really just wasting it!  So, here are my top three time management tips to help you get the most out of the time you have each day.

1.  Figure out what you are really trying to achieve, then write it down

This is an extremely simple yet helpful tip.  Since it’s so easy to get sidetracked while you’re trying to get some work done, take a moment to decide the overall task that you are really trying to do.  Don’t make it something specific, like “Finish writing three articles”.  Make it something very broad like “Double my income in six months!” You will want to write it down on a piece of paper or post-it note.

Then, put it somewhere prominent and make it easy to see.  Whenever you begin a new task, take a peek at what you wrote down and decide if your action is helping you accomplish that overall task.  If it’s not, then you will know that you should stop and move onto something that it is more productive.

2.  Write down a preliminary plan at the end of your work day

Every time that you reach the end of your workday grab a planner or notebook and jot down a preliminary plan for the following day.  Every once in a while we just need to unload our brains.  Writing down this plan gives your head a chance to clear.  Plus, you can actually look on paper and get an idea of what you’ll be doing tomorrow.  This will help you stay on task when you begin work.

Don’t take too long to write down this plan and realize that it can always change.  Take just a few minutes before you turn off the computer or head out of the office to get something down on paper.  It will help!

3.  Change a lot of behaviors instead of just one

When we look at our time management skills, we often think that we can improve our productivity by changing or adding one or two behaviors in our life.  After a while, these big changes either latch on and make a difference or, more commonly, fade away and are completely forgotten.  Instead of trying to amend one or two big behaviors, try to find many small behaviors or habits that you can change.

For instance, don’t just say ” I’m going to stick to a task once I start!” Instead, tell yourself that you will stop checking your Facebook account in the middle of your projects, and avoid getting up from your chair just to look in the fridge while you are trying to finish task.  Naming several bad habits or behaviors that are smaller and more specific might make it easier to change.

Try putting these time management tips into practice.  They will not work for everyone, but they have always worked for me.  After a while, hopefully you will start to see your productivity rise.  Once you start seeing more results because of your time management skills, your confidence will go up and your time will begin to yield more and more results.

What are some additional time management tips and/or strategies that you’ve put into place? Please share in the comments below.