Time Management Strategies: 6 Ways to Stop Wasting Time

If you take some time to review all the things you do in a day, you might realize how much time you have wasted. Organizational skills have to be learned, just like any other. If you learn time mastery skills, such as planning and scheduling your activities for the day, week or month, you can increase your productivity and also feel more relaxed in general. Setting realistic objectives and adjusting your schedule regularly will lead to excellent results and success.

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1. Set Your Priorities

Write down all of the tasks you wish to accomplish each day. It’s also a good idea to keep separate lists that focus on long-term goals, such as monthly or even yearly goals, so you can keep track of these too. On your daily list, prioritize the tasks. You might not be able to get through the entire list, so make sure you put the most urgent or important tasks first. Continue listing tasks from most to least important. You can always get to the less urgent tasks the following day, if you run out of time or energy.

2. Break Things Down

Large projects on your to-do list can seem intimidating, but you can make them easier to handle by breaking them down into several smaller tasks. List the smaller tasks on your to-do list, and prioritize them along with the rest of the tasks you need to get done. This can help ensure that you complete the larger project before you’ve run out of energy for the day.

3. Create a Schedule

Once you have your prioritized to-do list, write down a schedule. You can estimate the amount of time it should take you to perform each task. Make sure you leave room for breaks throughout the day. You’ll find that you work better after you’ve stepped away from your work area every so often, even if it’s just for 10 minutes at a time. Stick to your schedule as much as possible, but keep in mind that you might need to make minor adjustments here and there as issues come up or if you’re given  new urgent tasks that need to be completed by the end of the day. Having a schedule serves as a guide to help you plan out your day.

4. Focus on Quality

When learning how to manage your time, be sure not to rush the work you need to do for the day. Focus on quality and achieving exceptional results. Completing a job while focusing on quality will actually save you more time and effort in the end, since work that’s done haphazardly can require repairs and retouches due to errors and other untoward results.

5. Avoid Distractions

Stay away from distractions, especially when you’re trying to focus on tasks that are part of big projects or when you have urgent deadlines to meet. Do not work with people who can be distracting, or you will only find yourself wasting valuable time. Reward yourself for accomplishing a few tasks by doing an activity that might normally serve as a distraction, such as reading the latest news online or checking social media sites. The trick is to limit these rewards to 10 minutes or so. Once that time is up, get back to work and stay focused on the next tasks.

6. Get Help From Experts

You don’t have to manage your time all by yourself. You can learn how to bend and stretch time from online experts who can provide you with quick tips and updates on using your time more efficiently. You can also take online courses to learn more time management techniques and strategies.