When we talk about time management, most people imagine calendars, plans, schedules, and other similar tools for organisation and productivity. We at Master Time believe that they are undoubtedly helpful, but they also can be absolutely pointless without having the right attitude. The truth is that we all have the same 24 hours a day and some people seem to be able to manage their time better, but this is not just due to organisation. Good time management is essentially good life management and a way to achieve your vision. Today we will share with you some tactics and tools, beyond schedules and calendars, that will help you turn your daily routine around and live the life you have always dreamed of.
Check also: What Is Time Management and How Can it Help You Achieve Your Life Goals?
#1 Creating Your Life Vision
Ask yourself – why do I never have enough time? Are you distracted? Do you find your duties boring? Do you procrastinate constantly? If you can figure out what makes you disorganised and where your lack of motivation comes from, your problem is half solved. Because often, behind the seemingly banal excuses, there are deeper reasons for your lack of time, and you have to deal with them. All these things that we think are consuming our time are not causes but consequences of a much bigger problem – the lack of vision for life.
Of course, sometimes there are days when things just don’t work out. Still, suppose you feel that you are often bored, that your distractions are tendentious, that you are constantly overwhelmed by unpleasant obligations. In that case, you should consider making an actual revision of your goals and dreams. We have already written in detail on how to create your vision. If you don’t know how to do it or where to start, be sure to read the article:
Read also: What is The Best Way to Create a Vision for Your Life and Stick to It?
#2 Set Your Priorities
Evaluate every goal you need to work on to determine the most urgent and essential actions and list those as your top priority tasks for the day. Leave less important jobs or actions that haven’t yet become urgent for later, when you have more time on your hands to focus on those less crucial things. Some people say that you need to reward yourself after completing a difficult task. However, rewards are probably required if you hate what you are doing, in which case you seriously need to evaluate your life vision and goals. Reminding yourself before you start a task why is it important for you will give you a sense of joy and achievement after you have done it. That’s a good enough reward! And also, if you use your time well, soon you’ll notice there are no pressing things to do because urgent tasks emerge if you have postponed dealing with something for too long.
Check also: How to Live a Fulfiling Life?
#3 Deal With the Most Challenging Things First
If we say that you will enjoy all the things you need to do to have a good life, we would be lying. Undoubtedly, each of us has tasks that are unpleasant or annoying. The first impulse may be to postpone this task, but unfortunately, these delayed tasks accumulate and sometimes surprise us unpleasantly over time. They can cause anxiety or simply stop us on our way to achieving our bigger goals. Therefore, you just have to approach unpleasant tasks directly. Or, as Bryan Tracy sais, “ Eat that frog”, meaning you have to tackle your biggest, most important and challenging tasks first. The author also claims that it is most likely that usually, these are the task we are most likely to procrastinate and that they usually have the greatest impact on your life at the moment.
Read also: 8 Expert Tips on How To Stick to Your New Year Resolutions in 2022
#4 When is OK to Multitask and When Isn’t
Multitasking may appear like a good way of getting more work done, but the truth is it actually reduces your productivity. Instead of completing multiple goals, you end up starting them but not finishing any of them. The best way to manage your time and get everything done when it has to be done is to focus on a single task at a time. Give it your full attention and focus on avoiding mistakes – this way, you will not only finish on time, but you will be confident you did an excellent job. That allows you to carry on with the next, not returning to fix any faults and loose ends, essentially saving you time. On the other hand, some tasks like driving, travelling, cooking, gardening, cleaning, showering or working out allow us to leverage our time by also doing something else like calling family or friends to keep in touch, listening to podcasts, audiobooks etc.
#5 Eliminate Distractions
Even if you have set your goals and don’t hang out on social media all day, modern life often forces us into situations that eat up our time. If your phone is constantly ringing at the wrong time, do not hesitate to turn off the sound, you do not have to take every conversation. The phone is for your convenience, not theirs. Suppose someone is always at work to come and start annoying – set clear boundaries. You don’t have to be rude, but it’s your right to say – I’m busy right now, I’ll listen to you shortly. Whether you are focused on work or spending time with your family, you will never give your full attention to either if you do not eliminate the distractions. Show firmness and zero tolerance for things that divert you from what is important to you, and you will see how you suddenly have more than enough time for everything.
#6 Monitor Your Energy Levels
Understand when you’re most productive: maybe you’re the most alert first thing in the morning, or perhaps you hit your stride at night. Save your most important and challenging tasks for when your productivity is highest, schedule simpler or smaller tasks for times when you’re less alert. Besides learning to understand your body’s natural rhythm, it is helpful knowing how to read your emotions. Take on tasks that require critical thinking when you are calm and balanced. Leave the small, mechanical activities for when you are irritable or restless – this way, you will finish them while their monotony balances your disposition. Over time, you will learn how to counteract various moods and use them to your advantage.
#7 Stop Stressing Over Everything
If you constantly panic that you don’t have enough time, you really won’t have enough. No matter how well you plan everything, nothing will happen if you are not calm. So don’t overdo it. Take enough time to recharge – rest, engage with sports, spend time with your family. And of course – get good sleep. Many people who strive to achieve a lot in their day don’t sleep enough, which is a huge mistake you want to avoid. Only then you will return to all your duties with pleasure and inspiration, and nothing will be boring and unpleasant for you. When you are calm and rested, you give your brain time to recharge, and you will even come up with unique ideas for better organisation of your time.
Check also: Here Is Why To Take a Real Break This Year
Bonus Tip: Find a System That Works For You
If your goals are clear and your motivation is strong, all you need is a system to help you balance your tasks and track your progress over time. Here comes MasterTime – a simple tool to help you navigate through the most complicated personal and professional projects and keep up with everything. We have created our MasterTime app to help people with a clear vision to invest their time wisely. The app has customisable categories that you can adjust according to your lifestyle and goals. It also records your statistics and allows you to monitor how you spend your time. You can set your vision, goals, and time notifications to suit the path you want to take in life. Take control of your time and take control of your life.