Tricks to Manage Time Wisely

We all have come across at least one person who appears to be busy all the time and yet never seems to get anything done. Such people are always in a rush and rarely appear anywhere on time. Even if they a day had 48 hours instead of 24, they would never be able to finish al that they want to do. At the same time, there are a few others, who, in spite of having many things on their plate, never seem to be frazzled. They get a lot done in half the time others may take to do the same tasks. What is the key difference between these two categories. In many cases it is effective time management. This is not something they teach you at school, but it is a key life skill and is just as important as money management, another key skill they never get around to teaching you in school. Here are a few shortcuts to managing your time wisely:

1. Clear Your Desk: A clear desk is conducive to clear thinking. Having a lot of clutter on your desk can cause you to miss significant documents and reminders. Effective time management starts with a clear desk.
2. Make a list of all your tasks: There are many people who think that lists are a waste of time. But when it comes to effective time management, lists play a crucial role as putting tasks down in black and white reduces the possibility of forgetting anything. At the beginning of your day, take 10-1 minutes to make a list of all the things that need to be done that day, week and month.
3. Divide the tasks: Divide the tasks into those that need to be completed on a priority basis. There may be many priority tasks which individually do not need much time but can have big consequences if not completed. There will also be important tasks that need attention but not on an immediate basis and tasks that can wait. There will be actions needing involvement from other people. Based on the urgency, write down the order in which you intend to accomplish these tasks and the expected time to complete each task.
4. Be Flexible: Don’t be very rigid in your planning. Though with experience, you will be able to correctly estimate the time needed for each task, initially in many instances you may find that you exceed the time limit for each task. That is perfectly fine. Be flexible and give yourself time for a breather two to three times in a day so that you are able to remain calm throughout.
5. Keep track of the Timeline: Divide bigger tasks into smaller more achievable goals so that you have a sense of accomplishment and calmness as you tick off each one. If you exceed the time set for a specific task, adjust your timeline accordingly.
6. Communicate: For those tasks that need input from other people, communicate with them to get together, discuss and do things at a mutually convenient time so that things move much faster.
7. Learn to tune out distractions: When you are focusing on important tasks, it is important to have the ability to tune out distractions. If you find yourself aimlessly checking your mail every five minutes or checking facebook for your friends updates, stop right then.

Time management is an art, but happily, it is one that is easily learned. Do try out these tips and see if they don’t make your life a lot easier and calmer.