Managing Time and Setting Priorities
Plan, Schedule, Prioritize, Focus, Avoid Distractions
May 2, 2009
Wanting to get everything done is probably the main reason why many people are short on time. They try to do too many things and fail to realize that there are only so many tasks that one person can accomplish in a day.
Prioritize to Improve Time Management
Instead of focusing on getting everything done, the focus should be on things that need to get done. Separating what's important from what's not important helps prioritize tasks. And once this is done, priorities are in order.
When working on something with a high priority it is okay to turn down someone asking for a favor that has a lower priority. Learning to say "no” is a huge time-saver. Once focus is on the most important task that needs to get done during the day, most likely there is enough time left to fit in some of the minor things.
- Remember Time is Fair. Everyone has 24 hours a day to use or abuse, no more no less. No matter the status in life or from what background a person originates from, everyone has the same amount of hours in a day. The difference is how a person chooses to spends these hours or days. Perhaps this is the reason why some people are considered miracle workers while others never get anything done.
- Pass a Piece of Information Only Once. Passing a piece of information through the hands only once can be a great time-saver. This goes for articles, mail, email, articles, newspapers and other sources of information.
- Practice Efficient Communication. Communication happens on the phone, in emails or letters, and naturally, face-to-face conversations. In business parlance, a lot of time spent in communication is considered inefficient. This is especially wasteful because owned time isn't the only time wasted but also the other person's.
- Make Responsible Decisions. Some decisions aren't worth spending too much of one's valuable time. The ability to take decisions quickly, especially minor ones, frees up a lot of time that can already be used on more important things. It also enhances self-confidence, which greatly helps when taking decisions on more important issues.
Often, workaholics don't have a very good relationship with time management. Others use a to-do list set out to be done, but anything and everything that come across interferes and they are weak to say "no" to all kinds of situations. People who ask themselves how they can possibly get everything done should stop doing so. Why? The answer is simple: They can't. It's all about managing time and setting priorities.
Readers who find this article insightful may want to check out How to Overcome Obstacles to Goals.
 |
