Tips on how to manage your time.
Time Management tips:
I often talk about not having enough time to get a job. I've been semi-retired for over a year and catching up on all sorts of to-do-list has been mostly fulfilling. However, I find myself drawn to time consuming activities that although enjoyable, doesn't really get my list accomplished. I've scoured the internet and complied the following list to share that might help us all get productive and stay balanced at work or outside the office.
1. Start talking or thinking about what you do have time for.
2. Use your time for the things that have value or add value to your life.
3. Your time is valuable. When you show that in your behavior others will recognize and honor that too.
4. My sister does an amazing thing that I've always admired. She is able to turn off her email for blocks of time that she needs to focus on a task. She's also amazing and turning off her phone. That might not work for everyone, but it's something to apply in your time management list.
5. Time is the same for everyone!
6. Start to focus on the task at hand within five minutes of sitting down at your desk.
8. Find time saving patterns in your daily life that you can turn into habits. End your working day at a fixed time, and don't let work flow over into the evening.
10. Research shows getting plenty of rest is important to stay productive. Make sure you get plenty of zzzzzzzs! Try to get a power nap at the same time everyday. 10 minutes can completely refresh you help you finish off the day. We all need down time.
11. If you’re using social media for business, schedule some of your updates. You don’t have to be there all of the time.
12: Pay attention to how you use your time and adjust by trimming out the time sucking activities that don't help you accomplish your goals. Think about where you can balance time so that you can enjoy yourself doing things you value.
13. Make a list of things you want to accomplish or enjoy doing. Think about how often you actually carve out time to do these things. Then write it down as your go-to-list to remind you of your goals.
14. Are there people who drain your time? Remember tip #3. Do these same people also drain your energy? Get focused and take back your time and energy to focus on things that really matter to you.
15. You can actually get an awful lot done in half an hour. Don’t just float because you’ve only got half an hour until your next meeting or appointment.
16. Consider taking a short, 10 minute break by sitting quietly, breathing in for 5 seconds, holding the breathe for 5 seconds and expelling for 5 seconds and repeat. Dare you to stay awake!
17. Identify anything causing a regular, repeated drag or drain on your time. These might include technology, systems, workflow or people, for example. One by one, take these things and fix them, address them, or change them to free up more time.
18. Task that can distract you (i.e. social media, email, surfing the internet) suck your time and can you can end up spending more time there than you realize. Try seting an alarm on your phone to alert you of the time passing, decide how long you want to actually spend on this activity. It might be surprised at how much time can lapse just surfing the internet or on social media.
19. We regularly underestimate how long something will take us. Factor this in!
20. Could you spend time as an alternative to spending money during the week.
See: FORBES: http://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbooth/2014/08/28/30-time-management-tips/