6 Time-Management Tips To Live (and Study) By
You’re busy. You have a packed schedule with work, family and even a little play now and then. You just don’t have enough time.
We know the feeling – and we know it’s doubly hard when you’re trying to cram in 400 hours of studying into your busy life.
Here are some time-management tips we’ve found helpful.
1. STOP Multitasking.
Let’s start with the best time-management tip ever: Stop trying to do everything. Besides, multi-tasking doesn’t work.
Instead of doing several things at once, plan your day in blocks of time where you work exclusively on one thing (like email; see time-management tip #6)
Sorry folks, but playing with your smartphone counts as “multitasking.” Put the phone down/away so you can dedicate your attention to the task at hand.
2. Give Everything a Time Limit
This time-management tip is a tough one. You have to let go of your desire for perfection and recognize when it’s time to move on.
Ever sit in a work meeting that ran terribly over time? It can ruin your (and everyone’s) day. If you implement this rule at work and with meetings, you’ll get more done with your workday (and people will love you).
This tip goes for studying as well. It’s one of the reasons we love Bite-Sized Lessons so much.
3. One Calendar to Rule Them All
People tend to keep several calendars – one for work, one for family, one on their computer, one on their phone, etc.
Instead, consolidate all your calendars so you always know what’s in front of you and so you don’t forget important task or events.
Check out the Sunrise calendar app if you need help. It works on any desktop and iOS or Android device.
4. Tackle The Hard Stuff First
Even when you have all your days organized, there are still those nagging to-do items. The ones you just dread having to do.
We all love to procrastinate, but it only depletes your energy and slows your momentum.
Try this: Start your day by knocking off the most onerous item on your to-do list. Often, you’ll find the task doesn’t really take that long, and you’ll have momentum to carry into your next task.
5. Schedule “Me Time” Every Day
When you’re caught up in your everyday routine, it’s easy to forget that you need a little TLC yourself.
Try padding your activities with periods of quiet where there is nothing to do and nowhere to go. Even if it’s just five minutes at your desk or quick walk outside, you’ll find these little “me” breaks make a big difference in your day.
Just remember time-management tip #2: Make sure there’s a clear time limit to your “me time”.
6. Don’t Check Your Email
We put this time-management tip at the end because it might be controversial.
You hear the ding! or see the little envelope pop up and you immediately stop whatever it is you’re doing to check your email … it’s OK, you can admit it: You’re an email slave.
This is especially true if you work in an office or are on the computer/phone much of the day.
“But … but … I HAVE to check my email!”
No you don’t.
This tip comes from the best-seller The 4-Hour Workweek and it’s a great one. Check your email twice a day at most, during two scheduled blocks of time, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
The rest of time, use an auto-response message telling people when you’ll get back to them and what to expect from you. This allows you to maximize output rather than input.
Yes, you should also apply this to social media.