How To Manage Time Effectively for Productivity
In order to make you more productive, you must learn how to manage time effectively. There are two major sources of value in the world of work today. The first is time and the second is knowledge.
Today, time is the currency of modern business. By using these 5 techniques to manage your time, you will put yourself on the fast track to success.
1. Develop A Sense Of Urgency
The most important measure of time is speed. The most important quality that you can develop with regard to time management is a “sense of urgency.”
A sense of urgency is the habit of moving fast when an opportunity presents itself to you. Develop a bias for action. Fast tempo is essential to success. All successful people not only work hard, hard, hard, but they work fast, fast, fast!
2. Stop Procrastinating
Procrastination is not only the thief of time; it is the thief of life. You must develop the time management habit of moving quickly when something needs to be done. You must develop a reputation for speed and dependability.
As a general rule, small tasks should be done immediately, as soon as they appear. This habit of taking action quickly will enable you to get through an enormous amount of work in a day. It will earn you a reputation for being the kind of person to give jobs to when someone needs them done quickly.
3. Work In Real-Time
Whenever possible, do your work in “real-time,” as soon as it comes up. Stay focused and do it now. It is amazing how much time you can waste by picking up a task and looking at it or starting it, and then putting it down and coming back to it again and again.
General Time Management Skills
The preparation that you make in the evening for the day ahead will have an enormous effect on how successful you are. Here are some general time management skills that anyone can do that will help you get more done.
1. Always Think On Paper
Take a piece of paper and write down everything you intend to do. Include everything, even your plans to eat a healthy lunch and workout, prepare dinner for you and your family, every detail.
Then organize the piece of paper by asking yourself: “If I could only do one thing on this list today, which one thing would it be?”
And if I could only do two things which would be the second and the third? And then when you start first thing in the morning, start off with number one, and discipline yourself to work only on number one until it’s complete. Then move on to number two.
2. Avoid Distractions Like Email And Media
Checking your email in the morning makes getting off track entirely too easy. It starts with just one email, and before you know it, you’re several hours into your day and you still haven’t started on your number one task.
Keep your phone away from you or off to avoid distractions from your most important task.
3. Make Your List Of Written Tasks The Night Before
The final way for you to make sure you have a productive next day is to make this list of goals and tasks the night before.
Your ability to make good plans before you act is a measure of your overall competence. The better plan you have, the easier it is for you to overcome procrastination, to get started and then to keep going.
By writing down your goals before you go to sleep, you will think about the things you need to do and mentally prepare yourself to do them before you even wake up the next morning.
When you plan each day in advance, organize your list by priority, and stick to your plan, the work will go faster and smoother than ever before. You will feel more powerful and competent. You will get more done, faster than you thought possible. Eventually, you will become unstoppable.