Life today is fast moving. We often hear people saying "I'm running all the time." Unplanned running makes things worse affecting our health. Time management is important to maintain health and grow in life, profession and business. Not everyone has a genuine control on the effective use of time. Here are some suggestions:
Don't overbook.
This may seem unusual to people who try to work as much as possible. The problem is that things rarely go according to our agenda. We may be on time for an appointment but we have no control over the other party. There is a loss of time in waiting. It is not advisable to plan doing too many things. Assume that only 50% of the things we plan will actually get done. If we don't do this, we will waste valuable time trying to find out why things didn't happen.
Prioritize.
The secret for effective use of time is to know what's important and what can wait. Learn to ask questions that help to determine the level of urgency. Negotiate longer lead times whenever you can and don't give into the instant-and-immediate answer syndrome. Treating everything as top priority is draining and depleting.
Learn to say no.
One of the biggest tools to effective time management is recognizing that you don't have to agree to everything and with everyone. Use your priority criteria to identify things which aren't worth your time. Please note that saying no to one thing opens the door to saying yes to something else.
Organize.
Bringing your time into line isn't just a matter of scheduling. The mechanics of how we operate is more important. Work process should be system driven and not person driven. Individuals should never become indispensable.
Use technology.
Technology is a great weapon to manage time effectively. We have the best tools to organize a wide array of customer and product particulars, allowing quick and easy access. We should live by our database. That way, nothing is ever forgotten.
Don't overdo.
Emails and cell phones have become major time killers. Part of effective time management is to know when to shut these things down. Turning off a cell phone or other wireless means of communication establishes boundaries. In short, it helps you balance your personal and professional time.
Know it won't always be perfect.
Time management isn't science. Let us not stress out and waste time in the process by obsessing over every second of time. Do what you can and enjoy whatever time you spend more pleasantly or productively. Be grateful for what goes right and learn from the mistakes.
Let us balance the life and work.
