There are only so many hours in the day. You can’t store it, nor can you borrow more for later.
Only you can decide what you spend your time on. Naturally, you’ll want to spend your time on things that add value to your life. But with life being so busy in these modern times, what with jobs, kids, and other activities, how can you have time for those things that matter the most to you?
Luckily, you can use time management techniques that are tailor-made for busy people. Discover techniques that help simplify how you work, ensuring that you get tasks done more efficiently and giving you more time for whatever you choose.
See how these techniques can free up your time:
1. Organize your work around your energy levels. Your productivity levels are directly related to your energy levels, so schedule your hardest tasks for when your energy levels are at their highest.
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- Any low-value tasks that require little energy, such as responding to emails, can be scheduled for the times when your energy levels are lower.
2. Make a plan for the day. Before you go to bed, write a to-do list for the next day. When you plan ahead, you’re mentally preparing yourself for any challenges you may face.
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- This will also help to limit procrastination at the start of the day and ensure that you work faster and more efficiently.
3. Start your day with the most important task. When you start the day off by completing your most important task, you’ll give yourself a boost of momentum and a real sense of accomplishment.
4. Prioritize tasks. When every task is a priority, nothing is. Urgent tasks should be the highest priority, then look at any high-value tasks, while relegating low-priority tasks to the back of the queue.
5. Learn to outsource. You don’t have to complete every task yourself. Especially those low-priority tasks. Sometimes it’s better to outsource these tasks, so you can focus your attention on the more pressing tasks.
6. Automate repetitive tasks. Nowadays there is technology available that can help automate many of your tasks. There are tools to schedule your social media postings, create canned email responses, and automatically fill in online forms at the touch of a button.
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- Automating these tasks could save you hours a week.
7. Cut out distractions. When you are distracted, it can take a while to get your focus back. This can greatly limit your productivity.
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- Consider turning off the notifications on your phone.
- Invest in a pair of headphones, as this makes others less likely to approach you when you have them on.
- Browsing social media is a big distraction and should really be avoided if you want to increase productivity.
8. Realize that things don’t need to be perfect. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to make everything perfect. However, perfectionism will slow you down and could result in deadlines being missed.
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- Having the attitude of “that’ll do” will save valuable time. Your work will be adequate, and you’ll finish in less time.
To start, try each of these techniques. Once you find those that work best for your situation, use them daily. Your productivity will increase, and you’ll save precious time in your busy life, giving you the time to do what matters most to you.