Studies show that people who have good time management skills are able to enhance their overall well-being and satisfaction with life.
Whether it’s house chores, work projects, or too many emails to respond to, it can often feel like there’s not enough time in the day to get everything done. While we can’t create more time, good time management skills can help you feel like you have more of it.
Below you will learn more about time management, as well as gain some tips and strategies for managing your time effectively.
Why Time Management Matters
When you feel like you don’t have enough time to get things done, it can lead to negative feelings. You may feel stressed that things aren’t getting accomplished. You may resent you don’t spend enough time on your health or what matters most to you. You may feel like you have no balance in your life, leading to feelings of anger or sadness.
Studies show that people who have good time management skills are better able to enhance their overall well-being and satisfaction with life. Good time management can lead to many benefits, including:
- More time for what matters most
- More productivity
- Increased energy levels
- Less stress
- Less irritability and better mood overall
- Better relationships with others
Tips to Improve Your Time Management
There are several blogs and articles discussing ways to improve your time management skills. Here are some of their tips:
- Know how you spend your time. Keep track of how you spend your time for a week or two and review the results. What activities consume most of your time? Are you wasting time you may not realize? Once you understand where your time goes, you can look for ways to improve your time management.
- Set priorities. You may have too many things to do in a day than you can complete, so it’s important to set priorities. What is most important to you? What is urgent? Are there items you could handle another day? Prioritize your required activities before starting on less important matters.
- Build a schedule that works best for you. It can be helpful to create a daily schedule if you feel overwhelmed by demands on your time. Include appointments, meetings and times to complete important tasks when you’re most productive, but also create time for exercise or wellness and even downtime. Your schedule can change weekly, but having a routine can decrease your stress.
- Create a to-do list. A to-do list can help you prioritize, stay organized, and complete your tasks to stay on track throughout the day.
- Learn to say “no” and set limits. Some people overcommit because they struggle to say “no.” Instead of trying to do too much, learn that you can decline requests on your time. Set limits on when you’ll respond to emails, reply to friends, or complete tasks for work.
- Use a planning tool. Most email programs have task-tracking and calendar features you can set up, and many free apps do too. Find a time management tool that works for you – like a planner, calendar, wall chart, or simply a notebook to keep your tasks organized.
- Avoid procrastination. Many people delay unpleasant or overwhelming tasks because they don’t like doing them. Instead, try making those tasks your first priority of the day when you’re most alert and productive. Another way to manage procrastination is to break big tasks into smaller, more manageable ones – with their own goals or deadlines. For example, cleaning the whole house may seem overwhelming, but what about setting a 15-minute timer each night after dinner to clean whatever you can?
- Manage your time-wasters. What are your biggest time-wasting personal activities? Maybe it’s tons of small talk at work or social media scrolling at night. Maybe it’s the numerous times you check your phone after receiving a notification or an alert. Identify your time-wasting activities and try to put personal limits in place.
- Practice self-care. Scheduling time to relax and recharge physically and mentally can enable you to accomplish tasks more quickly and easily. It can also foster a sense of feeling less stressed and being more capable. Even small breaks throughout the day to walk around or stretch can help you recharge or refocus.
- Reduce distractions. When you need to concentrate, turn off notifications, put your phone on silent, or use headphones to minimize distractions. Try setting an alarm and use it to focus completely on a task until the alarm goes off.
- Get organized. When you have an organized and clean workplace, it can help you focus and stay on task. Think about ways to organize your life, whether it’s decluttering your desk, setting up folders for the constant stream of emails, or using a file folder system to keep papers in place. Spring Cleaning: Good for Your Home and Your Health has some great ideas for getting organized.
Your time each day is finite, but if you manage it well you’ll be able to get important tasks done and still have time for what matters most.