Do you feel like you have no time to get anything done or to maintain a healthy work-life balance? Do your friends complain they never see you because of work, class,etc?
I am here to share a few simple, effective ways to practice time management so you can get EVERYTHING on your to-do list done while leaving just a lil’ bit of room for some fun stuff. We don’t want to forget the fun stuff because having some time to yourself or to grab a drink will allow you to temporarily forget about the stress of your week and relax.
Plan Ahead
Google calendar is my new best friend. I have never used a calendar that is easier to organize through color-coding, headings, etc. I separate classes, work, outside events, and personal time using different colors. This way, when someone asks when I am available I can easily pinpoint the black spaces on my calendar!
I thought it would be so difficult to transition from a hard-copy planner to an online planner, but it has made my life 10x easier (no more flipping through your cluttered, crossed-out planner) I can easily update my schedule using the Google calendar app and, through my Google account, it updates my iPhone calendar for alerts.
Prioritize Tasks
Schedule your time by importance of task. Maybe you don’t need to get your annual report done until next week, but have to get a paper and taxes filed by Friday night. Organize your schedule in a way that makes prioritizing easier for you. Make a list! Maybe create a document to print out and hang up above your desk, so you will see it every day. This way, you will have a pretty hard time forgetting what needs to get done next.
Sometimes we put less urgent tasks first because we feel as though they are easier to get out of the way, but this is when high priorities can get pushed to the bottom of the pile. When someone asks if you can take on another task, tell them you have some more important work that needs to get done first and that you will get to it when you can (unless it’s your boss then you should probably put it on top of the list).
Beauty Sleep
Staying up all night to knock a few items off of your checklist may seem like a good idea, but it can make work less productive. You are tired and not fully on your game if you haven’t gotten enough sleep. Believe me, I know. I stay up way to late on some nights hoping to get things done only to end up asleep next to an open laptop and mediocre essay – you are SO much better than THAT!
If you go to bed late make sure you don’t have to get up super early in the morning. No you probably don’t need a full 8-9 hours of sleep every night, but try and get at least 5-6 the majority of your days! Lack of sleep will leave you feeling unproductive and will show at work or school the next day.
Stay Focused
Whatever you do, try as best you can not to work on more than one or two tasks at once. It is so easy to get side-tracked this way and to lose sight of your end goal. By focusing on one or two key tasks you are more likely to get them done with efficiency. Another perk to focusing on one task at a time is putting more thought into that subject and being less likely to forget about important facts.
Take a Walk
Getting stressed out while you are in the middle of a task can cause you to take much longer to complete it. What should you do? You’re getting frustrated and can feel yourself spiraling out of focus. Take a walk! This may sound silly but it absolutely works. Oftentimes, I stand up and walk around for 5-10 minutes while listening to soft music and reflecting to get back in the work mindset.
Stress will not make-or-break the task at hand unless you let it. Find a way of coping with stress and pressure when you feel it arising. By nipping it in the butt quickly you will be less likely to let it completely ruin your focus.
P.S. Don’t forget the coffee!