Time Management & Why You Need To Become Good At It

Time management is one of the greatest skills that a human being can learn to master. Learning time management is a skill that is essential if you’re going to make the most of your day and accomplish all of the tasks that you have at hand.

If you cannot effectively and wisely manage your time you may even have a busy day, but not a productive one. There are many aspects of being good at managing your time and in this article on time management we will delve into what they are.

WHAT IS TIME MANAGEMENT

First we need to explain what time management is. A general definition of time management is that it’s the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities.

Basically what that means is that you’re using your time wisely. That you have learned how to distribute your time wisely and effectively in order to get your tasks done. Good time management skills enable a person to get as much done in the shortest period of time and with a controlled stress level.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TIME MANAGEMENT?

Being able to manage your time effectively comes with many benefits. Below is a list of good time management benefits

YOU’LL GET MORE DONE: This is perhaps the greatest benefit of good time management, you’ll get more done. It’s what we all want, to get more done. We all have the same 24 hours in a day but some people get more done than others. That’s because they have mastered the use of their time. You can do the same.

STRESS REDUCTION: The more you learn to use your time effectively the less stress you will have. The reason is because you won’t be worried about having enough time to complete the tasks for the day. Actually, when you become great at time management skills, you will even have time to chill out and relax. We can all use that.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES: As you become effective and efficient with your time you will notice that other opportunities arise. The reason is because now you’re getting more done in a shorter period of time and that’s opening up doors to explore other opportunities.

MORE FREE TIME: If you don’t become effective with how you manage the time that you have throughout the day, you’ll never have free time. You’ll always be working. And as important as work is, we need to have some downtime. Some time to step back, relax, spend time with family, spend time alone, etc. Free time will come the better you develop your skills at managing time.

TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS

To improve and make the best use of your time will require some effort and dedication. You will need to be willing to acknowledge that you are currently not making the best use of your time and be willing to make the necessary changes to do so.

It’s not necessarily that they are hard changes to make, but they may require certain sacrifices that you may not be used to. Let’s get into the tips that will help you improve the use of your time.

1. YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE: If you’re going to be effective with your time, you need to get a better handle on your sleep routine. That may mean you need to start going to bed earlier so that you can get up earlier. That may mean you need to sleep less. If you’re sleeping more than 8 hours a day, you’re likely sleeping too much. People who have great time management skills have a handle on their sleep routine and how much they sleep.

2. GET USED TO MISSING OUT: To make the most of your time that will require you missing out on some activities, to say the least. If you’re going to be effective and get the things done that you want, you will have to miss out on some things, regularly. That may be a cookout, going out at night, not going to the beach so frequently, working some weekends, etc. People who are great at managing their time know that it requires sacrifices. You too will have to make some.

3. GIVE YOURSELF DEADLINES: It’s significantly important that you give yourself deadlines to complete the tasks you have outlined. Without deadlines you run the risk of just dragging that project on and on. But when you give yourself a time frame to complete it, you’re putting pressure on you and it’s more likely that you’ll get it done, in a timely manner.

4. REWARD YOURSELF: Being a great time manager requires a certain level of rigorousness, but don’t be afraid to reward yourself. When you complete a task, be willing to reward yourself. However, be sure the reward fits the accomplishment. For example, don’t reward yourself with a vacation for completing a task that doesn’t fit the magnitude of the reward.

5. PLAN WISELY: You have to plan wisely. Planning wisely requires you to prioritize. You have to know what’s priority and get that done, first. Many times people know what’s priority but they don’t work on that first. That’s because what’s priority usually is a bigger task. It will involve more of your time, effort and dedication. However, tackle that first and then move on to the lighter, smaller task.

If you do it the opposite way you may find yourself not completing the bigger task because you may feel worn out by the time you get to it.