One of the most common reasons behind a non-productive day is time management. For some reason, people find it very difficult to get all of their priorities in line and have a successful day. I understand the amount of work in your mind can feel like a jumbled mess because I have experienced that quite often. But I have come to find out that these 5 tips helped me immensely when it comes to organizing my time. I have Brian Tracy to thank for sharing these 5 tips on his blog. I hope they help you as well.
Time Management Tip #1: Prepare in Advance
First, prepare your work list for the following day the evening or night before. The best exercise is for you to plan your entire next day as the last thing you do before coming home from work. When you plan your day the night before, your subconscious then goes to work on your plans and goals while you are asleep. Very often you will wake up in the morning with ideas and insights that apply to the work of the day.
A major benefit of preparing your daily list the night before is that this lets you sleep more soundly. A major reason for insomnia is your lying awake trying not to forget to remember everything that you have to do the following day. Once you have written down everything you have to do on your list, it clears your mind and enables you to sleep deeply. This will help you increase productivity throughout the next workday.
Time Management Tip #2: Schedule Your Time
Scheduling your time reduces stress and releases energy. The very act of using your organizational skills to plan your day, week, and month gives you a greater feeling of control and will help increase productivity throughout your day. You’ll feel in charge of your life. It actually increases your self-esteem and improves your sense of personal power.
Time Management Tip #3: Start Early
To increase productivity, start your day early. The more time you take to sit, think, and plan, the better organized you will be in every area of your life. In the biographies and autobiographies of successful men and women, almost all of them have one thing in common. They developed great organizational skills and the habit of going to bed at a reasonable hour and rising early.
Many successful people arise at 5:00 A.M. or 5:30 A.M. so that they can have enough time to think and plan for the coming day. As a result, they are always more effective than those who sleep in until the last possible moment.
A few minutes of quiet reflection before you begin any undertaking can save you many hours executing the task. When you get up early and plan your day in advance, you tend to be more calm, clear-headed, and creative throughout the day.
Time Management Tip #4: Organizational Skills
Resolve to improve your organizational skills and use a filing system both at home and at work. As much as 30 percent of working time today is spent looking for misplaced items. These are things that are lost because they have not been filed correctly. Does this sound familiar to you? There are few activities so frustrating as spending your valuable time looking for misplaced materials because no thought was given to a filing and retrieval system.
Time Management Tip #5: Increase Productivity With Prime Time
Organize your life so that you are doing creative work during your internal ‘‘prime time.’’ Your internal prime time is the time of day, according to your body clock, when you are the most alert and productive. For most people, this is in the morning. For some people, however, it is in the evening.
It is important that you be aware of your internal prime time so that you can schedule your most important projects accordingly to increase productivity. Your most important work usually requires that you be at your very best, rested, alert, and creative.
Ronne B
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