How to Improve Your Time Management Skills

I swear, there is never enough time in the day to get everything done that I wanted.  But some days, I’m in the zone, and I feel like I have it all sorted out.  I float effortlessly from one thing to another and end the day pretty satisfied.  Don’t get me wrong, that is not most days—in fact, it’s probably the rare majority.  BUT, on those rare days, I always think, “Whoa!  So that’s what they mean when they talk about time management.”  Then, I vow to employ those techniques from now until the end of eternity, which usually falls short by the next day.

In an ideal world, every day would be well-managed and without surprises, but in case you need some help pushing those days along, here are a couple of tips to help improve your time management, and maybe, just maybe give you a boost of sanity:

1. Make a to-do list.  Yes, it seems dorky, but there is something oddly satisfying about crossing off items on the list.  As an added bonus, it keeps a running tally of everything that needs to get done, so you can pair them accordingly {i.e. pick up dry cleaning, grocery store, etc.}
2. Forget multi-tasking.  Studies have shown that multi-tasking is not nearly as effective as completely focusing on one task and then moving to the next.
3. Delegate.  If you have teenagers, send them on some of your errands.  Have little ones help with little tasks that will otherwise free you up to cross something else off of your to-do list.
4. Avoid getting burned out.  Believe it or not, it is okay to have downtime built into your day.  We are a go-go society, but our brains require a little quiet and stillness every so often to reboot.
5. Prioritize.  This seems like a no-brainer, but I totally fail on this one from time to time.  I’ll go to do one thing, get distracted and complete something that absolutely didn’t need to be done, while something more pressing hangs in the balance.  It’s the curse of being a mom, or at least that the story I tell myself.
6. Be realistic.  If your daily to-do list requires a back brace for you to pick it up, it’s time to have a heart to heart with yourself.  Take some things off of your plate.  You’ll be happier, and the people relying on you will be happy.  Nancy Reagan wants you to “just say no.”
7. Power through procrastination.  Confession time:  I always procrastinate about unloading the dishwasher.  I don’t know why, because once I decided to time how long it takes me.  Less than 3 minutes.  BUT, I’ll still piddle around the house trying to avoid it—essentially avoiding 3 minutes, and I waste precious time on procrastinating too.  Lame-o.  If I would just power through, it would be done, and I could move onto more pressing items on my daily to-do list.
8. Adopt a rule of two.  If a task pops up out of nowhere and it takes less than two minutes, handle it then and there.  That way, you won’t have it hanging over your head.  For example, maybe while you are checking emails, you have a couple you need to respond to.  If you can respond in less than two minutes, just get it done.
9. Figure out HOW you typically spend your time.  Keep track of how you spend your time {including time you waste} for a week.  Try keeping track in 15 minute intervals.  It will show you your pitfalls and weaknesses.  It will also help you find out where you spend most of your time and decide if it reflects what you value most.
10. Recognize external things that waste your time.  If your phone is a distraction when it shouldn’t be, try to get in the habit of turning it off or putting it in another room when you need to be doing something else.  If television causes distractions, try putting strict rules on when you can watch it.

What do you do to make the most of your time?

~Mavis