Time management is key to achieving your goal. You can’t spend all your time working and not have enough time for everything else. Some common time management tips start from setting a plan for each day, knowing when it’s time to take a break and when to continue working.
Further, you need to know that sometimes there are unpredictable things that can ruin your schedule. That way, you won’t have anything left over at the end of the day when something goes wrong.
Unpredictable things can come from bad time management problems. Because it seems like a little thing, so sometimes you don’t realise that it becomes a habit.
Bad time management also can have an impact on both your mental and physical health. If you're so stressed out that you don't get enough exercise or eat fast food all the time.
So, to avoid those impacts on mental and physical health caused by bad time management habits, you can learn to master your time management skills.
Before to mastery in time management skills, know the two common bad management habits and the solutions you may find below:
Procrastination
If you can break the habit of putting off projects, you’ll be in a much better position to finish everything on time and on budget. It’s safe to say, if you find yourself procrastinating, again and again, it might be worth taking some steps to correct the situation.
What is Procrastination?
According to SolvingProcrastination, Procrastination is the desire to avoid, delay, or postpone a task unreasonably. It is a habit that affects everyone to some level.
There are many reasons why people might procrastinate. It could be that you’re struggling to meet a specific goal, that you feel overwhelmed or stressed, or that you don’t have the time today. Whatever the reason, there is one common habit: procrastination.
The symptoms of Procrastination
- Being distracted from work by non-work activities such as checking emails or scrolling social media;
- Avoiding everything until the last minute
- Repeatedly worrying about work but not getting anything done
- Performing tasks that you wouldn't usually be enthusiastic about, such as household tasks
- Feeling not good in everything you do
- A sense of hopelessness as you feel there is too much to do
Solutions for Procrastination
Start the day with a focus and a clear goal. Make sure you have a plan for the day and stick to it. This can help you to break procrastination through the steps below:
Stay productive and motivated. In order to stay motivated and productive, it’s important to delegate responsibilities when necessary. This will help you focus on the task at hand and avoid having too much of a workload.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on one task for that time (you can use the Pomodoro technique).
- Break the task into smaller ones.
- Take a break (but don’t stay away from your task) after every 5 minutes of work.
- Start again, this time with a new set of goals and instructions.
- Write down your progress each day in an effort to keep track of your progress).
The most important thing to solve procrastination and distractions is finishing your first task is more important than perfect.
Procrastination and time management go hand in hand. Effective time management can help you feel in control of your workload, increase productivity, and boost confidence.
As a result, you'll feel less vulnerable to putting off doing something and be able to achieve a perfect balance between working and other things to do.
Distractions
Having to deal with distractions makes it sometimes difficult to focus on your work, and you may find that you put off a working task. Distractions can be real, for example, your phone notifications, or your child needs your attention.
What is a Distraction?
According to Pshycologytoday, a distraction includes “a stimulus or task that draws attention away from the task of primary interest” and “the process of interrupting attention.” In other words, distractions prevent you from taking care of yourself, finishing tasks at home or at work, or spending time with loved ones.
We can’t keep the concentration needed for creativity in both our professional and personal lives if distractions become habits.
Even worse, we lose out on developing the connections we need for our psychological well-being if distractions keep us from our friends and family all the time.
The symptoms of Distractions
- Checking the notifications that appear on your phone, even when speaking to family, friends, or coworkers.
- Checking email while working intently.
- Conversing with coworkers who come by your desk while you are trying to focus on work.
- When you intended to read a book, you were on social media instead.
Solutions for Distractions
The following steps may help you solve the distractions:
- Know the internal triggers. Are you feeling anxious, fearful, or stressed?
- Reverse external triggers. Off your phone notifications during working time.
- Stay on track with your work.
- Be organised. Organising your workspace is another important step in staying productive.
- Make a list of your goals. By setting short-term and long-term goals, you can increase the likelihood that you will achieve them both while still being productive at work.
- Stay focused on your work.
- Be sure that when working, everything from spoken words to actions is done with intentionality and focus.
Helpful tips for Time Management
Here are some tips on how to manage your time so you can focus on the things that matter most.
1. Using time management techniques
There are a number of time management techniques that can be used for different purposes. For example Eat the Frog, which is a method used to help improve productivity by finishing your difficult task of the day first.
Other time management techniques include Time Blocking, Pareto Principle, and so on.
2. Using time management tools
By using time management tools wisely, you can save both time and energy. For example, if you have a meeting scheduled for 10 am but instead would like to start your day with some exercise, you could choose to start your day with a cooldown from your time management tool and then do exercise later in the day.
Using time management tools wisely can avoid overworking yourself and maximising potential outcomes.
Time management tools like Google Calendar or Evernote also can help you keep track of important tasks and deadlines, and can also be used as a notes app.
3. Find time for rest
Rest is important when you’re trying to manage your time. Try taking at least 30 minutes each day to relax and de-stress. Additionally, do something enjoyable after work or during your spare time and there’s no need to spend hours in front of a computer screen.
You can also use the Pomodoro technique to allow you to break works into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, and divided by short breaks.
4. Go outside
Enjoying life outside of work is also important when managing your time. Take a walk or go out for dinner with friends instead of spending hours online or working on a document that won’t end until tomorrow morning.
And finally, don’t forget: good time management starts with setting expectations and then setting realistic goals and sticking to them.
Wrapping up
Time management is an important skill to hone in order to achieve success. By using the right tools for the task at hand and finding time for rest, you can manage your time effectively. Additionally, you can reach your goals faster and achieve more success by making time for growth.
Be aware of two bad time management habits, namely procrastination, and distractions. They often ruin your day and can impact your mental and physical health. To support your mastery in time management skills, don’t forget to use project management tools, it will help you manage the task and better collaboration with your team.
