Time is something we all want more of but never seem to get enough of. When we have to split our time between work, social time with family and friends and the a thousand other errands we have in a day – it’s no wonder we never seem to have enough time to get anything done.
24hrs in a day just never seems to be enough, and yet it’s all we have. Including the most successful people that we know of. But the difference between successful people and the average person is that successful people spend their time wisely. They invest their time in things that are valuable with a higher return, such as self-education, reading, learning a new set of skills, etc.
Whereas the average person typically spends their time scrolling on Social Media, binge watching TV and minding other people’s business. Usually as an attempt in trying to escape their reality. And often asking at the end of the day where all the time has gone.
The truth is, what you choose to do with your time on any given day will impact your success in life. If you are currently in a place where you feel like you have more than you can handle with hardly enough time to get it all done, there’s ways you can improve this to help you stay in better control of your work and personal life.
Here's 13 Little Nuggets To Help You Maximize Your Time Well
Learn to Be Organised
Although multi-tasking may help you get things done faster, you won’t produce the best results when your mind is split in different directions. Focus on the task at hand and stay with it until it’s completed. Start with the most important task first and concentrate on it until it’s accomplished. Then move on to the next task.
When you’re organised, you’re able to think clearly. Your mind is able to focus which allows you to be more productive. Keeping your home and your work space clean and tidy is always a good place to start. Declutter things that are taking up your space and are of no importance.
Make Your Meetings Purposeful
Keep your meetings short and intentional. Have an agenda prepared ahead of your meetings and stick to it. Having an agenda will help guide you through your meetings so you don’t go off track and waste yours and other people’s time. It will also make it easier for you to follow up on actions.
Learn to Delegate
When you share responsibilities with others (that you trust), it takes the pressure off you having to do everything by yourself. Whenever you’re struggling with too much work, ask someone else for help. There’s always someone skilled out there that’s ready to help.
Most business owners aren’t so open to delegating, especially if they have been burnt before from past experience. But it’s something worth doing if you want to avoid running yourself into stress, worry and fatigue. This way you’ll have time to prioritize on the most important things.
If you would like more tips on how to delegate effectively, read my blog post about it here.
Set Yourself Realistic Deadlines
Set realistic deadlines for your projects and stick to them. If you’re unable to count on yourself to follow through, find an accountability partner or join a mastermind group you know will give you that push to accomplish your goals.
Setting deadlines will help you develop a sense of urgency and help give you direction on what needs to be done. Having a due date in place will also get you motivated to accomplish the task at hand.
When you set deadlines to complete your work, try to include some additional time for unexpected circumstances as these can tend to pop out of nowhere. It’s always better to be prepared than to be taken by surprise.
Be Decisive
Stick to a decision and go with it. Overthinking when making decisions will only lead to more confusion, and eventually stop you from following through with what you set out to do in the first place. Go with what you have at the time and improve on it as you go along. Being decisive will also speed up your progress.
Reduce Distractions
There’s so many things that can happen at any given time to distract us from doing our work.
Firstly, it’s that tiny gadget we carry around with us all the time! I know you love your phone, but it’s also one of your biggest distractions. If you want to do great work and produce great results, consider a) putting your phone away somewhere you can’t reach it for a while b) switch it to airplane mode or c) just simply switch it off for a given length of time so you can concentrate on the work in front of you. The notifications will still be there when you switch it back on.
Secondly – Social Media. When used mindfully and intentionally Social Media does have its advantages. But there’s also a darker, addictive side to it when used frequently. It can be a huge distraction and time waster. Try to limit the time you spend on Social Media so it doesn’t control your life.
Fight the Procrastination Bug
For most of us, it’s very easy to get caught up doing the fun and enjoyable stuff while we put off the difficult stuff for a later time. We avoid difficult tasks by constantly seeking for distractions.
One way to avoid procrastination when you have a task that you need to accomplish is to ask yourself this question – What impact is what I’m doing right now going to have on my future? Are the series you’re binge watching on Netflix going to bring you the results that you really want in the next month, 6 months or a year from now?
If your goal or task is too big, you don’t have to do it all at once. You can avoid procrastinating by breaking it down into small manageable tasks, so you don’t get overwhelmed. Having a due-by date for your work or project can also help speed things up.
Plan Your Next Day the Evening Before
This really works wonders. When you write down your next day to-dos the evening before, your subconscious starts to work on those tasks, planning and forming ideas in your mind while you’re asleep. This way you’re able to start your day in pro-active mode and in control of your schedule, rather than being re-active and controlled by the day’s events.
Prioritize only the things that are on your list, so you are not side-tracked by other distractions. If you’re not able to accomplish everything, don’t beat yourself up about it. Pat yourself on the back for the tasks you have successfully completed and finish the rest the following day. Keep going until you get all your work completed. This also gives you good insight into planning your weeks in advance. Repeat this process until it becomes a habit.
I’ve been doing this for almost 3 years now and it has helped me plan out my days and weeks much better, also taking into consideration unexpected circumstances that may occur.
Make Good Use of Your Downtime
When you’re out on the road, you could listen to a podcast or an audio book. I bet you’ll learn a lot more than listening to depressing news headlines being played over and over again on the radio. What you feed your mind with often shapes the way you think and act.
While you’re waiting for someone or waiting for an appointment at your doctor’s or dentist, grab a book to read or write some ideas down in your notebook or OneNote that come to mind while you’re waiting.
Eliminate Time Wasters
Honestly, there are some tasks that just aren’t worth the effort. You will know which ones they are when you realise they’re not really bringing you any value, or they’re not aligned with your vision. Remove these tasks off your list and forget about them. Don’t even try delegating them to someone else either to waste their time. If you’re not getting any results, forget about them and move on.
Take Regular Breaks
Working tirelessly without rest is neither healthy nor productive. I know this to be true through my own personal experience of burn-out. If anything, you are only putting more strain on your mind and body. You’ll easily lose concentration and start making mistakes.
Taking regular breaks and getting enough sleep is important for your body to rest and recover. You’ll have more energy and you’ll be able to focus on your work properly. Listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. It’s just like driving a car, you can’t go very far on an empty tank.
Leverage Technology
With the increasing availability of online apps and SaaS systems on the market, you can leverage technology and eliminate time-consuming traditional ways of working. When used smartly, online apps and software can be a huge time saver.
Online apps and CRM systems can also be of a huge benefit for small businesses with smaller teams. They can help eliminate the traditional routine processes and enable you and your team to work effectively through systemized work-flow processes. Furthermore, there’re usually lower up-front costs involved for small sized businesses using SaaS systems.
Learn to Say 'No'
When you say yes to everyone and everything, you lose a sense of yourself and people will easily take advantage of you. Being a people pleaser will run you dry. Do not overcommit to things you don’t have the capacity to do. When something isn’t on your list of priorities, it’s ok to politely decline. Perhaps offer other alternatives if necessary.
When you learn to be selective with what you can and can’t do, you create a space where you are more in control of your work and personal life. Learn to say no to things that stress you out and things that aren’t bringing any joy to your life.
In conclusion, the habits we’ve discussed will only work if they are implemented on a continuous basis. Trying it out as a one-time only thing isn’t going to make much of an impact. It’s also important to note that everyone is different. What works for someone else might not necessarily work for you.
At the end of the day we are all human, always evolving in proportion to our life situations. Choose what works for you and your circumstances. It all comes down to consistency and how much you are willing to get more out of your day. As someone who practices these habits on an ongoing basis, I can sincerely say that good time management will improve the overall well-being and quality of your life.