How You Can Benefit From Time Management

There are so many ways to waste time these days, isn’t there? Smart phones have taken time-wasting to an entirely new level. Texts, games, apps, and the like may seem to only take a few minutes here and there, but the reality is that the entire population is utilizing every free space of mind energy and time on their phones. Check out the local coffee shop. Sure, there are a few people chatting; give them five minutes, and one of them will pull out their phone to check something. Many of us have even driven home from the store before completing our shopping because we left the phone at home! Grocery lists were on it, we might miss a call from the kids, and on and on. In order to fit in time on ourselves – not FOR ourselves but ON ourselves – we need to be deliberate in learning to manage time wisely.

The Value of Time

Time should be viewed as a commodity. Just as important as transportation, toilet paper, and tea, the unit of time is what allows us to accomplish anything. For most of us, work takes a very large chunk of our day. Eight to 12 hours, depending on your occupation, is swallowed up every day. This leaves very few hours to prepare food, visit with family members, wash the dishes, clean the clothes, vacuum the house, etc. The experts agree that time-saving techniques can – and should – be implemented in daily life in order to ensure a smooth day.

1. Say No: This has got to be the hardest, and most important, technique to master in your life. Saying no takes incredible strength, especially when the person asking is a friend or family member. But, in order to get everything in your day accomplished, you will have to drop some things. Overall, if you are asked to sign up for something, your first mental reaction should be “no.” List a few pros and cons, but if you really don’t have the time, it’s OK to decline availability.
2. Get It On Paper: Having a solid list of tasks that need to be completed is essential. Time is easily wasted trying to determine whether the dishes need doing or the laundry. Ultimately they both need to be done, so sit down for 10 minutes, and write out the list in order of priority. You will spend less time between tasks because you don’t need to determine anything! Just follow the list.
3. Plan Ahead: In addition to getting down your priorities on paper, you need to plan out the completion of those tasks as well. Will they all be easily accomplished in one day, or should you take two? Planning meals a week or month at a time is an incredible time-saver. Stop wasting time in front of the fridge studying the ingredients, wondering what you could whip up in the next 30 minutes. Find out what you have and plan for a week’s worth of lunches or dinners accordingly. Or, better yet, start your week’s shopping by determining what meals you intend to make, and only buy the necessary items for those meals. Healthy snacking can easily be implemented when you plan ahead, and even spend part of your weekend prepping those snacks. Check out this post for some time-saving information on how easy healthy snacking can be!

How do you manage your time effectively? Leave us a comment below with your tips for time management.