Tried & True Tips for Managing your Time

What a great time of year for some refreshers on that old favorite subject of Time Management, one I’ve not yet come close to mastering! End of year activities and deadlines, holiday gatherings and obligations, as well as New Year planning are filling the calendar, so you may find a few reminders helpful about now. Throughout the years, I’ve embraced as many tips as I have ignored others, and am aware of the many more I “should” implement. Below are some of my favorites, along with a few from my friends and colleagues. Enjoy!

Let’s start with one of my hotspots – Email! If your job allows it, check for new messages only 2 or 3 times per day and never first thing in the morning! Get your to-do list started, and then check messages mid-morning. Reply or take action as needed, and turn off your email program. Repeat mid afternoon or before leaving for the day. This lessens distractions immensely and you’ll feel that you had a very productive work day.

"Touching a paper (action) once". I read or heard this somewhere and I have applied this rule to my daily routine. As I get an action, I act on it right then and there OR I file it to follow up on it another day. That avoids unnecessarily shuffling of paper. It does not seem like much, but let me tell you ... it keeps you organized and focused on those actions you can take care of that day.
Maria, Contracts Administrator

My favorite time management technique is to create a “six most important list” the night before so I can walk into my office and get started right away. This is a staple Mary Kay training tool on time management.
Cynthia, Future Director, Mary Kay Cosmetics

My best time management tip is to be sure and schedule fun time for myself, just like I schedule doctor's appointments and meetings. I have started scheduling myself an entire fun day each week: no work, no chores, no tasks. Giving myself this time has enabled me to be much more focused and productive the other days of the week, and I don't feel so stressed out and frantic.
Sharon, Seminary Student

First, I use a timer (either a kitchen timer or a travel alarm clock by my desk). I allot myself a certain amount of time per project and setting the alarm helps me to stay focused on my task rather than any distractions. Second, I always calculate the time I need to leave to arrive at an appointment on time and place that into my calendar prior to my appt. time. I have less stress because I’m more aware of how much time I actually have for the day – and I’m not late for any appointments!
Suzan, Author and Coach

Other favorites from www.mayoclinic.com:
Say no to nonessential tasks. Consider your goals and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work.
Delegate. Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can pass on to someone else.
Take the time you need to do a quality job. Doing work right the first time may take more time upfront, but errors usually result in time spent making corrections, which takes more time overall.
Break large, time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks. Work on them a few minutes at a time until you get them all done.
Practice the 10-minute rule. Work on a dreaded task for 10 minutes each day. Once you get started, you may find you can finish it.

By the way, my favorite time management tool for the past 3 years has been my Planner Pad, a spiral bound (also available in binder format) calendar/to-do list/appointment book all in one. I used a Palm PDA for many years after my trusty DayTimer no longer served me but now I’m back to a manual system and loving it. If you are so inclined, check them out here: www.plannerpads.com.