Effective Time Management

“The common man is not concerned about the passage of time; the man of talent is driven by it.”

What you accomplish during a 24-hour period depends on your motivation, your energy, your skills and abilities, and other resources. Time management is not a way to make you work harder and longer, but a means to help you work smarter to accomplish your work more easily and rapidly

Here are some strategies you can use to overcome the obstacles that are affecting your ability to manage your time,

• Set clear goals for yourself: You might be wanting to accomplish many things in your time. But you should be able to determine with discretion what those effective goals are and make sure your efforts are always directed toward their achievement. Effective goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based.
• Prioritize: It is wise to periodically make a list of the tasks that confront you and prioritize them:

Determine from the list, the things you think are most important to accomplish.

Determine any tasks which you feel that can be accomplished better by others.

It makes sense to delay things that are not due when you are “overburdened”. A good leader knows when to concentrate on the important and eliminate the rest.

• Organize: As you prioritize tasks and set deadlines you will want to organize your plans and actions. Use a planner with a calendar and plenty of space to make notes for daily activities, contact information, and “to do” lists. You will find this to be an indispensable tool for managing your time. Using a computer also helps in organizing your time.
• Being able to say “No” when it is appropriate: As a leader, you will find you are called on to do much more than you have ever been asked to do before. When you learn to say “NO” you are not closing the door on your responsibilities, but rather you are making sure that you can meet your commitments and accomplish the maximum possible in the time available to you.
• Make good use of your “waiting time”: You can utilize the time you spend commuting on a train or bus, at the doctor or dentist's office for your appointment, the time you spend on a plane, waiting for your plane, or the time you spend waiting for your baggage etc. You can use them as opportunities to accomplish routine tasks that are necessary but don’t require long periods of time.
• Concentrate: Concentrate completely on the current task. Concentration can be difficult when you have a lot on your mind. Your time will be better spent if you are able to focus on your goal and tune out interruptions.
• Use your “personal prime time”: Everyone is different. When you plan your tasks, think about your own “primetime” – the time you can concentrate on the more challenging tasks when you are at your best.
• Celebrate: Celebrate the achievement of your goals to maintain a healthy balance in life between work and play. Reward yourself when you complete a task. If you have worked in a team by delegating some tasks to others, reward the efforts of everyone involved.

Time Management can be as informal or as detailed as you want to make it. Develop a plan that fits your own needs – be flexible throughout time and tailor it as your needs change.

“Change is universal, change is permanent. Be ever willing to Change, for change alone leads you to success and happiness!!!”

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Author: Avinash Vagh