Have you ever felt as though there are simply too few hours in the day to accomplish what needs to get done?
Time management is a common problem. Project management, personal obligations, and even fun activities require space on the calendar. Yet, it can seem as though some people are better at juggling their schedule than others.
What gives?
Successful people understand the importance of time management. Even when it seems as though there is no time left in a day, proper scheduling can help you to discover minutes and sometimes even hours that you have been wasting.
Here are 5 tips on scheduling for success:
- Start every day with a 15 minute scheduling session.Review your schedule for the day, the week, and the month. Make adjustments where needed and then, stick to your daily schedule.
- Sync your online calendar to your phone.This will ensure that you do not double book appointments and that you are always aware of what you will be facing that day. This will allow for more efficient time management.
- Plan interruptions.Schedule in time for checking and replying to e-mail, voice mail, and texts. These forms of communication often require us to stop what we are actively doing to turn our attention to something else. Don’t get caught in that trap. Schedule time each day to manage communication interruptions.
- Develop project management skills.Identify repeat tasks that you tackle each month. Schedule in small action steps you can take every day to reduce the bulk of the workload. For example, if you struggle with managing your expense report every month, set aside 10 min. every day to work on this task. By the end of the month, your expense report will be up-to-date.
- Determine what you are trying to accomplish in your life and at work.Compare these goals to the activities that fill your calendar. Eliminate unproductive activity and replace that time with activities that will bring you closer to your goals.
Increase your success by increasing your efficiency. Taking the time to schedule out your work and personal life will help you to better manage your time. All it takes is a little bit of planning.
Need to develop time management or project management skills?
Talk to Trainwest about our Certificate IV in Project Management Practice, which can help develop these skills. Plan ahead for success with Trainwest.