It seems everyone has advice about time management. Many time management techniques are written for the business professional and are difficult to apply in a non-business setting. Time management is basically about planning. Planning your day does not necessarily require complex software or a four-inch thick day planner. Here are some basic ideas about how to keep yourself from saying at the end of the day - Why did I not get anything done?
- Have a to do list - In the morning take a few moments to jot down on a piece of paper the most important things that must get done that day. Look at the list a few times during the day so you don't forget.
- Learn how you work best - Figure out what is your best time of day i.e. when you are most alert and productive. Do your most difficult or complex tasks at that time. Save your easier tasks for the time of day when you are tired and less able to focus. My father used to say "Do the hardest thing on your list first and the rest of the day will be easy."
- Stay focused - As soon as you get distracted you begin to waste time. For instance, it's tempting to check your email or take phone calls while your trying to complete a task. The phone call could be lengthy or the email could contain information that would cause you to stop what you are doing. Worse yet, you may completely forget what you were doing and the task won't get finished. .
- Try to be realistic about how long an activity will take - We often underestimate how much time we need to complete a job. If you think it will take 30 minutes allow yourself 45 minutes to an hour..
- Take breaks - Human beings are much more productive when they allow themselves to rest. If you work for too long a stretch you face the law of diminishing returns. You will work harder but get less done simply because you are tired and therefore more likely to make mistakes.
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http://www.womanwork.net/2008/01/25/paper-clutter-control-to-save-or-not-to-save-paper/
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