“If it weren’t for the last minute, nothing would get done.” ~ Author Unknown
You have New Year’s Resolutions; you have good intentions; but do you have the time to follow through on these goals and desires? Time management helps you choose what to do first, what to do second, and what not to do at all. It gives you the power to organize every aspect of your life. Here are 10 time management secrets used by the world’s most successful people:
1) Where Are You Spending Your Time?
Our day can easily slip away with nothing to show for it. How many hours do you waste each day and each week? Watching television, surfing the internet and talking on the telephone can steal your time. Every minute you waste causes deprivation somewhere else. Many people realize they can go back to school, develop a hobby or skill, or take on a part-time job just by giving up things that really aren’t that important. Train yourself to always ask, “What is the most valuable use of my time right now?”
2) Prioritize Your To-Do List.
This pushes you to do the most important things first. It is easy to stop for a moment here and there to complete small tasks. You think to yourself, “this will only take a minute” but you end up spending your time on unimportant tasks. Don’t confuse being busy with achievement. Learn to say “No”.
3) Focus On One Thing At A Time.
You get what you focus on. You have to learn how to control your focus if you want to be successful in life. Your focus determines the quality of any area of your life. Ask yourself, “What is the result I’m after?” then focus your energy towards that outcome.
4) Use A Daily Planner.
A variety of day planner systems exist. You can get a planner at any office supply store. You may have a planner already loaded into your cell phone which is handy to you everywhere you go. The most expensive ones aren’t necessarily the best. The simple to use ones tend to get used. Don’t make this any more complicated than you have to. I just want you to have a planner that enables you to jot down your appointments and the tasks you want to achieve each day, each week, and each month. I’ve been taught to never begin the day until it has been finished first on a piece of paper. Organization is vital to time management.
5) Set Deadlines.
Forcing yourself to set deadlines will help you get an incredible amount of things accomplished. Deadlines create a sense of urgency. Lack of deadlines allows people to lose focus and drift into nonessential tasks.
6) Be More Decisive.
Once a decision is made, the rest is easy. Many people get hung up on the fear of making a mistake or a decision that may upset others. Sometimes it is better to make a wrong decision than no decision at all. A wrong decision will at least get some type of movement and you can correct from there. Successful people are decisive.
7) Schedule Blocks of Time.
Set increments of time such as thirty minutes, an hour, or perhaps two hours and allow yourself to focus only on the task at hand. If you know you are most productive in the morning, schedule these blocks in the morning.
8) Prevent Interruptions.
An open door policy is nice yet in order to be as productive as possible you might need to close the door for brief periods. Train yourself not to answer the telephone every time it rings. We have the convenience of caller ID, answering machines and voicemail. Learn to be inaccessible sometimes (except for your husband or wife).
9) Handle Things Once.
Break the habit of reading mail and memos more than once. Most of us have a pending stack of things we plan to get back to. Instead, read it once then respond. If it doesn’t require a response or decision, throw it away.
10) Strive To Consistently Improve Your Skills.
Dr. Rob Gilbert said, “First we form habits then they form us. Conquer your bad habits or they’ll eventually conquer you.” You want to become a master of your time. Many successful people look like workaholics when in fact they are simply masters of time management.
Put these 10 secrets into action and watch how much you accomplish this year.
Mark Webb is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice at South Georgia Psychiatric and Counseling Center in Valdosta. He is the author of How To Be A Great Partner and How To Argueproof Your Relationship. Read more of his articles www.TheRelationshipSpecialist.com
