10 Pretty Amazing Tips On Time Management

by Jessica Gutierrez

It’s not uncommon for employees to be on the brink of ripping their hair out because of a heavy workload. I don’t need to go into the negative effects of constant stress on the mind and body, but it’s not good. 

Since more than half of your lifetime life is spent on the job, finding a balance while at work is necessary to maintain mental and physical health. If back-to-back appointments, data charts and developing lesson plans are becoming a major burden, don’t freak out and click the link below.

Take a deep breath, relax and read CodeMetro’s tips on Time Management.

Tip #1:  Dear Diary…

Log your daily activities into a notebook; noting how long they take to complete. The “Activities” jotted in your daily log aren’t necessarily limited to tasks; they can be conversations, websites you visited, or how many times you got up to get a cup of coffee. This task seems like over-kill, but if you create a detailed log over the span of a week, it’ll give you an idea of how much time is wasted by unnecessary actions.

Tip #2: Recognizing Urgency Over Importance

If you’re swamped by projects, it’s time to prioritize. You may have an extremely important project to complete, but ask yourself, when is it due? If this deadline is later than less important projects, focus on the less important projects first and complete those.

Tip #3: It’s Okay to Say No

Set boundaries. While taking on more projects is encouraged, don’t let the quality of your work suffer because you can’t say no . If a co-worker needs assistance while you’re neck-deep in work, firmly decline and stand your ground. Explain you’re too busy and don’t feel guilty. Saying no will help you maintain focus on the job at hand.

Tip #4: Plan it Out

Most people work better with a plan so take time to organize. Plan what needs to be completed by the end of day. It might feel counterproductive to schedule time in order to coordinate your day, but having a list and finishing daily goals gives you a sense of accomplishment and helps you tackle tomorrow’s tasks.

Tip #5: Be aware of your distractions

Everyone has an itching distraction waiting to be scratched. Whether it’s an email, text, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or Reddit, the answer is simple: ignore or turn it off. If you’re struggling to meet deadlines because you’re unable to “un”social media, download Chrome’s Free “StayFocused” extension. It allows you to block websites for a certain amount of time.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji?hl=en.

Tip #6: Feeling Chunky?

Studies show people who work for short periods of time get more done and endure less burnout. Try breaking your longer projects into chunks. Take time to create mini-goals or create checkpoints. Once you reach a checkpoint, take a short break. Use a timer if necessary.

  

Tip #7: Prime Time Awareness

Some people are early birds; others are night owls. Figure out what time you’re most productive and focus your efforts on that time of the day. During your most productive periods, keep your energy on completing tasks by turning off your email, instant messengers and phone.  

Tip #8: Sleep

You need about seven to eight hours of sleep a day. Some people may take their work home and use the wee hours of the night to fit some work in. Not only is this unhealthy, but the worst quality of work occurs when you’re struggling to stay awake. Put your work away and allow your body (and brain) to rest so it functions properly the next day.

Tip #9: Stop Being a Perfectionist

While attention to detail is always appreciated, it becomes a problem when it gets in the way of your bottom line. Crossing all the T’s and dotting all the I’s is time consuming. Get past your need to be absolutely perfect and try completing a large bulk of a project, then go back and revise.

Tip #10: Stop Procrastinating

We’ve all been guilty of putting something off.  Get a leg up and get those dreaded tasks done already. Enough said.