Improve Time Management 12 Ways To Start Today
By Jon-Marc Spatcher
Introduction • Time is one of the most precious things we have. • We never seem to have enough time to do the things we want to do. • Effective time management can help us to focus on the right tasks and at the right time. • This makes us more efficient, moves us closer to our goals and ultimately more marketable. • Here are some tips to help you manage your time more effectively: •
Write things down A big mistake that people make with their time management is to attempt to remember everything. Using a To Do list helps to control all of the different tasks and projects in one place.
Prioritize Once you have your To Do list. Use a simple system to prioritise it. To make sure that you are working on the things that really matter to you and your business. •
Plan ahead Spend 15-30 mins scheduling your week. This will increase your productivity and ensure that you balance the urgent tasks and your projects.
Learn to say No A lot of people get overloaded because they take too much work on. Learn to say no to low priority tasks. This will free up time to spend on the important things.
Think before acting How many times have you said you would say yes to something but later regretted it? Before you commit to a task, think about whether you have time to do it. This will prevent you from taking too much work on.
Carry a notebook Unless you are a psychic you will probably not know when you are going to think of something. A good idea or solution. Try carrying a small notebook or use your PDA if you have one. Leaving it too long will mean you could forget it.
Identify bad habits Take the time to make a list of the things that are robbing you of time and stopping you form hitting your goals. Then, work through the list, tackling each one at a time. This may not be easy and may take some time so be patient and focused.
Don’t be a perfectionist Some tasks don’t need your 100% effort. For example, calling a colleague or sending an email should only take a few minutes. It is important that you learn to distinguish between tasks that require your full attention and those that do not and could sap your precious time.
Improve yourself Make sure that you spend time to enhance your skills. This could be to read a book, listen to an audio training session or attend a formal training programme. These will increase your skills, your productivity and essentially your marketability.
Set your goals Take the time to evaluate and set your goals. You should then look to regularly assess whether you are on track. Checking regularly will allow you to make the regular changes that are required if you off track.
Avoid ‘Filler’ tasks Filler tasks are the little tasks that crop up even though you have a full list of things to do. They are the filing tasks or the reorganising your desk top. There are no deadlines for these tasks. Spend your time on the high priority items and do these when you have the time
Busy is not productive
We have all had those days. When you are running around all day but you have not done anything. You can be busy but your productivity levels are low. Make sure you are spending time on the right tasks. The ones that make a difference to your goals. Ask yourself ‘Is this moving me from A to B?’ If not then you need to reassess and change what you are doing.
Finally... • • • • •
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” Try and measure how you are getting on. It could be the amount of work you complete It could be the way you feel It could be the free time to get at the end of the day due to your new amounts of free time. • Good Luck!!
To find out more go... www.thesixfigurementorsmembership.com to learn more about The Six Figure Mentors and The Six Figure Mentors Membership. You will also find a FREE set of 7 video training sessions to get you started in internet marketing.
•