5 Ways to Ameliorate Your Time Management Skills

I have never seen a person achieve more, by doing twice as less work. Time management is something we learn once we begin to understand our work routine, what we like and what we don’t like about our jobs. We want to adjust, so that our experiences are meaningful and we’re able to get more done, in less time. You know them as time management skills.

I’m certainly not the best, when it comes to managing my time and routine to make sure everything gets done. Half the time, I’m unable to keep up with the ever growing demand and so things are falling back on the list of things to do. I’ve learned a couple of tricks, that are helping me to achieve more, and most importantly: learn more.

You’ll hindsight realize that time management is different for all of us, because of our own circumstances and preferences, but there are a couple of things that we all can relate to and a few effective ways of managing your time can really work for more than just a single person.

I put together a tiny image of a list of things that I consider to be the benefits of good time management skills. So, it’s all related to being able to relax more, by not paying attention to every single detail, which at the end of the day doesn’t even matter. We should care only about the end result.

With that in mind, how do we manage our time? How can we improve our work lives by being able to do more, without feeling like we are doing more? I have come up with five major ways, which I believe are appropriate and useful to anyone who’s troubled by distraction, and the need to stay up to date at all times.

Meditation

This is absolutely the best thing that is ever going to happen to you, and it’s going to keep you in check whenever you start drifting away from your purpose, or that what you’re supposed to do. It doesn’t happen in a day, but nothing good comes from doing it just once, right?

I have learned that, if I can spend 20 minutes in the morning meditating – mindfully and peacefully – and relaxing, I’m incredibly prepared for the day that is about to begin, and I’m much more focused on my work duties. I recommend the most basic guide to meditation, as it is the most natural.

You’ll learn that it’s okay to just relax, and let go. You’ll learn that you are able to focus on one thing at a time. Most importantly, you’ll learn your thoughts and how they affect the world around you. Great for those people who really need a way to relax, either after or before a long day.

Get a Planner

You can use a digital one, on your computer or your mobile device. I myself, I’m a fan of writing on real paper with a real pen, and so I use a real planner. I didn’t use one, as I am writing this – it has only been 2 months since I have a legitimate planner, which I use every day. It’s incredible, but it makes sense.

I’m planning all my duties, and even outside activities like going for a walk. It allows me to focus on other things, and when the time has rolled around to stop – I don’t feel the urge to ‘stick around’ and continue tackling what I’ve been doing. It makes it easy to switch from one thing to another, without the need to think about it.

I consider myself as someone who likes perfection, but even with a perfectly planned day – things can go wrong, or I can just skip a few things, because I have been displaying bad time management skills to myself. You should get one, in case you haven’t done so already. I’d love to hear your own stories, on how a planner helps you have a more fulfilled working day.

Regularly Go on a Break

I work from home, and so I’m able to take a break whenever I like. I mean that in a sense that I am able to just spend an hour working, and then take like a ten minute break – without having to worry that my boss is gonna run around the corner, and judge me about my choice.

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If you’re serious about ameliorating – improving – your time management skills, you’ll have to consider going on a break more often, to let your mind relax and ease down. We’re so often engaged in intellectual activities, that we can get carried away and our energy begins to ‘leak’ everywhere. By taking a break, we’re allowing this energy to stay content.

Focus is The Hardest Part

Also known as multitasking, and so we should avoid doing more than one task at a time. You aren’t just teaching yourself to stay away from email, while writing something for example. You’re teaching yourself discipline, and that’s exactly what you want when it comes to managing your time. This is a tough one, I’ve struggled with focus myself.

I’ve found that the best remedy to this is by thinking of how much better I am able to perform, when I am strictly focused on just one task. I think you should try it, and see for yourself. It’s like you’re rewarding yourself with better results, and who doesn’t like to perform above average anyway? :)

Do the Hardest Tasks First

The last way of improving your time management skills I want to leave you with today is very simple, and possible one of the most effective ones for those who’re unable to do any of the above (or even just a few), and it’s this: prioritize your tasks, but do the hardest ones first. By starting your day with the easy stuff, you’re allowing your mind to go in a state of ‘easy’ and ‘quick’ – which is not what you want.

You know better than me, what it is that you do, but I can guarantee you that there is always that one or two things that are harder than the rest. You might think it’s better to just start with the small stuff, but you’re often left with some really tough work hanging – and your energy levels are already so low, as half of the day was spent playing around.

Want Better Time Management Skills?

I suggest to give these tips a try, and really see for yourself what is the missing link in your work life, and what you can do to improve it. I’m a believer in all of the above methods, but even then – I’m not always able to follow them or keep up with them. It’s the nature of things. Though, eventually we are bound to find what works and what doesn’t work.

I’m eager to hear your own stories and advice on this magnificent topic.