A New Year’s Resolution For Time Management

Times are tough and people need to be ready for anything.  Of course you have obligations to fulfill but, you also need to roll with new ideas and concepts.  The essence of time management is not to fill your days with a to-do list.  Rather, it’s a way to get the most of the time you do have, while having some breathing room for the unexpected.

 

The first step is to make a list of priorities.  These are the things that need to be done no matter what.  Paying rent, grocery shopping, going on a date, you are in total control of what your priorities are.  Write down those priorities on a sheet of paper.

 

Now consider all the other things that need to get done.  These are things that would be nice, but are not a priority to you.  Mowing the lawn or cleaning the windows might be an example.  Try to think of all the things you typically do in a month.  This list should be long.  Put these secondary items on another sheet of paper.

 

The next step in time management is delegation.  First, delegate your duties by time.  Take a third piece of paper and make two lines crossing at the center.  This should leave you with four squares.  Assign each square a week of the upcoming month.  Look at your priority list and spread out the necessary items on that third piece of paper.  Some items might need to be put in more than one box, some only one.  Try to spread them out evenly by time.  You can even put a notation next to each activity of the expected time it will take to accomplish.  Paying rent might be 15 minutes, whereas grocery shopping an hour or more. 

 

Take the second sheet of paper with secondary items that you would like to accomplish.  Spread them across the four squares as well.  And just like the others, put a notation of expected time to do them.

 

Look over these four weeks and consider which items can be outsourced.  Do you have a friend or family member that can go grocery shopping for you?  Would it be a huge deal for your spouse to pick up the dry cleaning?  Can you get the dry cleaning delivered?

Consider your schedule and the value of delivery.  It might be worth the extra charge. 

 

Now for each square you will need another piece of paper.  This is when you are going to break down your time into days of the week.  Consider the days you feel the best.  Are you always groggy on Monday? Then make the list lighter on that day.  Do you get a burst on Friday? Add some extra items there.  Also, consider items that can be done together.  Instead of two trips, get your oil changed while you are grocery shopping or spend time with your kids while running errands.

 

The key is to keep your schedule as flexible as possible without forgetting important items.  If you are breezing through your list and still feel ready to take on more, tackle items for the next day.  You never know when a great opportunity might fall in your lap.  If you are pulled away by an emergency you don’t have to worry about all the different things on your plate.  Just find time to fit in those few things assigned on the day the emergency happened. 

 

Use these basic concepts and your whole world will become more productive as you improve your time management skills.