Time Management

• Introduction

Help accomplish your personal goals by trying these practical tips for using your time effectively.

• Plan

Planning can be divided into long and short term. Long term planning can go from one to five years. This is the planning that gives overall direction towards goals.

Short term planning include one month planning, that enables you to notice possible crises before they occur, and weekly and daily planning, which increase your general effectiveness.

• Prioritize

We prioritize our personal life goals by whether we think we do or not. When you say "I don't have time", you are really saying " I choose to do something else with my time." When assigning priority consider the Value versus Urgency.

Tasks that have significant value may not have immediate deadlines, but do have eventual impact of great importance on the accomplishment of your goals.

Urgent items can easily get most of your focus, at the expense of the higher, long term value task. Try to take small steps on the value list each week.

• Schedule

Make to do lists that encourage you to balance different kinds of needs.

- What I should do vs What I want to do - Don't leave out either responsibility or pleasure.
- Things to do for me vs Things I do for them - Not taking care of yourself will limit your efficiency.
- What's valuable vs What's Urgent - Remember that valuable uses of time may include keeping up your important friendships/ relationships.
- Include the preceding factors when making your to DO lists. Rate each item from 1-5, in order of importance to you.

Break up large jobs into smaller ones. For example, when writing a paper, schedule separate time to collect resources, read the materials, write an outline, compose the paper, edit, and put on the finishing touches.

Use your biological rhythms, Notice the time of day when your energy is high, and schedule your more demanding work at that time.

• Curtails "Time Bandits"

- Personal email - Limits the number of times you check it daily, as well as time spent on replies.
- Personal Internet Use - Set a timer for 30 minutes to stay aware of how much time is passing.
- Phone /SMS - Try to wait to call back/ message when you have a break. If you do answer when it comes in, tell your friends you will call them back later. They will still like you!
- Distractions - Eliminate as many audio/visual distractions as you can. Choose places and times to work when others are busy with quiet activities or gone.
Errands - Working in small errands daily will help you avoid having to spend a whole day doing weekly "catching up".
- Procrastination - A common complaint.

• Notice Each Day's Accomplishment

sometimes it is easier to focus on what we didn't get done each day. Make a habit of giving yourself credit for what you did.

START TODAY!