Raise your hand if you feel you are constantly drowning in mental to-do lists while your emails pile up and notifications go unchecked on most social media platforms.?
You miss your workout, end up working late nights even though eight hours were enough to get work done, and through all of that you forget to eat or even buy groceries.?
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This overwhelming feeling coupled with guilt instilled by family and friends because you don't have time to see them or talk to them is the classic scenario that displays poor time management. Please don't even start off with how there's too much to do and so little time. Because we all have as many hours in a day as Beyonce and if she can do it all, so can we.?
Below you'll find expert advice on how to get things done work-wise and live a little better all by managing your hours well.?
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In order to get control over your emails and not spend a whole day answering them, you need to adopt a system.?
One of the best ways of managing emails comes from Tim Ferris who is an author and life coach and has invested in companies like Facebook and Uber. In his podcast, he spoke about how he checks his email three times a day for 30 minutes at intervals of three hours. So if you check your email from 9:00 am and respond to all diligently until 9:30 am and repeat the same, you will be more productive.
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In no way are we implying that meetings aren't important. But if the same work can be accomplished in an email or a telephone call, you save up quite a lot of time. And we would also choose to hang out with our partner or best friend in that time, right?
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One of the best time management techniques is the principle of Pomodoro.?The?Pomodoro?technique is a time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. According to this, you need to add intervals in between your working hours for heightened productivity. The suggested way is working diligently and with focus for 25 minutes and then taking a break for five minutes. You can always choose time frames that work for you but give Pomodoro a try and see the magic unfold.
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The times we live in, we spend obscene amounts of hours being unproductive. No points for guessing where. On social media, of course.?
When working on something crucial that demands all your attention and time, or days before a pressing deadline, it is imperative to stop checking your social media accounts. You will see you more focussed and there isn't a dip in your concentration levels. Oh and, you would have for sure met your deadline.?
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It's cool to be kind. There's an everlasting appeal of generosity but not when it's making things tough for you.?
You are allowed to say no for things you aren't okay doing or will take up a lot of your day. If your friend asks for a favour, do it when it's convenient. If your colleague wants your help with something, help after your own work is done. Time management can only be effective when an element of selfishness is involved and that's NOT a bad thing.
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If you follow our time management tips until this point, you will have time to do things you absolutely love.?
Take your mom out for shopping. Meet your childhood best friend for coffee. Catch up with your school or college friends. Cook a meal for your parents. Take a trip. Do things you love and that will help you be better at work too because you are now rejuvenated and happy.
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For those who love to multitask, a planner will be your best friend. Keeping a note of to-do lists, arranging meetings and appointments by date and just writing don tasks and setting dates and deadlines will help you be more organized and in turn, save you a lot of time.?
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It sounds so simple but works so well. If you take out 15 minutes to meditate accompanied by soothing music, you will be better equipped to deal with so many things in relatively less time.?
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Some point in your creative process you need to understand that no matter how many changes you make, you aren't making your creation better but just different. So in order to save those precious hours, just get it done and out of the way. And spend those extra hours cooking for yourself and your loved ones.