"My work is demanding, but rewarding. However, I just finish lunch and must run to respond to calls and e-mails." Do you think your life just like this? The Daily Muse website recently published an article on this topic. Then be assured that you are not as busy as you think. Why?
So calculate. We all have 168 hours a week to spend effectively according to our needs. So when you look at other people who are able to do more than you, it is just because they can manage their time more efficiently.
One of the biggest problems is that we basically have no idea how long we spend our allotted time on specific tasks. Try to say specifically how much time you really spend cooking, reading books or answering e-mails. Do you really know the exact number of minutes? Are you sure that it was that long? We all tend to over or underestimate the time in relation to desirable social perception or existing emotions. You surely have not spent as much time reading a book as you think. How long have you spent browsing your job e-mails? Just admit it, do you do not know the exact time spent?
1. Analyze your time
Your task is to find out how much time you actually expend on each activity during each day. There are many applications that can help you map your time management simply, by using two buttons - start and stop. For example, you can try Toggl or RescueTime. It might sound like a crazy idea, but it is a very effective exercise. It can help detect sources of inefficiency, and teach you how to focus on the specific activities. What activities are hampering your personal and professional productivity?
2. What you do not do, someone else will
Your task is to create a list of your personal "core competencies" representing the activities worth investing your time in, because you are good at them or only you can do them well. What other activities represent an unproductive use of time or your weaknesses? Get rid of them, minimize them or outsource them. Do you see yours? Why do something you are not as efficient at as your colleague, and vice versa?
3. Get rid of bad habits
Bad routines can create bad habits that need to be eliminated. Your task is to identify these negative habits in your daily routine. Procrastination is one of the common problems that needs to be addressed. So the next time you browse the internet at the beginning of your working day instead of doing your working tasks, remember this is procrastination. Is not it better to read the latest news on your mobile phone in public transport and focus only on your work? Put your phone to the side until after you finish the work.
Remember that we all have the same amount of time. However, are we all able to deal with it equally?
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