Ten Tips for Better Time Management

When your life is out of balance, there’s a good chance that you’ll find your self struggling with time management. A balanced life means you have adequate time for work, goals, recreation, family, friends, spirituality and relaxation. It’s what I like to call being “Brilliantly Balanced”.

Causes of poor time management

• Your work can be too difficult or unsuitable making it hard for you to focus on being organized.
• You may not be making full use of your hours during your day or evening.
• You may be simply too tired to organize at home allowing for very little rest or peace at the end of the day.
• Or maybe you don’t have enough time to do anything in the evenings, then your daily routine is out of balance and you need to make adjustments.

At the core of each of these causes is poor organization. Becoming more organized can make you more efficient and productive which both open the door to better time management. Being well organized takes lots of time and effort and there is a lot to remember but the results are worth it: The more organized you are the more time you will have to take care yourself and your responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.

Here are ten tips to help you become better organized:

1. Write things down. With so many details to remember on any given day it can be overwhelming to try to keep it all in a memory bank. When you remember that something needs to be done write it down as soon as you can in a to-do list.
2. Use free web-based tools. Two great on-line tools are Toodle-do and Remember the Milk. They are online and can be accessed and synced on certain mobile devices.
3. Set-up email reminders. There are many good and free e-mail reminder services available. You can type in what you want to remember, such as a welcome party, anniversary or special event, and you will receive an e-mail reminder when the date is approaching. This is a terrific way to keep tasks fresh in your memory.
4. Use sticky notes. Sticky notes like Post-its from 3M are amazing as memory helpers. Write your tasks down and post it highly visible spots at home or at work. The bright, neon colors will be great to catch your eye as you are leaving. You will not likely miss it! Need to make an urgent call first thing in the morning? Leave a Post-It Note on your telephone.
5. Keep it all in one place. Whatever method you choose, make sure you are consistent in where you keep your list. Having things listed in one place keeps you from spending valuable time searching for your notes.
6. 10) Deal with items only once: Handle each letter and email as soon as they come in.  Whatever it is read it and file it, redirect it to somewhere else, schedule it in your day planner or toss it. This will keep you from creating a never-ending pile on your desk in hopes that you will get to it eventually.
7. Use timers and alarms. Take advantage of alarm clocks and timers throughout your day. Have to take the clothes out of the dryer by 12 noon? Set your alarm clock to remind you. Want to leave for the ladies luncheon by 7 p.m.? Set your timer to beep a few minutes before it is time to start to get ready.
8. Be confident in yourself. If you keep saying you have a bad memory, you will continue to have a bad memory. Use affirmations and self-talk to drown out the negative messages that keep you believing that you can’t do what it takes to become organized.
9. Stay healthy. Eat healthy; get plenty of rest and lots of good exercise. These will enable you to have better memory, stay focused and be alert. And it’s not just your physical health you want to pay attention to – your emotional health can contribute to how organized or disorganized you are.
10. Establish a good routine. Having a structured routine helps you plan your time. Use a planner or journal daily and be sure to schedule time for yourself. Stick with your new routine and you will find you will be happier and with much less stress.

You can become better organized. First, you decide to change the environment to a better one. Then, you change an attitude. After that, adjust your habits, establish and implement your plan, and lastly, adapt policy to maintain the order put there. Evaluate your daily routine, examine your findings and come up with a plan. Be prepared to follow your plan and with this, you can become better organized.

Starting in January I’ll be posting as I work through Regina Leeds, “One Year to An Organized Work Life”. ant to join me? Grab a copy of the book and join in the dialogue on the Careerkeover Coach blog!

http://careermakeovercoach.com/ten-tips-for-better-time-management/

by TAI GOODWIN on DECEMBER 18, 2009