Thursday, January 19, 2012

Managing Your Time Effectively

Time is very precious for all of us. If once the time flees it never comes back. So Spending time, like spending money, is a very personal matter. Unlike money, however, you can't get a "time raise" or "save some hours" for a busy day. Successful people, must budget time according to their priorities to ensure that they spend it effectively. To be able to perform effectively at work, time management skills are a must for everybody.

Time management is important for those who wish to have a balanced professional and personal life. Have you ever taken a look around at your workplace? If you were an observant person, you would have probably noticed how certain people complete their task with great ease before the stipulated time while some struggle laboriously with the same. You may have thought it probably has to do with the particular abilities of a person. Yes, it does hint at a person’s capability but it does not mean others do not have skills. The thing missing out in case of others who fail to perform well is the knowledge about time management skills.

Having the knowledge of time management skills is all about being more productive at work while keeping stress at bay. Slogging for long hours at work does not always mean he/she is really a hardworking employee. An employer would then need to check if the particular person is unable to manage his/her time well enough to complete the taskwithin the given hours. If you are often caught in this trap of being unable to manage your tasks well no matter how hard you try, read all about some tips on techniques about time management skills.

Identify Your Goals and Priorities:
The first step in learning to manage your time—controlling your life—is to identify what your goals and priorities are. Think about the set tasks for the day. You would then need to know how much time should be allotted to a particular task. Focus your energy on the important tasks that are completely significant to you. Is there a particular time of the day when you feel most productive? If your thinking powers are particularly sharp in the morning hours, try to finish your important tasks during that period. You can use the rest of time to finish the seemingly smaller tasks later.

Maintain a planner/diary:
Having a diary with all your activities for the day may seem a little cumbersome to you but you must maintain a diary to know the way you plan your day. Make a to-do list to organize things. Mark all the important tasks for the day. Include some time for your personal self as well.

Learn to say no!
Well, when you are delegating your tasks and if you really can’t fit things in the schedule, learn to say no when required. There is a major difference between realistic goals and the completely impractical ones. Find out another alternative in that case. Every problem has its solution and you are not a one-man show, so learn to refuse when required.

Always keep time for yourself:
To be energized for work would require you to plan for some things, which you really enjoy apart from the work schedule. Going for a dance class or exercising at the gym would give you a chance to feel geared up about your work as well. Explore a new place at the weekend. Plan some time for yourself in between meetings; this is absolutely necessary if you are aiming to finish all the tasks on time!

Be flexible but remain in control:
Expect interruptions, as they are bound to occur. If you are doing things in priority order—not leaving big things to the last—you and your schedule will easily survive.

It is therefore very necessary for one to be aware of time management skills and feel more organized at work. These tips and techniques are bound to help you manage your work in the most effective manner!

Source By Inernet

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