We all have 24 hours everyday but how come some people get more things done in this span of time than others? Why is it that there are people who can finish all their tasks in one day while others take 2 or more days to complete them? The difference: time management.

Time is a crucial element in all that we do, but interestingly enough, not everyone knows how to manage their time wisely. Time management comprises of skills, principles, tools, and practices that will allow us to utilize our time productively. People who do not have this quality are more likely to waste much of their time doing things that do not have anything to do with their assigned tasks and responsibilities.

In order to assess how well you are at time management, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you forget some of the things that need to get done for the day, week, or month?
2. Do you sometimes submit projects and reports late?
3. Do you often spend a lot of time replying to emails?
4. Do you get sidetracked when accessing the Internet, doing unnecessary things instead of doing what you are supposed to do?
5. Do you think your desk is full of clutter?
6. Do you lack focus when you work?

Answering “Yes” to all or any of these questions indicates that you need to hone your time management skills more. Here are some ways to do this:

First of all, never forget to write down all your tasks for the day. Be realistic and do not write too many items otherwise it will only frustrate you later on when you find out you cannot complete all of them. It is recommended that you spend time writing down your plans and tasks for the week too, because making weekly schedules can help you effectively map out your plans. When making your list, indicate which ones are top priority and which ones you can put off until the next day, if necessary.

When setting priorities, make sure to indicate which of the things listed on your to-do list you need to prioritize on. In Stephen Covey’s Time Matrix, he highlighted the need categorize tasks according to what is urgent and important, urgent and unimportant, not urgent but important, and not urgent and not important. He said it is important to address those listed under urgent and important first, focus on the not urgent but important tasks, minimize urgent but unimportant ones, and then as much as possible, eliminate those that are neither urgent or important.

Furthermore, you need to get rid of bad habits that are considered time killers. Procrastination tops the list; such habit can really hinder you from managing your time effectively.

To make the most out of your 24 hours, you need to use your time efficiently. It is how you spend every minute of your time that will determine how productive you can be.

Everyone does it, including you. You have things to do, important things or mundane things, and you put off doing them until the last minute. If Procrastination were an Olympic event you might be in the running for a gold medal, you’re that good at it.  You make jokes about being a world class procrastinator with your friends, telling them that sure, you could finish that project right now if you wanted to but (yawn) you’re just going to do it tomorrow.

Procrastination is putting something off until later, either due to carelessness or habitual laziness. It’s putting off till tomorrow what you just as easily could have finished up today.  A procrastinator postpones or needlessly delays accomplishing something –just because.

Students are notorious for engaging in this behavior.  Papers need to be researched and written, tests must be studied for but none of this is done or even started until the very last minute.  Students who procrastinate generally spend a great deal of time pulling all –nighters in order to catch up to where they need to be or to cram for the big test in the morning.

A person who is habitually late to everything, from weddings to dates, is someone who procrastinates getting ready to leave.  Maybe they don’t start getting ready until it’s nearly time to leave or they move so slowly that by the time they should leave for the event, they’re still way behind schedule.

So, are you a procrastinator? If so, find out how to Get Things Done!

Time is the most powerful currency of the 21st century. And this powerful currency demands much of our attention. Unfortunately, most people never make use of this remarkable resource we have — our time. Here’s some tips to help you make the most of your time every single day:

1. Break down large tasks into smaller ones: We all know the feeling of staring at a new complicated project feeling overwhelmed and wishing we were anywhere but here. But, even complicated tasks are not impossible to handle. In fact, most tasks become unbelievably trivial once we break them down into small pieces. Get into the habit of breaking down your tasks into small ones and tackling each individual part one at a time. This will help you stay calm as well as it will help you accomplish your goals without the urge to procrastinate.

2. Get rid of unproductive routine tasks: This included getting up each morning and checking your email. Do not start your day on somebody else’s agenda. Get out there, take some time to focus on the goals for the day and then start working on them. Do routine tasks during slow times of the day. For example, check your emails right after lunch.

3. Look at your habits to see if they could be changed, maybe you could do certain things different ways and save yourself some time in the process.

4. Evaluate yourself to determine if you are a morning person or night person and organize tasks to use whatever time suits you best. I am usually the most productive at night or after 10 AM and that is exactly why I work on my most important goals during those hours. 2 hours of focused work is far more valuable than 10 hours of unfocused work.

5. Learn to say the word “no”: One of the biggest secrets of success is leadership. You need to be able to become a leader and say NO when someone asks you for a favor that can take considerable amount of highly productive time from you.

You need to be very cautious about where and how you spend your time. Time is the most precious resource you have and you need to stop wasting it and start treating it like gold.

To learn how you can take control of your time and use it to achieve your goals, click here.

Organizing time is a skill that must be learned by everyone. Proper time organizing gives you good personal and professional growth. By using a proper technique of organizing time, you can achieve the possible heights of happiness in all fields. Every person on the planet has 24 hours in a day, and the person who organizes the time perfectly, gets the success in life.

There are basically 3 rules to organize the time. However, without proper commitment it’s hard to achieve the result. So, it’s important that you keep yourself determined and committed towards the work and the organized timetable.

.

The first rule: Prioritizing the work

Prioritizing a work is an important skill of organizing time. At first you should understand what is important for you and how much time it will take for the completion. Make a table and arrange your project according to their sensitivity and date of submission. Take a print of it and paste it in front of your desk.

By prioritizing your work you are making your life easier. You will get a clear vision about what you should do first and how much time, energy and focus are required for the completion of the project.

.

The Second rule: Work Ahead

It’s always good to do some research and planning on the project or assignment you have been assigned to do. By doing research and planning you can understand the requirement of a project and the most possible and better way to finish the project in time.

.

The fourth rule: Reviewing

Reviewing is one of the important aspects of organizing time. It’s important to give an hour or a day for proper reviewing the project that you have completed. Many a times we do some mistakes while completing it and reviewing can help you to deliver the best quality.

.

The third rule:  Say “No”

Learn to say no to all those things which are not a cup of your tea. Saying no is not a selfish act. By saying – No, you are saving yourself from all the extra stress, and it is also beneficial for all those other commitments which you did.

Every one of us has, in due courses of our lives, heard or said many phrases relating to the wastage and managing of time. ‘Don’t be late, don’t waste time’, etc. are some of the often repeated words.

These appear foolish to those who believe that all that is happening or will happen in future is pre-ordained. For them delay in projects or preponement of them is all for the best. They hold the opinion that all that is happened is for the best. These people see silver lining even in the darkest period of a human life.

Time is relative. For two sets of people living in the same time span, the pace of time may appear different. It may be slow for a person waiting for his beloved and fast for those on their way to an interview. For a prisoner, the time will crawl, while for a businessman, the time flies.

Another quality of time is that everyone measures it by their own standards. What may appear as wastage of time to one person may be a time usefully employed for others. People pursuing materials gains look at people involved in aesthetic activities as wastrels and fools and vice-versa. Similarly, those engaged in literary activities may view physical acts like scaling a mountain or sports as waste of time. In other words- one man’s meat is other man’s poison.

But, have you ever thought that the person who enjoys all the luxuries of time, and enjoys each day is not so different from you. Every person can enjoy such a lifestyle with the help of organizing their time in a correct manner. Every person on the planet has got 24 hours in a day but most of the people waste time in doing unnecessary things or wasting time and energy in the wrong direction. If you will use all of your time in an organized way then you surely can enjoy the life.

There are few simple steps which you can follow to start an organized life.

1. Plan your activities. Planning activities will give control of your time. You can manage all the daily routines and work in a perfect manner.
2. Setting Priorities. Setting of priorities is important because it can help you to use your energy and time to the important things of your life and work.
3. The use of leisure. Leisure is important for us. We cannot always work and run around. We need time to sit and relax. We need to recharge our mental cell if we are to perform at our optimum levels.

Are you a victim of procrastination? Do you often find yourself unable to meet deadlines because you spent too much time in front of the TV, cooking or even sleeping? Well, I was exactly like that just a few years ago. But, that’s now Past. These days, I can set goals and achieve them easily without any complaints. And you can do the same. Here’s a few tips to get you started.

1. Plan your daily must-do activities. Draw up a to-do list; preferably, write it down on paper; or, use a computer if you prefer. And, include all the MUST do’s in your list. These are things that must be done today. Period.

2. Prioritize the activities, the more important ones taking precedence over the less important. If there are urgent things to do, but not important enough to be worried about if not done, put them below the important ones. The idea is based on the established principle that 80% of rewards come  from 20% of effort directed towards accomplishing important work.

3. Start working. Even if the deadline is 5 days from now or a month from now, starting out on an important project will help you avoid stress and do it well. When you start a major project just the day of the deadline, you are bound to stress out and leave out important points. Get in the habit of starting things before the deadline.

4. Start working bit by bit. Things may seem like huge mountains at first but it is important to stay calm. Just start working on the project or task on hand and don’t worry about getting it perfect. You still have a lot of time to iron out the details. Remember to start well before the deadline so you can focus on finishing the task and then ironing out the details. Trying to get everything right on first attempt is the best excuse used by procrastinators!

Procrastination is a deadly disease and it not only kills motivation but also your chances of success. Stop procrastinating right now and start achieving your goals. You can learn more about getting rid of procrastination and how to manage your time to achieve all your goals by clicking here.