Effective time management simply means managing, organizing, and planning how you divide your time among your tasks.
As humans who always have too many tasks to do and deadlines to meet, it’s important we learn the skill of time management.
With time management, you work smarter, not harder.
Importance of managing your time
Better work-life balance: you will enjoy a better balance because your activities are scheduled in a way that gives room for both areas of your life.
More free time: you will have more free time as a result of the planner you used.
You will realize that an activity that took you 2 hours before only required 30 mins, this helps you create more free time for you.
Less distraction: your tasks have a specific time allocated to them, and less distraction helps achieve your tasks on time.
Reduces procrastination: with proper time management, procrastination is erased because your mind will be fixed on the task you have and all you have to worry about is how to achieve them
Time management skills
When you properly manage your time, it will lead to an increase In productivity.
To effectively manages your time, you need to learn or have some skills, these skills are as follows:
Have a plan:
proper time management starts with you having a plan.
In having a plan, you should consider things like what activities are lined up for you for the day, which is more important than the other, what time should be allocated to each of the activities.
Set smart goals:
ensure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound, your goals should not exceed your strength, they should be what you can achieve within the set time
Follow your schedule:
After putting your plans,
You should schedule them using google calendar, appointment setter, or colored papers placed at strategic places
These would remind you when your appointment is close or when you are to end or begin a task.
Identify your most productive moment:
you might be an early morning person or a nightcrawler, whichever works for you.
Set your most challenging tasks at your most productive time.
Avoid distractions:
put phones on do not disturb mood, TVs switched off and every other form of distraction avoided.
This is because the human mind and body can be easily distracted and if this happens, you tend to lose concentration, bringing your mind to the state it was before the distraction can be difficult.
Create time for a break:
award yourself with break periods after a long day or after accomplishing a task.
Your break should include human interaction, an exercise, or an activity that helps brain relaxation, it could be listening to music or seeing a movie.
Outsource: if possible, outsource some activities to create time for other relevant activities
CONCLUSION
Effective time management is needed for a balanced and accomplished day.