From a pauper to a billionaire, everyone has 24 hours to complete their daily goals. What you focus on and choose, becomes your life. There are times during a day when your productivity is at its highest due to the circadian rhythm. Identifying those time periods and focusing them can help you achive ‘deep work’.
While social media apps, and global tech companies are in a race to steal your time, via addictive content, fortunately, you can learn to manage your time and be more productive. The following are useful tips to make sure that your time is not wasted on activities that don’t add any value.
Focus on measurable tasks
At first, all you have to do is define tasks and then write them down on a to-do list. You can also just look at the list and cross out those tasks that are not urgent.
You may spend a lot of time on the more important tasks which are not tangible, but you’ll get there. The trick is to make sure that the tasks have a measurable result, otherwise, you’ll feel useless.
Have realistic goals
It is hard to accomplish goals if you have too high of goals. Set achievable goals that are within your reach. For instance, a short-term goal is to complete three writing assignments and a presentation by the end of the day.
A longer-term goal for a student would be to complete a degree or for an entrepreneur start a new business project. Set realistic goals that will not be a burden to you later.
Make goals achievable
When you set a goal, think about what is important and obtainable. Just making it to your next pay day or finishing an assignment does not count.
Set yourself goals that are achievable and will help you achieve your full potential. You don’t have to set the world on fire by the end of the year. Just set yourself up for success by doing small things at a time.
Use your strengths to manage your time
It’s important to note that no one is born with great time management skills. As a matter of fact, many people who are good with time management will need to work on their skills.
Work on your weak points in time management and strengths such as planning, organization, determination, and self-discipline. Identify times when your productivity is at its highest during a day.
Use productivity apps & limit social media usage
There are a lot of apps that can help you manage your time. Some of the popular productivity apps allow you to record your daily activities and gives you ideas and insights on how to manage your time. Kill social media time and invest it in productivity.
Some of the apps also encourage you to take a break from doing anything. Remove all distractions to stay focused. These distractions can be phones, websites, non-core tasks.
Be ready to make adjustments & outsource non-core work
Adjusting your time management skills is never an easy thing to do. At times, you may get derailed and must start all over again. While this may be frustrating, it is the price to pay to make progress.
Set achievable goals and have a plan to make them possible. Your failures and missteps will provide you with valuable learning. Just keep moving forward.
It is always important to practice, just not to practice too much. Outsource non-essential tasks to save time on core work. While there is no one solution to managing your time, these tips will help you out in the long run to stay focused.
