The most widespread tip for those who want to master self-time-management is to create to-do lists and include all their activities for a day, starting from getting up at a particular hour and finishing with something fun, like playing at a slot games website. But there are so many more phycological tricks and methods that you can use if your goal is to get things done on time.
How to properly organise your work – classic time management offers several basic principles:
- Plan what you will do. This is important for ordinary office workers and even more necessary for freelancers and other free birds. Decide what to do and in what order. So you will not lose time and will easily move from task to task.
- Set your goals right. They must be specific and measurable. This will help to formulate the tasks correctly.
- Plan your holiday. Proper time management does not mean working like a draft horse. You need to have rest breaks, so you don’t lose efficiency.
- Create your own rules. Analyse experience to understand which algorithms work for you and your team. Consider the specifics of the division and the price at which previous results were obtained.
- Focus on what’s important. Some of the routine tasks just eat up your time. If you have the opportunity to ignore them, do it for more important things.
How to organise your workday
Francesco Cirillo method
Cirillo suggests alternating work and rest: set aside 25 minutes for the first and 5 minutes for the second. Reminds you of the Pomodoro Method? That’s right, that’s what it is. The author tried it in his youth with the help of a conventional kitchen timer in the form of a tomato.
The point is the following: you know that rest is ahead. This makes it much easier not to be distracted by browsing social networks, personal calls, chatting with colleagues, smoking breaks, and other non-work related things.
This method is so simple and effective that you can try it right now – here is one of the timers.
David Allen method
The business coach created the Getting Things Done system, the meaning of which is the careful recording of all tasks and the proper organisation of the working day. Nothing should remain only in memory, everything is transferred to paper or to an electronic application. And you also need to assign priorities to tasks, set deadlines, and, if necessary, create a checklist.
This approach will help you not to miss anything, understand which tasks are primary, and unload your head. Trello or Wunderlist are great for diving into Getting Things Done. You can also just stick stickers on the wall – what you write on them is more important.
The Ivy Lee method
The journalist suggests making a list of six tasks every evening and prioritizing them. And the next day, move from the first task to the last – and as a result, get six completed cases.
Ryder Carroll method
The creator of the method is a designer, and this can be seen from the Bullet Journal system he invented. It will help you to carry out daily routine tasks. The bottom line is that you are making a table in which the rows of tasks intersect with the columns of the days of the week. They did the job – painted over the square. The disadvantage of the system is that drawing takes time. But on the other hand, the system perfectly motivates those who cannot see the voids in their plate.
Tim Ferris Method
The productivity guru advises to remember the Pareto law, according to which 20% of efforts give 80% of the result, and the remaining 80% of efforts – only 20% of the achievement. So perfectionism is rather an obstacle on the way to the goal. Less attention to detail – focus on the important!
At the same time, do not forget about Parkinson’s law: how much time you take to work, how much it will take. Therefore, it is important to adequately plan free time.
Mark Twain Method
The writer said: ‘If you eat a frog in the morning, the rest of the day promises to be wonderful, because the worst for today is over.’ So do unpleasant tasks right away – and the rest you will click like nuts.
The Benjamin Franklin method
One of the founding fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, knew the value of minutes and seconds. It is to him that the phrase “Time is money” is attributed.
Franklin came up with the Productivity Pyramid, which consists of six steps.Life values lie at its foundation. These are global moral principles that must be taken into account in any decision. Franklin had 13, but you can make up your own. Further from the base to the top of the steps are as follows:
- Global target
- Plan to achieve a global goal – the steps to be taken on the way to it
- Plan for the next 3-5 years
- Plans for the year and month
- Plans for the week and day at the top of the pyramid
As a result, you will get a to-do list for literally a lifetime. And since it is all based on purpose and global values, every action will lead you to the right place, and you will not be ashamed of any of your actions.
Stephen Covey methodAn expert in the field of management formulated several principles of productivity:
- Be proactive and look for opportunities.
- Constantly develop and strive for excellence.
- Make cooperation mutually beneficial.
- Achieve in cooperation to synergy – when teamwork gives a result that significantly exceeds the efforts of each of its members individually.
- Try to understand first and then be heard.
- Realize the global goal before taking action.
- Know what to do first.
It is believed that following these principles will increase your efficiency and help you achieve your goals faster.
Are you surprised that some people get everything done on time, while others rush from task to task without even knowing where to start? Obviously, the former have learned to manage their time competently, which is one of the most important skills in adulthood.
Helen Baumeister did her degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. She is interested in mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
