Imagine your whole day spent doing so much but achieving nothing of value. This could be interpreted as time wasted in the form of doing so many unnecessary stuff of activities for yourself or others.
Wouldn’t you rather do something better instead? Sadly, most of us are guilty of this dilemma.
Multitasking is a myth
Doing so many things at the same time is a trick we play on ourselves, thinking we are getting more done. In reality, our productivity goes down by 40%.
We don’t actually multitask. What we do is switch from one task to another, Continuous shifting from one thing to another, interrupting ourselves unproductively, and losing time in the process.
What you need is to learn how to manage your time well.
Good time management facilitates you to work smarter – not harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is rigid and tensions are high. Not managing your time will damage your ability to be effective and cause stress and anxiety in the process.
It seems like some people achieve so much more with their time than some other people. But we all have the same 24 hours, so why?
The answer lies in good time management.
Lack of time management can lead to;
- Increased stress
- Poor discipline
- Procrastination
- Imbalance priorities
- Inability to meet goals
- Stop saying later to things you need to get done. Remember everything needs and take the time you just have to find balance.
The greatest enemy of productivity is a distraction. In today’s world giving all your focus to something or task seems almost impossible.
You might schedule to achieve so much and still not accomplish anything because your mind drifts or call or an email pulls you always. So many things calling for your attention at the same time.
Productivity Tips,
Getting more done in less time can be challenging but it is possible and a huge lifesaver too. Below are tricks that can help.
Put away your Smartphone
Fun fact: 96% percent of people check their mobile phone within one hour of waking up in the morning (and a whopping 61% take a peek within the first five minutes).
Just wow how you expect to get more done when your phone is constantly fighting for your attention. Smartphones can be a productivity killer. It is advisable that you put your phone out of sight, or even flight mode just to make sure it can no longer distract you.
Put your Smartphone away to protect your focus for at least those hours in which you are doing meaningful work.
Batching
Batching tasks based on their type or energy level can be a very effective way to get things done in less time. Batching is also referred to as “theming”.
This is a form of time management that allows you to manage concentration and reduce distraction. As a result, it boosts your productivity, creativity, and mental accuracy, while lessening exhaustion, procrastination, and pressure.
Batch is the process of grouping similar tasks that require similar aids this way you can streamline their completion.
Applying the Pareto Principle
•Invest 80% of your energy on the 20% of your activity that makes a difference, and prioritize other tasks behind it.
• Another way to look at it, is your hours billable? Is the task you are working on presently going to lead to gross profit or any results? If not, change the priority.
Parkinson’s Law
Parkinson’s Law states that “work will fill the time available for its completion.” This is a side effect of focusing on doing work instead of getting projects completed.
Give yourself strict deadlines and cultivate a desire to finish projects, not just check tasks off on a to-do list.
Organize Your Schedules
Employ your calendar for more long-term time management. Write down the deadlines for your task. Pick a day that might be best to dedicate to specific tasks.
It is critical that you remove excess activities or tasks from your calendar. Only input what is significant and deserves your time. Do away with unimportant tasks.
One thing I would like to add here is that don’t get discouraged if you’re not able to follow your plan to the letter. Life is intrinsically uncertain but that doesn’t mean that planning out your day is a defective scheme.
Effective time management leaves you energized, which translates to getting more things done in less time.
You get to live full and try out exciting things in the new time you’ve found in your day.
