Improving Time Management

One of the most important skills in life is the ability to manage our time. Time is a limited resource and time truly is money. In the world we are constantly being asked to do more and more with less and less time, and I believe this trend will continue. For this reason it is imperative we are likewise continuously learning to manage our time better and better. In the end, learning how to maximize our time will lead us to become better leaders and more successful people. Below are a few tips for better managing our time.

First, we must plan. Having a plan in place will help us to manage our time much more effectively. In fact this is probably the single most important thing we can do to better utilize and maximize our time. For me, I have both a weekly and a daily plan. Normally, on Monday morning I plan what I need to get done and what I’d like to accomplish during the week—sort of a “big picture” plan. Then, each morning throughout the week I review the things I need to do and the things I’d like to accomplish for each day—more of a detailed plan. Having a plan in place will enable us to be focused and not waste time.

Second, prioritize. It will be impossible for us to do all we’d like to do, because we simply just do not have enough time. Thus, it becomes important we do the most important things first. Many people who struggle with time management fail to prioritize effectively or even at all, and thus find themselves running short of time to accomplish important things. Hence, part of our plan should include prioritizing things that “must” get done and things we’d “like” to get done. Once our list of “must do’s” is completed, we then and only then can move to the “like to do’s”. Learning to prioritize will allow us to spend our time more wisely.

Third, cut the fat. Are there things that we are involved in that really do not help us, build us, or move us toward accomplishing our goals? Do we watch too many TV shows, spend too much time on the Internet, or squander our time catching up on our favorite celebrities? All of us do it. All of us do things that do not build us up and therefore waste time! We must cut these things out! Each of us can identify things we freely give our precious time to that do not deserve it. This may not be an easy process, but it will pay off “big time” in the long run.

Fourth, do not waste it. Wasting even 5 minutes a day leads to over 30 hours a year. For this reason, each and every minute should be used purposefully. Find things which are helpful that you can do when you have a few minutes here and there; then do them! Again wasting even a few minutes a day really adds up!

Time management is such an important skill for each one of us in our ever increasingly busy world. As we use the tips above to management our time better, we will find more success and more time to do those things that are most important. Find ways to continuously improve your time management skills!