Do you ever feel frustrated when at the end of the day you have this annoying feeling you have NO idea what you accomplished for the day? Often times, when you’re trying to get the most out of your day, normal things happen like: constant interruptions, fires to be put out in the field, and priorities get put to the waste side due to all of the above.
Sitting in front of your computer at the end of the day baffled, why is my “To Do” list still here? Good news, I can give you 8 easy steps to avoid time wasters, and get your time organized and under control.
1. Organize your Schedule at least a month in advance. The best tool for organizing your schedule to avoid time wasters, and stick to your plan of attack.
2. Avoid Schedule overload. So many times I work with clients and their biggest problem is they are WAY to over committed. Feel like you can do everything and anything? Of course you can, but there simply isn’t enough time in the day to do it all.
3. After traveling for work or for pleasure, give yourself a day to get caught up. Trust me on this one. Think about how many times you get backed up on house chores, emails, and incoming mail, because you don’t allow yourself time to get organized. In reality, not giving yourself time is costing you more money and stress.
4. Schedule “ME” time. Whether it’s a massage, quite time, bath time, nap, or a glass of wine with friends. Time scheduled away from work, home and everyday life enlightens you to become independent from your work.
5. Gain 2-3 hours per day by working from you list. When something come to you, use a bedside notebook and write it down immediately. You can increase your productivity by using thins simple tool, and not have to remember what is was that you needed to do in the morning, just do it when you are laying in bed.
6. Computer distractions are endless. Check your email only certain times during the day t avoid too many distractions. We may think that real work is getting done by checking email ALL the time, but really we are allowing other people’s needs to drive our time.
7. Just as email distractions, phone distractions can affect your time management too. Write an agenda before making a phone call so you don’t forget the important points. Keep a record or schedule follow-up calls of what you’ve delegated so it doesn’t fall through the cracks.
8. Don’t allow yourself to get distracted. Something as simple as putting a sign on your office door knob, saying DO NOT disturb or In Session. Whether at home or in the office, others won’t interrupt you because they know you’re busy and you will remove the sign as soon as you are finished with your “quiet time”.
71% of professionals feel stressed about the amount of information they must process and act on while doing business; 60% feel overwhelmed.Institute of the Future, Menlo Park, CA Consider the Consequence when reading and acting on all of the tips listed above. After all our ability to time manages determines our success as a business owner, mother, father, and friend.
Tonia Tomlin is the Founder and President of Sorted Out™ and Sorted Out Publishing. Tonia is an author, publisher, speaker and mother of twin girls. She has been featured on HGTV’s, Mission: Organization, and is the author of the book Chaos 2 Calm: The Moms-of-Multiples’ Guide to an Organized Family.
