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How
Can I Manage My Time Better?
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Dost
thou love life, then do not squander time, for that's
the stuff life is made of. ~ Benjamin Franklin |
We all
have the same 24 hours in a day, yet some people just seem
to get more done than others. Listed below are some tips to
help you manage your time more effectively.
Set
Your Goals
1. Have
written short term and long term goals. Make sure when
you plan each day that you devote some time to tasks that
will move you ahead on your major goals in life.
Have
a To Do List
2. Keep
a long term and a daily to do list. Prioritize the tasks
on your list. Alan Lakein, author of the classic time management
book, How to Control Your Time and Your Life
1 ,
recommends labeling tasks with with an A, B, C system. Use
an "A" priority for tasks with a high value, "B"
for tasks with a medium priority and "C" for low
priority tasks.
Trying
out a new recipes that needs exotic ingredients may be fun,
but does it match with your long term goals? If one of your
long term goals is to be a chef or a great party host, then
trying out new recipes may be an A priority for you. However,
if your long term goals are to finish a masters' degree in
biology or to improve your tennis game, then taking the time
to try out to shop for ingredients and whip up a new recipe
may be more of a C-type task.
Keep
a Time Log
3. Some
people find it beneficial to keep a time log, at least
for a week or two, everything they do. This is especially
helpful for people who always seem to be busy but never get
around to the important tasks and never move forward on their
A-priorities. Looking at a log in this case may be helpful
to find out where your time has been spent and give you ideas
for improvement. If you feel like you should be getting more
things done and don't know where the time goes, then a log
may help to identify problem areas. It may be that you are
underestimating how long your daily activities really take
or you are spend too much time on low value activities like
aimless web surfing or watching TV.
References
1. Lakein,
Alan. How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life.
New York: New American Library, 1974.
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