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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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