Time Management For Chronically Busy People
Time management skills are essential to be effective in both one’s professional and personal life. People who use time management skills tend to be the highest achievers in all areas of life, from commercial to recreation and academia. When time management skills are put to use, the user will work more productively and effectively especially during stressful periods when the workload is intense and heavy.
As one masters time management techniques, there is a better sense of control over the workload at hand and less stress associated with feeling overwhelmed by the tasks requiring attention.
The focus and essence of time management is very clear; concentrate on results, not on being busy. Time management essentially is based on results orientated goals and the goals are personalised and set by the individual user.
It is said that we have all experienced days of business and a flurry of activities but when one reviews achievements at the end of the day they are disappointed to realise that they are nowhere nearer their original goal. It is s thought that this is because individuals with ineffective time management skills do not concentrate their efforts on the things that matter the most.
The 80:20 Rule
The Pareto Principle, or the ’80:20 Rule’ as it is more commonly known, is neatly summed up by saying that typically “80% of unfocussed effort generates only 20% of results”. Therefore this implies that ” 80% of results are achieved with 20% of the effort”. The ratio may not always be not always be 80:20 and the 80:20 rule is so widely known and accepted that it can be applicable to any area of life. It is basically stating that if workload is managed effectively, 20% of the effort yields 80% of the desired return and results. The 80:20 rule is incredibly simplistic but extremely effective and for one just embarking on learning basic time management skills, it is an easy way to get a first step on the ladder to more effective yields for time invested in specific tasks and projects.
By utilising the following time management information, one can effectively optimize time to ensure that concentration is on the high results tasks. This will then ensure that one attains the highest benefits with the limited amount of time available.
Time Management Tools
There is a vast array of time management tools available for application both in the commercial and personal setting. There are numerous articles written about how one can achieve “work/life balance” which is now more commonly referred to as simply ” life balance”. In an age where people constantly report on a sense of being ” time poor” , society is under increased pressure to put their time to the best use possible whilst managing work and personal life effectively enough to leave individual time remaining to care for oneself. With many people now juggling more career and life stressors, it is essential to get the most from “time” so that one is not left feeling frazzled, stressed and exhausted with all the demands placed upon them. By adopting some time management tools for both professional and personal use, one can be more productive, have a better sense of control and be less vunerable to illness and the associated negative implications of chronic stressors.
To-Do Lists
The “To-Do” list sounds overly simple but once used properly, it can lead to an effective way of allocating one’s individual time to the tasks which are most important to them and thus increase productivity and a more personal sense of achievement and efficient time management.
Maintaining a To-Do List and reviewing it frequently, allows one to capture all of the tasks that need completing in one simple document. This ensures that nothing gets left out or is accidentially forgotten about. Prioritizing the to-do list is essential as is the order in which the list is written. Importance must be given to tasks which require immediate attention whilst also noting the tasks which can be put on hold to a later time or date.Without to-do lists, one can appear unfocussed and not in control of their workload. An effective to-do list leads to increased productivity and better organisational and planning skills.
Preparing a To-Do List
One of the major downfalls of individuals who manage their time ineffectively is that they do not allocate or allow themselves the time to plan and complete a to-do list in the first instance. When one has a heavy workload, the temptation is to start the work immediately with no real sense of the goals that need to be achieved in the given timeframe. It is imperative to allow the time to sit down in a relaxed manner and complete the to-do list so that priorities are allocated and goals are achieved.
Start the list simply by documenting all of the tasks that need completing. If some tasks are big, sub-divide them into smaller tasks. If the sub-divided list still appears too big, break it down again until the task is in a simplistic and achievable form. A first to-do list can take several hours to complete which can seem intimidating at first but the dividends will follow if the list is adhered to.
Once the list is completed, allocate importance to the tasks in either numerical or alphabetical format. Number 1 in importance needs urgent attention by the to-do list owner whilst number 20 is unimportant at this moment is time and can be reviewed at a later date or may be delegated to another person. Then,
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