Daily Task Lists

Keeping a list of everything you need to complete in a day and listing it in priority order will remind you what needs to be done and will encourage you to work on the most important tasks first. It can be a good idea to include an estimate of how much time it will take to finish each job so you can decide what will be the most important thing to work on if you start running out of time in your day.

Try grouping similar tasks together if possible as it can be more efficient for many people to stay on one type of job rather than switching their mind into a different work mode. However, if you feel like you’re working on one thing for far too long, it can be a good idea to put it aside for a little while if you think it’s burning you out.

Calendars and Planners

Regardless of how busy you are, calendars are an incredibly helpful tool for just about anyone. Of course, some people might need this tool more than others, so the size and type of calendar you’ll need will depend on just how full you’re going to make it. If your calendar is looking too full, it may be time to start using it in unison with a daily or monthly planner that you can add more specific reminders to.

Software versus Paper

Deciding between using paper scheduling systems and the computer software types will come down mainly to personal preference. For the exceptionally complicated schedules, a software program may be a better option, but a planner or notebook can usually provide a lot of the same results. One perk to using scheduling software is the automated reminders it will give you that a written out schedule can’t. Otherwise, it could be a good idea to try both and see which way is more effective for your particular needs.

Using Tools for Motivation

It’s important to choose planners and calendars that you find easy and enjoyable to use so you’ll be encouraged to actually continue using them. If trying to stick to a complicated schedule you’ve scribbled into your planner just adds stress and confusion, that tool isn’t doing the job it’s meant to. If a paper system isn’t working for you, scrap that idea and try a computerized scheduling system. There are time management tools out there for everyone so if a one doesn’t appeal to you, try something else.

Use Your Own Momentum

It’s too easy to get intimidated by a daunting workload and sometimes too much work is discouraging to the point of people avoiding it completely. Putting it off generally just allows more to pile up which in turn makes you want to work on it even less. However, the opposite is true as well. If you just put the headache aside and start tackling the pile, the satisfaction of getting a few tasks out of the way will encourage you to keep at it.

A good idea can be to make a task list and put the most important jobs at the top. If you want to trick yourself a little, add a few of the quick and easy jobs to the top of the list as well and enjoy the satisfied feeling of crossing a few things off early on.

Use Time Management Tools You Enjoy

Using calendar software that causes more problems than it’s worth or trying to write in a messy planner that just stresses you out won’t encourage you to use the time management tools that are supposed to be helping you. If you don’t like using a certain type of scheduling system, try something else. If a planner becomes too disorganized for you to use effectively, take a few moment to reorganize and clean it up. Even if it’s just a matter of using a calendar that features beautiful, colourful photos that really appeal to you, finding something you like to use will help encourage you to stick to using it.

Work When It Works For You

If you work from home or have the opportunity to choose when you’re scheduled, choose a time when you’re alert and energetic. Some people wake up peppy and ready to go, while others drag themselves through the day until the sun sets. If working at night helps you get more done, do what you can to put yourself to work in the later hours.

Reward Yourself

Burning out or working too hard can actually make you less efficient and could give you a lower quality of work. It does no good to make a bunch of mistakes because you’re too tired to concentrate, so take breaks when you need them and make sure you’re always well rested. When you feel you’ve done a great job on something, don’t hesitate to reward yourself and you’ll likely feel more inclined to work just as hard in the future.

Using Your Staff

Let your employees do the jobs you’ve hired them to do. If you’ve employed capable people and have trained them well, allow them to do their part to contribute to the problem solving process. Micromanaging will only take up more of your valuable time and attention so delegate what you can to your staff. This not only frees you up for more important tasks, it will give them valuable crisis training to use in the future.

Working without Employees

If you work completely on your own, you won’t have the luxury of falling back on a team of staff. In this case, outsource some of the simpler tasks to any peers you may have. If you have any family or friends with skills that could serve your purposes put them to work for a one time fee. Paying friends or other professionals who can help when you need it may save you time and money if it ensures you’ve prevented a disaster.

Plan for the Future

Learn from every problem that arises and determine what factors are to blame for your setbacks. This may take a little time out of your schedule, but the effort it saves you in the future will be invaluable. Predict, plan, and prevent a crisis whenever possible, but be sure to take a step back and react calmly should one occur.

Uncontrollable events will happen that can leave you in a tough spot, but taking steps to make sure you aren’t doing it to yourself is important. Putting yourself on an unrealistic deadline can turn a challenge into a crisis. Panicking instead of taking the time to think things through will only lead to wasted time while you try to deal with your stress. Staying positive and motivated when problems arise will give you the ability to deal with things effectively and turn a crisis situation into a valuable experience.

Create a Schedule

Making a schedule for yourself and dividing your day up into blocks for work, class, study, and rest will give you an excellent guideline on what you should be doing in your day. For more complicated class or work schedules, it may be a good idea to keep two separate planners, one for work and one for school. In order to prevent yourself from burning out, leave chunks of time designated for relaxing or socializing.

Stay Focused On Your Current Task

This can be a hard one, but when you’re in class, forget about work. When you’re at work, put school and studying out of your mind completely. This could take some practice, but when you’re trying to relax and your mind is concentrating on worry and stress, you aren’t going to get any actual rest and you’ll just tire yourself out more quickly. Try to think only on what you can deal with at that time and you’ll generally feel much calmer and relaxed overall.

Prioritize Your Goals

Some people often try to give every aspect of their life their best effort and when you’ve got too much on your plate, this can burn you out very quickly. You could be faced with hard decisions, but prioritize your life in terms of which classes are most important to you and how attached you are to your job. If you have a clear idea of what your goals are, you’ll find it easier to choose which task to focus on when there truly just isn’t enough time left in your day.

Work Smart

It’s great to give everything your best effort whenever you can, but working smart instead of working too hard can help you accomplish more. Forcing yourself to study when you’re too tired will prevent you from getting the sleep you need and you probably won’t retain much information while you’re in an exhausted state of mind. Be realistic with the time you allow yourself for certain project as being over ambitious in your scheduling could leave you with incomplete work you’ve made unnecessary mistakes on.

Use a Family Calendar

A calendar or planner that everyone has access to is a great tool to make everybody aware of each other’s schedule. Arranging rides, family meals, and chores can be much easier and more efficient when surprises aren’t sprung on you last minute. With a shared calendar, your children will also be aware of your schedule and will be less likely to try to plan things that would conflict with other important appointments.

Not only does this tool allow you to keep track of where you should be and what you should be doing throughout the day, it also helps your family understand the importance of managing their time and sticking to a schedule. You may also want to encourage everyone, including yourself, to keep their own personal planner where smaller things like studying, gym time, or leisure activities can be accounted for as well.

Stick To a Routine

Whenever possible, try to keep things on a routine schedule. It can make it easier for everyone to get into the habit of completing certain tasks in set amounts of time. It can also help make time for getting together as a family if you have a set night every week to do so. If there’s certain chores you or your kids keep putting off, a routine that you follow closely will create good habits of just doing them rather than thinking about them.

Social Scheduling

If your family is always short on time, try to avoid making too many social plans in advance for the weekends. You can always change your mind last minute, but when you’ve scheduled yourself for too many parties or BBQ’s you may feel committed to go when there are other much more urgent things you should be attending to.

Don’t Burn Out

While it’s important to stick to a schedule and use your time wisely, be sure you also schedule in some time for everyone to just relax. For these times, avoid answering the phone or checking email and allow yourself to truly rest and clear your head. When your quality time with your kids turns into work time, you’ll never really get a break and the time you spend with them may no longer be “quality”.

Use a Schedule and a Task List

Taking a few moments to make a list of everything you need to do in a day can be a great reminder of your workload and can help keep you focused. If you start multi-tasking as a way to remind yourself that you have other jobs which need completing, a task list will allow you to clear those other thoughts from your mind and focus only on the task at hand. Keep separate lists for what needs to be completed that day, that week, that month, and possibly even that year if you feel it’s necessary.

Prioritize and Keep Track of Time

Your task list should be sorted in order of priority. If for any reason you run out of time that day, you can rest assured that the most important jobs were taken care of. You may also want to add a few of the quicker tasks to the top of the list as it can be encouraging to see some things crossed off and know you’ve gotten some of your work out of the way. Add realistic estimates of how much time each job will require to your schedule so you can give yourself some idea of how much work you think you’ll be able to get done.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of a Notepad

Quite often people will try to multi-task because something pops into their minds and they want to jump over to a different project while that thought is fresh. Rather than halting work on your current project, keep a notepad nearby to quickly jot your ideas down and get back to work on your original task. Once whatever was on your mind has been saved to paper, you can clear it from your brain and refocus your concentration.

Try to avoid answering the phone or checking e-mail when you’re working on a specific job. Distractions like these make it so easy to get off track and can tempt you to start working on something else. If your voicemail and e-mail can wait a little while, come back to it when you’re done what you’re currently working on.

Feeling like you never have enough time to get everything done is common, but there are steps you can take to minimize or eliminate wasted time and procrastination. By paying more attention to the time it takes to get certain jobs done, you’ll be able to determine where time is wasted and what you can do to keep yourself focused.

Tools to Help You

Using a calendar and a planner can remind you where you should be in your day, week, or month. Schedule blocks of time for yourself to work on certain projects. By keeping track of the work you need to get done, you can clear your mind from trying to remember everything and focus only on the task at hand.

Use a task list for every item that needs to be completed and list things in priority. Once you’ve completed one thing, move on to the next. Keeping notes of any ideas that come to mind rather than working on them right away will prevent you from getting side tracked from your current job.

Plan Appropriately

Whenever possible, try to work on similar tasks in succession to keep your mind working on that train of though. Check all your e-mails at once or get all your filing done in one shot. This type of strategy is especially important when you need to leave your home or office for anything. If you’re running errands, try to get them all done in one trip and plan your route before you leave to avoid backtracking and wasting valuable time.

Review Your Work Plan

There may be certain things you do that waste time or prevent you from getting right to work. Take stock of your daily routine and see what can be cut out of it. Any instances where you feel like you stall in getting back to work or times when you spend much longer on a task than necessary should be reviewed. If you’re prone to procrastinating, try to just jump into your work without thinking about it and use your momentum to keep you going.

Stay Motivated

Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you burn out, you’ll leave yourself with no desire to work and you’ll end up just staring blankly at your computer screen. Take mini breaks whenever you feel you need them and when you’re done working for the day, really be done working. If you’re still checking your e-mail and taking calls when you’re trying to unwind, your mind won’t have a chance to rest and clear itself out.