Our time – arguably the most valuable resource we have. Where or how we spend that time can often determine our success or failure in a venture – and it can also have a big impact on our future success. Many people struggle with time management; and the wide range of circumstances impacted by poor time management makes it imperative that we learn to implement it in practical ways.
To that end, here are 3 practical strategies for learning to manage your time better.
Begin as you want to end
When charting out your week, envision what you want to have accomplished by the end of it. This will provide you with a ‘bigger picture’ perspective that will help you to not get distracted by smaller details or tasks that do not push you towards your goal. If circumstances arise that could divert you from your goal, train yourself to take the time to think about the impact they could have, and whether they will bring you closer to your goal or take you further away from it.
Learn to resist distractions
Distractions happen to the best of us, and they come in many different forms. Whatever form distraction takes for you, learn to recognize it and then determine to stand up to it. As humans we may be easily distracted, but the choice is still ours – whether we will choose to pause, or continue towards our goal as steadfastly as possible.
Assess yourself
No plan is foolproof and it may take some adjusting before you figure out what really works for you. To effectively assess your own performance, focus on two benchmarks – daily, and weekly. Take a little time at the end of every day to think about your performance: did you accomplish what you wanted to? Is there something you should be doing more of, or less of, in order to be more effective? At the end of the week, do a more comprehensive assessment: are there any patterns, positive or negative? Do you tend to manage your time better at certain points in the day than in others? Were you repeatedly distracted by a certain thing? Did your performance improve this week, and if so, what did you do differently?
Asking yourself these questions and answering them truthfully will enable you to proactively disable your own weaknesses, and give you a head start to success.
