Everyone struggles with time management at one point or another. Even usually organized people slip up once in a while. You might have left an important task at work until the last minute, working overtime to try to finish before the deadline.
You might have let household jobs pile up – in the case of laundry and ironing, literally pile up! – and now getting everything in order feels like a mammoth task. Constant distractions and a busy life to navigate can make it feel like you’re constantly up against the clock.
But, understanding your time management priorities can make a big difference. It’ll change how you approach your day. Below, we share seven no-fuss ways to figure out your time management priorities.
Give Your Time Management Priorities a Push in the Right Direction
1. Recognize Your Biggest Distractions
When it comes to time management, distractions are a big obstacle. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed in the office, or you’re struggling to keep on top of things at home, it can feel as though distractions are lurking around every corner. Often, they are.
This is especially true when you throw phone notifications and social media into the mix. Take the time to identify what pulls your attention away from the task at hand. Make a conscious effort to stand strong against these distractions in the future.
2. Own Up to Being Disorganised
There’s nothing wrong with a lack of organization. But, owning up to it is important. If you regularly find yourself searching for important documents or overwhelmed by clutter, it might be a sign that your organizational skills need some attention.
Realizing that you can be disorganized is a key part of understanding where your time management priorities should lie. One way of assessing your skills is to take a test. You can find these online, and the resource from ZandaX is a good starting point because it’s quick, anonymous … and it’s free!
Once you know that organization is an issue, you can begin to create systems to help streamline your tasks. This will reduce your time spent in chaos…
3. Prioritize What’s Non-Negotiable
You probably have tasks that can be put on the back burner. But, not everything can be dealt with at a later date. Some tasks have a deadline for a reason. If you are anything like us, you’re sure to have some tasks and responsibilities that need to be done, no matter what.
By identifying these non-negotiable tasks, you can structure your day around them. This ensures they’re given the time and attention required. With these out of the way, you can focus on slowly working your way through everything else.
4. Identify Your Workload
We all have tasks that weigh on our minds more than others. You might have big deadlines looming or a home improvement project that needs to be finished. You might feel as though you’ve got a lot to juggle at once. Even repetitive tasks, when there are enough of them, can take up more time than you expect.
By pinpointing where your heavy workload is coming from, you can start to focus on the most important tasks. Tick them off before time is up.
5. Balance Your Day
It can be tempting to power through all of your biggest, most draining tasks at once. This is likely to leave you feeling stressed, burned out, and unable to carry on at the same pace. Instead, find the tasks that require the most energy and schedule them strategically.
You might decide to tackle them when you feel the most alert and able to take on anything. You might decide to split them into smaller, more manageable chunks.
6. Listen to Your Gut
Usually, listening to your gut refers to having a strong feeling about making a decision. But, it can also come in handy with time management. If a particular task or project keeps popping into your mind, it might be your gut telling you that this should be a priority.
Listening to your instincts can help you identify the tasks that truly matter, even if they aren’t immediately obvious.
7. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Downtime
You might want to fill every moment with tasks in a desperate bid to get on top of your time management. But, recognizing the need for downtime is essential. Without downtime, long-term productivity is unlikely and your well-being could suffer.
Understanding this helps you to prioritize your work, and the time you need to recharge. This will ensure you stay effective and engaged in the tasks that matter most.
Figuring out your time management priorities doesn’t need to be a complex or daunting process. There’s tons of help available. By acknowledging distractions, recognizing what’s causing your heavy workload, and understanding your organizational needs, you can begin to identify where your time management is falling short.
Whether you are focusing on your personal or professional time management, figuring out one will have a positive impact on the other.
