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Here are my top 10 tips for improving your time management:
- Write things down - A common time management mistake is to try and use your memory to keep track of too many details, leading to information overload.
- Use a to-do list - This helps you focus and spend more time on the things that really matter to you.
- Start tomorrow tonight - Spend some time at the end of each day planning for the next. Taking the time to do this will help increase your productivity. All you need is five to 10 minutes at the end of each day for your planning session. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!
- Learn to say no - Many people become overloaded with too much work because they over-commit; they often say yes when really they should be saying no.
- Learn to delegate – This will allow you to focus on your own projects and goals, and can also help empower, teach and develop others.
- Don’t be a perfectionist - Some tasks don’t require your best effort. Learn to distinguish between tasks that deserve to be done well and tasks that just need to be done. A wise man once taught me that you should strive for excellence, not perfection.
- Big messes start with little piles – Make sure that you put things away as you finish using them. A cluttered workspace can lead to a cluttered mind.
- Beware of ‘filler’ tasks - Be careful not to get distracted by these. Things such as organising your bookcase or filing papers can wait until you tackle the items that have the highest priority.
- Be strict with emails - Handling emails as they come in is a distraction and it wastes time. Depending on your needs, use three to five pre-defined times during the day to check your emails.
- Exercise patience - Improving your time management is all about taking ‘baby steps’. Make one small change at a time to foster lasting change. Patience is crucial, as it takes at least a few weeks to form a new habit.
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