Are you ever frustrated at the end of the day because you weren’t able to get everything done? Do you ever wish you could add a few extra hours to each day to be more productive? Time management is tricky for everyone, and I think it’s funny that our immediate thought is often that we don’t have enough time.
The crazy thing is that if we were able to somehow add more hours to our day, we would use them the same way we do now. The problem with productivity isn’t more time, it’s better time management.
I have previously written tips on how to become a morning person, which is a great first step to awesomely good time management. But what about the rest of the day? How can we win at our daily tasks without literally adding more hours to our day?
Believe it or not there are ways to create more time for productivity without killing ourselves! Here they are:
6 tips for better time management
1. Spend less time scrolling on social media
Do you ever just show up to the grocery store without a plan and just wander around just to waste time? Probably not.
Adulting is extremely demanding and anyone who values her own time makes a list before she gets to the store to ensure she gets everything she needs. Right?! You know this.
But mindlessly scrolling on social media is a lot like wandering the aisles of the grocery store. You’re not really looking for anything in particular. You’re simply perusing.
However, perusing on social media has a special way of being a time suck, so it’s important to keep our time on social media in check. Consider saving social media for later in the day when you need a ten or fifteen minute break.
But more on that later…
2. Prioritize each day
Knowing what you’re jumping into before you get going each day can help you better tackle your to-do list.
I like to plan my day out the night before so I know what I’m waking up to. My husband likes to plan his day over breakfast.
Do whatever works best for you, but be sure to have the day planned out before you leave the house. Otherwise, you’re already behind before you even get started.
3. Keep a calendar/planner
It doesn’t matter if this is an old school paper calendar, or planner, or a digital version, find a planner you like and keep it up. Write appointments and commitments down as soon as you make plans and refer back to it before scheduling anything new.
I love the month view of my planner because I can see my family’s whole month’s worth of commitments at once.
4. Take breaks
This is a hard concept for go-getters like us to implement, because “break” sounds a lot like “lazy,” “unproductive,” and “lost time” in our minds.
However, studies have shown that taking breaks actually gives you brain a chance to refresh and allows you to focus better when you get back to work.
The key is to use your break time to do something restful, not something equally stressful.
The bottom line: don’t deprive yourself of breaks unless you want to lose traction throughout the day.
5. Treat Yo’ Self
We all like to be rewarded for a job well done…or a task completed.
When I accomplished something particularly challenging on my to-do list, I always have a reward waiting for me on the other side. This is a great time management trick that always keeps me focused.
Now, you’re not a dog, so try to refrain from rewarding yourself with food. Try one of the following ideas instead:
- 10 minutes of social media time (set a timer to make sure you don’t waste the day away)
- go for a walk, run, or quick swim
- look at a magazine
- Read a chapter of a book
- Journal
- Take a shower (if you work from home)
- Play with your kids for 30 minutes
- Take a power nap!
- Call someone for a chat
There are plenty of ways to reward yourself for a completing a task. Plan the in advance so you know what you’re working towards.
6. Value the little moments
I heard someone say once that if we don’t listen to our kids’ problems when they are little, they won’t come to us with their problems when they are bigger (and their problems are bigger). Great perspective, right??
But what does that have to do with time management?
It’s easy to get annoyed with little distractions throughout the day. I have been known to snap at my kids for repeatedly interrupting me when I’m in the middle of a task, and I hate that.
Over the years I have learned to stop, give them my attention, hear their requests, and answer them before snapping. I have to remind myself that someday no one will be here tapping me on the shoulder asking for a snack because my kids will be grown and gone and I will have nothing but uninterrupted time to work and be alone all day, every day.
With that perspective in mind, it’s a lot easier for me to savor even annoying interruptions, kindly give my kids instructions, and value the little moments with them.
If you are struggling with time management, don’t be discouraged! You may just need to tweak some of your daily habits and redirect your attention throughout the day. You can do it!
What are your go-to tricks for exercising good time management throughout the day? Tell me in the comments!
