5 Time Management Tips Every Adult Should Know
Between work and home, and everything else life can have in store for you, it can sometimes feel like you are overloaded with tasks and not nearly enough time to get everything done. If you suffer from issues like anxiety and depression, this kind of intense feeling of never being able to accomplish what you need to can just add to your stress. Here are five time management hacks you should know that can help you better manage your time and get more out of every minute life has to offer.
- Take a few minutes every morning to plan your day.
Grab a pen and paper when you get up and get dressed for the day and utilize just ten minutes to create a list of all you need to accomplish before you end the day and go to bed. No matter what, fit this tiny frame of time in before all else. Creating a plan will help you focus on what needs to be done throughout the day and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed about tasks which come up that you have forgotten.
- Use Google Calendar to create a detailed schedule.
There are a ton of free calendar apps that can be incredibly useful if you are struggling with staying on task, one of which is Google Calendar. Available on PC and smartphones, this app makes it easy to pencil in events and tasks, schedule reminders, and stay on track.
- Remember your priorities.
Without prioritizing your responsibilities through the day, you can get overwhelmed just thinking about all you have to do because there is no rhyme or reason. Prioritize your daily, weekly, and monthly routine so you know what has to be done first. Once you get the big stuff out of the way, the rest of the day will seem a lot easier to manage.
- Follow a good routine as much as you can.
Never underestimate how much a good routine can help you better manage your time. Try to create a normal routine for every day of the week on a sheet of paper, taking into consideration things like:
- what time you will get out of bed
- when you will have lunch
- where you need to go after you leave work or school
- what time you must be home
- Get familiar with your distractions and learn how to eliminate them.
Distractions are a part of everyone’s life, but people who are most effective with time management also know how to manage and control their distractions. Stay conscious of things that take up a lot of time, like playing games on your phone or chatting on social media. Take note of the distractions that get in the way most often and either eliminate them or schedule a specific time allotment every day where distractions are allowed as an extra activity.