Manage Your Time Effectively to Achieve Work-Life Balance

LifeStyleDecember 19, 2017

Most of us have lots of duties and responsibilities to perform. And since effective time management procedures and techniques are required in order to accomplish them all without compromising or shortchanging one from the others, we should adopt consistent planning, scheduling, organizing, prioritizing, and implementation of these tasks.

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With this in mind, we have rounded up the following strategies on how you could jump start your successful yet not-so-stressful and demanding career while still enjoying quality time with yourself, your loved ones, and friends.

Schedule Time for Reflection.

Having some quiet or “alone” time on a daily basis for at least 10 to 15 minutes can be very helpful in terms of clearing your mind and setting priorities intended for the day. In this way, you can be able to think about what needs to be done and how you are going to do it.

Make a List or a Note.

Writing down everything that has something to do with accomplishing a task makes you save more time in the next planning and scheduling – having it more realistic and attainable.

Plan your day before it unfolds. Do it in the morning or even better, the night before you sleep. The plan gives you a good overview of how the day will pan out. That way, you don’t get caught off guard. Your job for the day is to stick to the plan as best as possible.

Always Prioritize.

Identify anything causing a regular, repeated drag or drain on your time. These might include technology, systems, workflow or people, to name a few. One by one, take these things on your list and fix them, address them, or change them to free up more time.

Since you can’t do everything, learn to prioritize the important and let go of the rest. Apply the 80/20 principle which is a key principle in prioritization.

Focus and Concentrate.

Have your to-do list strictly observed. I mean, if you have set your priorities, see to it that you indeed stick to it accordingly.

Do you like the pressure of working to tight deadlines or not? For example, do you only feel motivated to get started on a project the night before it’s due in, or do you prefer to leave yourself plenty of time? Either way is fine, but know which method works for you and use it to your advantage. Either set yourself more deadlines or make sure you leave time to plan and deliver well in advance.

Be Aware of the Time.

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Spending much time on unnecessary tasks and activities truly waste your precious time. Bear in mind that each time and effort you give into something must be worthy of its results. On the other hand, instead of complaining about not having enough time, better use your time for the things that are worth it. Learn how to value your time and be amazed how others can value yours, too.

Keep Away From Perfectionism

Not all things happen and appear perfectly. Sometimes things and events simply do not turn out the way you want it to be. If such inevitably happens despite your hard work, effort, and urgency, never blame yourself or point fingers to somebody else. Do not dwell on some things that aren’t perfect – that can be very stressful on your end.

Don’t fuss about unimportant details. You’ll never get everything done in exactly the way you want. Trying to do so is being ineffective. Reality bites, sometimes being a perfectionist may not be really perfect.

Always Keep Your Working Area Neat

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A cluttered desk or work area greatly affects productivity. You can work at your best if every time you look around, you’ll see things that are arranged, systematic, and tidy.

When a neat and tidy workplace is constantly observed, you’ll be surprised how everybody works with much inspiration, initiative, and determination.

Remember, a Little Relaxation Goes a Long Way

Don’t assume that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Brooks recommends setting realistic goals, like leaving the office earlier 1 night per week. Slowly build more activities into your schedule that are important to you. Perhaps, you can start by spending an hour a week on your hobbies, or plan a weekend getaway with your loved ones once a year.

Feel free to use whichever tips resonate with you. There should be something listed above that you can put into action straight away. You might also find it useful to come back to these tips at a later date and see what else you can do to boost your time management skills and finally achieve work-life balance.