subject: Effective Time Management [print this page] Effective Time Management Effective Time Management
Many times we will put ourselves in a jam by not managing our time effectively. We can avoid a lot of stress if we take charge of the situation before it becomes a situation. Effective time management can save us a multitude of trouble in the long run. I have learned some techniques that have really helped me out in my lifetime. One of the biggest lessons that I have learned was how to prioritize my day. Simply prioritizing your day can be the single best thing that you can do to help you to stay organized. Listing my daily tasks really helped me out.
I learned to write my tasks down the day before and put them in order. The least important would be on the tail end of the list so that if for some reason I couldnt get to them it didnt cause any problems. The most important tasks were always at the top of the list and they were always numbered in bullet form. When I would accomplish each task I would scratch it off of the list. It really gives me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day when I see just how much that I have done.
The biggest thing to remember is to remain focused on your task list. Dont let people distract you until you have completed the list. I worked in a job once where others typical day worked until 6 or 7PM. When I began to organize my time I found that I would be finished with my day at about 3:30 or 4:00 PM. I would not be drawn away from what I knew that I needed to get done. One thing that I learned by doing this is that most of our daily time is actually wasted. We spend too much time on unnecessary conversations and meaningless details. When I made up my mind not to be distracted I was amazed at how much that I could get done.
I also learned never to get on the boat to nowhere. Poor planning will quickly get you there. I also dont allow others to put me there either. Some people are habitual procrastinators. They will also put you on this train every single time that you deal with them. I learned to avoid these people when work needed to be done. This will also help you tremendously.
Learn how to anticipate problems. You will save yourself many headaches if you take prudent steps to deal with problems before they arise. I learned to schedule the times that I would have problems around outside events. For example if you need to go to the drug store make sure that you dont get there after it closes. Give yourself plenty of time in case you get stuck in traffic.
Learn how to delegate tasks. When you delegate learn to give the right job to the right people. Dont give a complicated job to a simple minded person. I am a dealer for a truck rental company. The first employee that I had could not understand new concepts. When something out of the ordinary would happen she would become frustrated and confused. I would spend the majority of my day off on the phone with her explaining simple procedures. After she left I was able to find a person who was more fitted for the job. Even when procedures change I dont have to explain the changes to her. She is quick enough to adapt to the changes so that I dont have to spend half of my day off giving her instructions.
The first employee is excellent at many other things but not at the tasks required for this particular job. I can use her for other things but not in this particular area. This is a lesson to you also. If we learn how to apply these techniques to everyday life they will definitely make life easier.
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