How to Find Extra Time in Your Day
We all need a little help sometimes with our time management.
Here are a few tips courtesy of Ann Aldrich’s blog on www.recruitingblogs.com:
Email Detox
Reading/responding to emails and sorting out junk mail are time-consuming activities. Start doing it more rarely and you will see how additional free minutes will appear. And you will be surprised that the world will not end if you stop checking your email box every 15 minutes.
Want to go even further? If you’re not waiting for an important letter, then forget about the existence of email for a few days, a week, or even a month. If that is not possible, try to check it only a few times a day.
Touch it at once
Whenever you get an email, voicemail, or other documents to deal with, don’t put them on a waiting list. Take action immediately. Either reply to the messages and deal with the paperwork, or toss them. This way, you will avoid the piling up of work, reduce clutter and get more time.
No News
In the morning, when you are getting ready for school or work, don’t listen to or watch the news. This not only slows you down, but may even upset you with some tragic events (slowing you down even more!). Important news is usually discussed by people everywhere, so you will hear it all later anyway.
Don’t waste your time waiting
Lines, waiting rooms, traffic jams – cruelly eat our time. Use your time correctly. Upload some e-books to your cell-phone, bring your paperwork with you if it needs to be done urgently, and get yourself busy while waiting.
Double Up
When you cook for your family, make double the portion and freeze one. Next time, instead of cooking your meals, you will have time to work on something else.
Make To Do Lists
If you write down all the tasks and obligations you need to accomplish, you won’t forget anything. Cross off the tasks as they are accomplished and track your progress.
Avoid distractions
If it is a TV or computer that distracts you, turn them off until you complete your task. If this is your cell phone ringing every 5 minutes, put it on silent and let all of your calls go right to voicemail. Thus, you will concentrate better and your efficiency will improve. Sometimes you can combine two activities, like watching your favorite TV show and cooking.
Stop “Overcleaning”
Many of us are crazy about cleanliness and order. The truth is, that if you skip cleaning the floors one day, the floors will live on, and so will you. And if you don’t vacuum every day, you will reduce dust in your house, and that’s rather good. Another trick is cleaning the tools right after the usage. For example, if you wipe down your shower every day, then you can skip its weekly deep clean.