Without proper time management training, you’ll have a much harder time doing the things you want to do while still accomplishing all you need to accomplish.
In this post, we want to share some of our best tips and tricks for time management training. We know how it is to be so busy you feel like you can’t get everything done. In the end, it really does come down to learning how to manage your time better.
The First Thing You Must Realize About Managing Time
The first thing you need to understand: you will do the things you want to do. If you want to play video games, you’ll find the time to play video games. If you want to go out and socialize, you’ll find time to go out and socialize.
So it’s important to ask yourself: is this task something you need to do but not something you want to do, or is it something you have anxiety about doing? If you’re anxious about doing a certain task or activity, then you’ll need to work through that. The good news is you can use your anxiety to propel you into action, rather than keeping you from it.
If you really want to accomplish a task, but you feel anxiety creeping in, it’s a good idea to “small chunk” it. For instance, if you haven’t gone out socializing lately, it can be completely overwhelming to go out to a big networking event. So “small chunk” it. Take baby steps first.
Start by going out for just an hour. Make that the goal instead of running around trying to collect as many business cards as possible. That way, you can focus on taking the baby step; get it out of the way, and then you can begin to reduce the anxiety.
Time Management Training Helps You Weed out Time Wasters
Think about all of the time wasters in your life. What sucks the most time out of your life? Obviously we don’t want you to stop watching our Facebook Live videos, but Facebook and other social media platforms can be a huge time-drain. In order to move forward, you have to learn how to manage your time efficiently.
We all have our vices — Facebook, video games, movies — you just need to figure out if there’s something you can do a little less often to make more room for these other, more important tasks. One easy way to get started is by deleting the apps from your phone. Yes, really!
Remove Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook from your phone and you’re going to find more time in your day. We all get caught in it — mindlessly surfing through social media. These platforms have teams of engineers whose sole job is to design apps to be as addictive as possible and to take as much of your time and attention as they can.
If you’re single, you may be surprised how many hours a week you can find just by deleting the dating apps from your phone! If you’re not sure what you spend the most time on, there are some convenient apps you can download to show you exactly where you are spending the most time online.
Those time tracking apps serve as excellent time management tools. They log all the time you spend on various apps, which will help you to see very quickly where you can shave a couple hours off of “busy work” and actually focus more on the stuff that matters.
One of Our Biggest Secrets for How to Manage Your Time Better
This is a big one. We can’t stress this one enough. You must set up a calendar and start using it. If your day is disorganized, you’re never going to find the time to get anything done. Some of the most productive people have schedules that are meticulously put together. This allows them to find time for everything they’re trying to do.
They know and understand if they don’t block off time for something, it doesn’t get done. So just the act of setting up a calendar and blocking off time will help you prioritize the things that matter so they don’t fall through the cracks.
Another trick we use that will help you get more done is to figure out what time of the day you feel most productive. If you try to tackle the heavy stuff at a time of day when you’re exhausted or not able to get excited about doing anything, stuff is just not going to get done.
Everyone Can Benefit from Having a Set Routine
After interviewing hundreds of successful people from all over the world, we know having a routine in your life is a key component to success. It’s important, and we’ve talked about this many times, to have a morning routine and an evening routine to “bookend” your day.
These times are like a digital detox: no email checking, no time on Slack, no social media at all. The Internet-free morning routine helps you get ready for the day, and the evening time is for unwinding from the day. Doing this every single day will change your life; you may be surprised by how peaceful and stress-reducing the experience of these routines can be.
Are You Really a Workaholic?
Some people really do love to pour themselves into their work, leaving very little time for anything else. Others use work as their excuse not to do things they don’t want to do. The question you need to answer for yourself is, “Do I really need to work or am I using work as an excuse?”
This May Not Seem Like a Time Management Tool — But It Is!
This tip is another one that’s important for you to wrap your head around. You need to watch what you say to yourself on a day-to-day basis. The words you say matter.
Do you allow yourself to screw up a little and say to yourself, “Hey, I’ll tackle it tomorrow even better than today!” Or do you come down hard on yourself saying, “Well, I didn’t get that done today; I’ll probably never get it done.” Do you use it as excuse to become a procrastinator?
Do you find yourself using the same, automated excuses to get out of doing anything you don’t want to do? Phrases like, “I’m busy, I’ve got too much work to do.” Or, “I’m exhausted, I’m just too tired to go.” Too busy, too tired, too exhausted, working too much — are you really? Or are you just being lazy? Maybe you just don’t want to be bothered?
You’ve heard us rave about the Five Minute Journal and you know how strongly we recommend it. If you struggle with time management, you can use a productivity journal to start writing down how you’re spending your time, so you can see exactly who the time bandits are that are keeping you from being as productive as you can be.
At the end of the day, all the time management tools in the world won’t help you if you don’t use them. If you commit to using these tools, they can help you bring focus and productivity into your life. You can set yourself up for success by making sure you’re prepared every day to use your time more wisely and more efficiently.
