Manage Your Time

1. Make a random list of tasks.

2. Assign realistic priorities to each task.

• Priority 1: due today or tomorrow
• Priority 2: due in one week
• Priority 3: due in one month
• Priority 4: due next year

3. Balance your effort. Work on small portions every day.

• Do the daily tasks. Concentrate on what is at hand, then move on to the next daily task. Once daily tasks are completed, proceed to the next step, if desired.
• Do the weekly tasks. Once weekly tasks are completed, proceed to the next step, if desired.
• Do the monthly tasks. Once monthly tasks are completed, proceed to the next step, if desired.
• Do the yearly tasks.
• Small portions of the future tasks will have been done ahead of time.

4. Decide upon the time of day. Some people are more productive in the morning than the evening.

5. Manage time in increments. Play a game with yourself by competing against time.

• Work in fifteen minute, half hour or hour intervals.
• Give yourself a time limit to complete a portion of a task or the entire task.

6. Take a break. Clear your mind and refresh yourself to refocus.

• Decide beforehand on a 5, 10 or 15 minute break and stick to that decision.
• During your break, reassess to develop a new perspective.
• Breaks provide incentive by giving you something to look forward to.

7. Keep track of your progress.

• Cross things off the list as they are completed.
• You'll feel more relieved and relaxed just by getting through the daily tasks.
• This will give you a sense of accomplishment and spur motivation.

8. Reassess the list.

• Rewrite and re-prioritize your list as needed.
• Add new tasks to the list.
• Eliminate certain tasks.
• Delegate tasks to others.
• Use technology to complete tasks more quickly, efficiently or accurately.

9. Make sure to leave time for fun, it doesn't have to be a lot of time but make sure that you do!

10. Sleep for 6-8 hours every night. If you don't sleep for the proper amount of time, you'll probably suffer from lack of concentration and focus and that won't allow you to function well.