As much as you want to, you might have a difficult time managing your time wisely all the time. There are so many distractions that may affect you, such as social media, watching your favorite shows online, or even when a friend suddenly comes by and needs your help with something. This is why it is important to manage your time properly as much as you can, so you won’t be in a bind whenever you are unable to. Keep reading for ways to manage your time.
1. Give Yourself a Schedule
Something you may not have considered when you are trying to make the best use of your time is to make yourself a schedule. You can choose to create a daily or weekly schedule, depending on how much you have to do each day. Set up specific times and dates for the tasks you need to complete and stick to it as much as possible. Be sure that your schedule has realistic time constraints too, so you won’t feel defeated if you aren’t able to work within your timetable.
Don’t fret if you are unable to get it right the first time though. It may take some work and effort to determine how long specific tasks take, so you can start making an accurate schedule that will work best for you.
2. Don’t Procrastinate
Waiting until the last minute to address important things, like research papers, may end up costing you. When you are not able to give a task the time it needs, you might not do a good job like you intended to. In other cases, there could be an issue when it comes to getting an assignment completed on time. Be sure to try to give important things adequate time. For example, if you have a big project coming up, you can do a little bit of the work on it each day, so you don’t become overwhelmed. To find out more about the effects of procrastination, read BetterHelp.
3. Break Up Large Tasks
It can be advantageous to take large tasks and break them down into smaller, more manageable ones. For example, if you are required to read a large novel in the next 2 weeks, you might want to devote an hour each day to reading, so you don’t have to try to read it all in one night. Moreover, when you are able to spend less time a day on tasks, you will have more time to do the things that you want to do; you won’t feel like you are missing out on anything.
Another aspect to consider is to stop a certain task if it is taking up too much of your time. If there is a specific assignment you are working on and it is taking way too much time or you are having a difficult time concentrating on it, try to finish something else first when this is possible. Once you are feeling more focused, you can come back to the project that you were having an issue with.
4. Limit Distractions When You Can
Do your best to limit distractions. When it is time for you to get to work, put your phone on silent and place it across the room from you. If it isn’t at arm’s length, it will be more difficult for you to absently pick it up and look at it. You can text your friends ahead of time to tell them that you will be busy for the rest of the night, so you won’t have to worry about missing important messages.
You should also make sure that you don’t have a television or music playing when you are trying to focus too. If you do need a bit of noise, you may want to listen to classical music or invest in a white noise machine.
5. Get Enough Sleep
When you are able to get enough sleep at night, you might find that you can concentrate better and get tasks accomplished. This could be because getting the necessary rest your body needs can make it easier to think. Consider giving yourself a bedtime, so you are able to get adequate sleep, which is between 7-9 hours each night. Try not to sleep more than this, however, since sleeping too many hours might be harmful to your health, in much the same way that sleeping too few hours maybe.
6. Be Sure to Eat and Drink
Another aspect of staying focused when you are doing your best to manage your time is to make sure you eat and drink. Ingesting a healthy meal and making sure you stay hydrated before you undertake an important task can lend a hand. A good way to make sure you stay hydrated is to drink whenever you are feeling thirsty. Try to stick to water and drinks that don’t have a lot of sugar.
You may also want to keep some snacks within reach, in case you get hungry while you are working. This could prevent you from having to stop what you are doing if your stomach growls.
7. Ask for Help
Even if you are taking advantage of all the time management techniques laid out in this article, it can be hard to complete every task that needs to get done. When you need help, you should ask for it. Someone you care about or a loved one may be able to pick up a little slack for you, so you can get more work done. Perhaps your best friend will bring you dinner or your mom might be available to do your laundry when you are trying to focus on other things. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
Conclusion
Learning how to manage your time doesn’t have to be problematic, but it may take some work to get just right. Think about utilizing the options above to help you get more accomplished. They may go a long way in helping you meet your goals. Moreover, be sure to ask for help when you need to and take breaks when you are feeling overwhelmed.
