Как распланировать свое время: Как организовать свой день: методики гениев продуктивности

Как организовать свой рабочий день, чтобы все успевать | GeekBrains

Базовые принципы тайм-менеджмента и методы успешных людей.

https://d2xzmw6cctk25h.cloudfront.net/post/2003/og_image/cd16a33a4c9a3b2c5df8ebceb2ef4490.png

Сорванный дедлайн легко превращается в катастрофу. Руководитель недоволен, клиент в шоке, бизнес под угрозой. А причиной этого может легко стать неумение правильно организовать работу. Здесь неважно, идет речь об одном специалисте или целой команде — грамотное управление временем способно спасти всех.

Правила планирования времени

Как же правильно организовать свою работу — классический тайм-менеджмент предлагает несколько основных принципов:

1. Планируйте, что будете делать. Это важно для рядовых работников офиса и еще более необходимо фрилансерам и другим вольным пташкам. Определите, что и в каком порядке будете делать. Так вы не потеряете время и будете легко переходить от задачи к задаче.
2. Правильно ставьте цели. Они должны быть конкретными и измеримыми. Это поможет правильно сформулировать задачи.
3. Планируйте отдых. Правильно управлять временем — не значит пахать как ломовая лошадь. У вас должны быть перерывы для отдыха, чтобы не терять эффективность.
4. Создавайте свои правила. Анализируйте опыт, чтобы понять, какие алгоритмы работают для вас и вашей команды. Учитывайте специфику подразделения и то, какой ценой были получены предыдущие результаты.
5. Фокусируйтесь на важном. Часть рутинных задач просто сжирает время. Если у вас есть возможность игнорировать их, сделайте это ради более важных вещей.

Как правильно организовать рабочий день

Метод Франческо Чирилло

Чирилло предлагает чередовать работу и отдых: отводить по 25 минут на первое и 5 минут на второе. Напоминает метод помидора? Верно, это он и есть. Автор опробовал его еще в юности с помощью обычного кухонного таймера в виде томата.

Смысл вот в чем: вы знаете, что впереди отдых. Благодаря этому гораздо проще не отвлекаться на просмотр соцсетей, личные звонки, болтовню с коллегами, перекуры и другие не связанные с работой вещи.

Этот метод такой простой и эффективный, что можно опробовать его прямо сейчас — вот один из таймеров.

Метод Дэвида Аллена

Бизнес-тренер создал систему Getting Things Done, смысл которой в тщательной фиксации всех задач и правильной организации рабочего дня. Ничего не должно оставаться только в памяти, все переносится на бумагу или в электронное приложение. А еще нужно присвоить задачам приоритеты, наметить сроки выполнения, при необходимости создать чек-лист.

Такой подход поможет ничего не упустить, понять, какие задачи первичны, и разгрузить голову. Для погружения в Getting Things Done подойдут Trello или Wunderlist. Просто клеить на стену стикеры тоже можно — важнее то, что вы на них пишете.

Метод Айви Ли

Журналист предлагает каждый вечер составлять список из шести задач и выставлять их по приоритетности. А на следующий день двигаться от первой задачи к последней — и в итоге получать шесть выполненных дел.

Метод Райдера Кэрролла

Создатель метода — дизайнер, и это видно по придуманной им системе Bullet Journal. Она поможет выполнять ежедневные рутинные дела. Суть в том, что вы делаете табличку, в которой строки задач пересекаются с столбцами дней недели. Сделали дело — закрасили квадратик. Минус системы — это рисование отнимает время. Но зато система отлично мотивирует тех, кто не может видеть пустот в своей табличке.

Метод Тима Ферриса

Гуру продуктивности советует помнить о законе Парето, по которому 20 % усилий дают 80 % результата, а остальные 80 % усилий — лишь 20 % достижения. Так что перфекционизм — скорее препятствие на пути к цели. Меньше внимания к деталям — фокусируйтесь на важном!

При этом не забывайте о законе Паркинсона: сколько времени вы отведете на работу, столько она и займет. Поэтому важно адекватно планировать свободное время.

Метод Марка Твена

Писатель говорил: «Если с утра съесть лягушку, остаток дня обещает быть чудесным, поскольку худшее на сегодня уже позади». Так что выполняйте неприятные задачи прямо сейчас — и остальные будете щелкать как орешки.

Метод Бенджамина Франклина

Один из отцов-основателей США, Бенджамин Франклин, знал цену минутам и секундам. Именно ему приписывают фразу «Время — деньги».

Франклин придумал пирамиду продуктивности, которая состоит из шести ступеней. 

Жизненные ценности лежат в ее основании. Это глобальные моральные принципы, которые должны учитываться при любом решении. У Франклина их было 13, но вы можете придумать свои. Далее от основания к вершине ступени таковы:

1. Глобальная цель.
2. План достижения глобальной цели — шаги, которые необходимо предпринять на пути к ней.
3. План на ближайшие 3–5 лет.
4. Планы на год и месяц.
5. Планы на неделю и день — на вершине пирамиды.

В итоге вы получите список дел буквально на всю жизнь. А так как все это базируется на цели и глобальных ценностях, каждое действие будет вести вас туда, куда нужно, и вам не будет стыдно ни за один из ваших поступков.

Метод Стивена Кови

Эксперт в области менеджмента сформулировал несколько принципов продуктивности:

1. Быть инициативным, искать возможности.
2. Постоянно развиваться и стремиться к совершенству.
3. Делать сотрудничество обоюдно выгодным.
4. Добиваться в сотрудничестве к синергии — когда командная работа дает результат, значительно превосходящий усилия каждого ее члена в отдельности.
5. Пытаться прежде всего понять, а уже затем быть услышанным.
6. Осознать глобальную цель, прежде чем начинать действовать.
7. Понимать, что предпринимать сначала.

Считается, что соблюдение этих принципов прокачает вашу эффективность и поможет быстрее достигать целей. 

Как правильно планировать свой день: 3 варианта

Хочешь быть максимально продуктивным и все успевать? 3 лучших совета, как правильно планировать свое время! Запиши себе.

Наверняка вы неоднократно слышали от своих знакомых или и сами произносили фразы типа: «Я ничего не успеваю!», «Мне мало 24 часов в сутках!», «День пролетел, а я ничего толкового не сделала!» и т.д.

Люди думают, что их проблема в излишне большом количестве дел.

Но в действительности все потому, что они не знают, как правильно планировать свой день, чтобы успеть все и без особого напряга.

Как правильно планировать свое время: что надо знать?

Знаете, как определяет это понятие словарь?

Время – это длительность бытия, которая измеряется секундами, минутами, часами, сутками, неделями, месяцами, годами, то есть, мера длительности каждого совершенного действия.

Вроде бы на первый взгляд все понятно: 1 час состоит из 60 минут, неделя – из 7 дней и т.д.

Но в реальной жизни время воспринимается совсем по-другому.

Вспомните, например, сколько тянется пара у нелюбимого преподавателя?

Явно больше, чем 1 час 20 минут?

Зато чтение интересной книги может захватить настолько, что 3 часа пролетят, как один миг.

10 лучших советов, как все успевать

Мы часто не успеваем справляться с заданиями не потому, что их слишком много или мы глупые, а лишь потому, что не знаем, как планировать свое время максимально эффективно.

Сделать это гораздо проще, чем вы думаете.

Главное, упорство, максимум организованности и немного денег, чтобы купить нужный инвентарь.

Как правильно планировать свой день: подготовка

Если вы регулярно опаздываете, не выполняете свои обещания вовремя, создаете завалы дел на работе, не успеваете осуществлять задания начальника, то от этого страдаете не только вы, но и окружающие.

Ладно, еще близкие родственники и друзья: они отнесутся с пониманием (хотя и их терпение не безгранично), но вот шеф вряд ли будет в восторге от такого сотрудника, поэтому о карьерном росте можно даже и не мечтать.

Но плох тот солдат, что не меряет на себя генеральские погоны!

Кому же охота всю жизнь просидеть на должности секретаря или курьера?

Если вы поймете, как планировать время, то сможете повысить работоспособность и быстро продвинуться по карьерной лестнице.

Для того чтобы начать менять свою жизнь вам понадобятся:

• ежедневник – это может быть блокнот, в который вы будете записывать задания на каждый день, но можно обойтись и обычной тетрадкой, разделенной на две части: для списка дел и посетивших вас идей;
• мобильный телефон, в котором вы сможете создавать напоминалки, например, телефон предупредит вас, что пора заканчивать с проверкой новостей и приступать к готовке ужина и т.д.
• компьютер или ноутбук – они нужны только тем, кто постоянно работает на компьютере – здесь вы сможете создавать разнообразные файлы: «что сделать сегодня», «список заданий на выходные», «что купить в воскресенье» и т.д.

Как планировать свое время: что может помочь?

Вы удивитесь, но существует множество моментов, которые вызывают у человека медлительность, расслабленное состояние и, соответственно, приводят к тому, что за день вы делаете гораздо меньше, чем планировали.

Хорошей организации труда способствуют:

• Безукоризненный порядок на рабочем столе.

  На поверхности не должно быть никаких лишних предметов кроме тех, что нужны вам в данный момент для работы.

  Все остальное прячьте в ящики.

• Чистота и уют дома.

  Если вы работаете дома или не работаете вообще, а лишь ведете домашнее хозяйство, это не повод допускать бардак и хаос.

  Все вещи должны лежать на своих местах, пыль, грязь и пауки – тоже не лучшие помощники.

• Покупая дневник для записей, выбирайте тот, что приносит вам эстетическое удовольствие.

  Вы должны хотеть смотреть на него как можно чаще.

• Просыпайтесь рано.

  Не важно, нужно вам на работу или нет, это не повод валяться в постели до обеда.

  Приучите себя просыпаться достаточно рано и в одно и то же время, чтобы успеть без спешки собраться и подкорректировать список дел на день, составленный с вечера.

• Соблюдайте нормальный режим питания и сна.

  Вечно невыспавшийся человек, страдающий от авитаминоза, просто не сможет работать эффективно.

Эти советы предназначены не столько научить, как правильно планировать свое время, сколько избавить вас от мелочей, на которые мы редко обращаем внимание, но которые существенно тормозят наше развитие.

Как планировать время: схема

Когда мы не хотим что-то делать, мы часто придумываем отговорки, замаскированные под причины.

Эти причины кажутся вполне уважительными, однако за ними скрывается отсутствие желания.

Говоря «у меня нет времени», мы подразумеваем, что текущие дела для нас важнее.

Каждый человек имеет право сказать, что у него нет времени.

Но тогда пусть он спросит себя, что для него действительно важно.

Дело не в том, что у вас не хватает времени, а в том, что вы предпочитаете тратить его на другие дела.

Какой распорядок дня успешного человека?

Я предложу вам три варианта, которые помогут научиться правильно планировать свое время и успевать сделать гораздо больше на протяжении дня.

Вы можете выбрать понравившийся либо разработать свой, скомбинировав несколько схем.

1. Работайте со списком дел.

   На следующий месяц ежедневник – ваше главное оружие в борьбе с неорганизованностью.

   Каждый вечер вы должны составлять список дел, сгруппировав их по мере важности, утром – подкорректировать его, а на протяжении дня неоднократно заглядывать в блокнот, вычеркивая то, что уже выполнено.

   Это гипер эффективный метод, который поможет не только научиться планировать свое время, но и стать более пунктуальным.

   Помните, в одной из статей я рассказывала вам о своей подружке Яне, которая при помощи ежедневника поборола привычку опаздывать?

2. Используйте максимально эффективно каждую минуту.

   Да, иногда жизнь подбрасывает нам неприятные неожиданности: мы можем застрять в пробке или лифте, неожиданно могут отключить свет, зависнет компьютер и т.д.

   Все это нужно воспринимать как неизбежность и не поддаваться панике!

   Переключитесь на выполнение другого дела.

   Просто почитайте полезную книжку или расслабьтесь и послушайте приятную музыку, чтобы организм восстановился и вы могли быстро наверстать упущенное время.

3. Стройте реальные планы и не давайте пустых обещаний.

   Некоторые люди мало успевают, просто потому что слишком много на себя берут.

   В итоге получают завалы невыполненных дел.

   Оценивайте реально свои возможности, обязательно сортируйте все задания по мере их важности: те, которые требуют выполнения в первую очередь и те, что можно отложить.

   Не стесняйтесь сказать начальнику, что статья о беженцах требует длительного сбора информации, поэтому заметку о ремонте городской канализации вы напишите завтра с утра и т.д.

Отличными советами по планированию своего времени

делиться известный видеоблогер

Alexsandr Kuskov

Смотрим и берем на заметку!

Но наиболее просто научиться правильно планировать свой день — поможет железная самодисциплина!

Попробуйте на протяжении месяца следовать строгому распорядку дня, вставать и ложиться в одно и то же время, не поддаваться слабостям типа «пойду поваляюсь», планируйте каждую свою минуту, следуйте составленному графику и очень скоро вы заметите, насколько эффективным стал каждый ваш день.

Полезная статья? Не пропустите новые!
Введите e-mail и получайте новые статьи на почту

90000 10 Tips for Managing Time Effectively 90001 90002 90003 Time flies — always. That makes time a variable that can be hard to control and monitor. And once time has slipped away, you never get it back. For companies, time lost equals dollars lost. 90004 90003 In a business environment where employees and skilled professionals are hired based on their input and productivity at a set time, it’s a great time to teach them time management skills. Why? They’ll not only keep better track of time but also have the opportunity to track their progress in projects and contribute to the company’s success.90004 90003 Being conscious of time will result in self-improvement and goal achievement. That’s true in both your work and personal life. What’s the best way to manage time effectively? Applying these 10 tips is a good start. 90004 90009 1. Have a Time Check 90010 90003 Know exactly how you spend your time. In an office setting, you should know the tasks that are stealing your time. Then you can do something about it. For example, you may be spending an hour on email instead of completing important projects.Knowing exactly where your time is going can help you make decisions about delegating tasks or buying software to speed up some lower-level processes. 90004 90009 2. Set a Time Limit 90010 90003 Setting a time limit for a task can be fun. In fact, it can be like a game. Some companies actually divide employees into groups, and the group that finishes a project or task first gets a reward. You can apply this principle to any task. Set a definite time limit, such as an hour or two. Then try to finish the task within the allotted time, and feel the excitement as you do it.90004 90009 3. Use Software Tools for Time Management 90010 90003 Technology is more sophisticated at managing time. Various apps even help track employees ‘time so that you can monitor their check-ins and check-outs. The internet offers a variety of apps and tools, and some are useful for business management, especially for monitoring and assessing daily processes. For many apps, the advanced functions of the paid versions can also give you added control and better user experience. 90004 90009 4.Have a To-Do List 90010 90003 Having a list is always a time saver. If you have a list, you’ll never have to wonder what’s on the daily agenda or what to do next. Indeed, a list keeps you focused and motivated, focused on feeling that sweet satisfaction every time you tick off a task from your list. Lists also let you see — and monitor — your progress. Even if you’re surrounded by distractions, your list will keep you on the right track. 90004 90009 5. Plan Ahead 90010 90003 Planning ahead is a critical part of time management.Ideally, you should plan ahead for the week or at least the day before. When you know exactly what needs to get done for the day or week, you’ll stay organised and focused. You can break tasks across days to see, in advance, how much time is needed to complete a project. Even spending just a few minutes planning ahead can transform how you work. 90004 90009 6. Start with Your Most Important Tasks 90010 90003 Do your most important tasks in the morning. All those stressful tasks, the big bulk of your work, the hardest tasks — do them in the morning.The reason is simple. You have the most energy in the morning, so you will be able to tackle the tasks efficiently and competently. Plus, the feeling of accomplishment at getting the most important stuff done first will make the rest of the day that much better. 90004 90009 7. Delegate and Outsource 90010 90003 You can not do everything by yourself, so cut yourself some slack and delegate. Maybe it’s time for you to train someone to do some simple processes in your work or office. That frees you up to focus on the bigger projects or the more complicated tasks.You can even outsource the work to an experienced freelancer and save money. 90004 90009 8. Focus on One Task at a Time 90010 90003 If you have chosen to do a task, see it through to the end — finish it. Avoid doing half work, which means abandoning your current task and doing something else entirely. One example of half-work is writing a report then suddenly checking your email for no reason and writing replies. That’s not only bad time management but also bad for your concentration. You’ll lose your momentum.Focus on the task at hand, and avoid these pitfalls. 90004 90009 9. Make Some Changes in Your Schedule 90010 90003 If you feel more energised at certain times of the day, change your schedule to embrace that. Make the most of your time. Some people are more energised in the morning, while some are night owls. When you choose the best time schedule for you, you’ll enjoy the benefits of being able to do more. 90004 90009 10. Avoid Perfection 90010 90003 Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, as they say.Avoid overanalysing everything you do. That does not mean be careless, however. Do your best — always. But perfection can drag you down, so do not think about it. Once you’ve finished a task and given it your best, you have to move on. 90004 90003 Effective time management is ultimately a result of having the right attitude and commitment to your goals. Software tools can help aid in your time management efforts, and there are plenty of calendars and time-tracking devices available to help you manage time effectively.90004 90003 Whatever tips or tools you use, use your time wisely, but also make time for rest and relaxation to keep you happy and motivated all throughout your life. 90004 90003 What tips and tricks do you use to better manage your time or your team? Tell us in the comments. 90004 90055 90003 90057 Meggie is a writer, social media and content marketing manager who works with AMGtime. She has been interested in marketing and management since she was young and wants to share her creative ideas, and unusual approach to marketing with others.Meggie is deeply convinced that marketing is everything and it’s a crucial part of our life. She regularly delivers concepts on how to market products, services and events, how to manage time, employees and more. 90058 90004.90000 How to Manage Your Time Wisely 90001 90002 When someone brings up essential skills for independent living, time management might not be at the top of your list. It’s probably not one you would think of until your to do list has gotten out of control. But learning 90003 how to manage your time wisely 90004 is an essential life skill that most young adults do not «leave the nest» doing well. 90005 90002 Knowing how to manage your time wisely is essential to climbing the ladder of success.The more successful you get, the less time you have. We hope this information will equip you in mentoring a young adult as they grow more independent and hopefully you’ll learn some useful tips too! 90005 90008 90003 What Is Time Management? 90004 90011 90002 The Cambridge Dictionary defines time management as 90003 «the practice of using the time that you have available in a useful and effective way, especially in your work: 90004 90015 He’s intelligent, but poor time management is limiting his success.90016 90003 90015 «90016 90004 90005 90002 Time management skills are most often addressed as 90003 productivity 90004. You’ve probably heard of some of the top experts in this field, like Tim Ferriss, Craig Jarrow, or David Allen. These guys are next level, high performance advisers to the most successful people in the business world, but a little intense for the beginner. 90005 90002 In this article we’ll hit the basics — effective, easy tasks and methods that even a kid can start doing now.For the purposes of this article I’ll articulate the definition of being good at time management as such: 90005 90002 90003 Being good at time management means organizing your time intentionally and prioritizing activities that efficiently advance you towards your goals and 90004 90003 honor your values. 90004 90005 Being good at time management means organizing your time intentionally and prioritizing activities that efficiently advance you towards your goals and honor your values.#timemanagement #productivity Click To Tweet 90008 90003 Why Are Good Time Management Skills Important? 90004 90011 90002 Good time management is essential to success. And it’s not limited to success in the workplace. Success as a friend, parent, spouse, fitness, anything … requires good time management skills. Success in any endeavor requires giving it the proper amount of time at the right time. 90005 90040 90040 90002 This post may contain affiliate links. You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.90005 90002 It’s easy to let the seemingly urgent tasks of life crowd out the more precious and lasting priorities such as faith and family. 90005 90002 90003 Living out your priorities and achieving your goals require being intentional and disciplined. 90004 90005 90002 Time management is a particular challenge for young adults just launching out on their own. According to this article about half of the college kids surveyed felt like they were under-performing due to poor organizational skills and 90015 90003 88 percent of the college students said they want to improve their ability to manage their time.90004 90016 90005 90056 90002 «Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.» 90005 90059 Peter F. Drucker 90060 90061 90002 For most kids, their schedules and priorities have been managed for them. Independence means unprecedented freedom and responsibility. Not knowing how to manage their time well can lead to missed deadlines, increased stress, and poorer performance at school or in the workplace. This is a particular struggle for youth who came out of the foster care system.90005 90002 90003 Read More About The Struggles Foster Youth Face 90004 90005 90002 It has been said that time is money, but the argument can be made that time is more valuable than money. 90069 As founder and CEO of Life Hack, Leon Ho put it 90005 90056 90002 «If you lose money, you might get a chance to make it back; but a wasted hour is irreplaceable. » 90005 90059 Leon Ho 90060 90061 90077 90003 The crux of the problem 90004 90080 90002 Being busy does not mean you’re being productive.You can be very busy, without living out your priorities or moving closer to your goals. It’s a frustrating and disappointing place to be. 90005 90002 As you probably know we are living in an age of unprecedented speed and volume of information. This has led many of us to feel like we are dealing with an information overload. But according to David Allen, creator of the «GTD» (get things done) method, when we get stuck, it’s not due to an issue of information overload, but a decision-making overload.90005 90002 90003 It’s the unplanned in-the-moment decision making that most often kills productivity. 90004 90005 90002 This can be a particular challenge for the youth we help who are often in a «get through this moment» mindset. Time management skills are not something most people do well at without specific guidance. Aging out foster youth have the added challenge of trauma, which inhibits executive functioning in the brain (where you plan, prioritize, and do other tasks necessary to time management).Without learning time management skills, these youth often fail in the workplace and school. 90005 90008 90003 Five Steps to Get on Top of Your Schedule 90004 90011 90095.90000 How to Create a Time Management Plan for Your Work Week 90001 90002 Ask any successful person how they get so much done and they’ll tell you the key is managing time effectively. As Neil Patel says, the problem for most people (especially entrepreneurs) is spreading themselves too thin by dabbling in too many things at once. Improvement happens when people focus on fewer, more critical things. 90003 90002 Maybe you’ve already tried to plan your time before and failed to stick to it. Or you always find yourself saying «I just do not have enough time.»90003 90002 Successful people do not seem to have this problem. 90003 90008 Work smarter with Agile project management 90009 90002 Agile teams accomplish more. See for yourself. 90003 90002 Try Hubstaff Tasks 90003 90008 The difference between highly successful people and the rest of us 90009 90002 Take Warren Buffett, for example. He’s got a calendar that is, for the most part, clear. Tony Robbins speaks with thousands of people each year and still manages to launch new companies on a regular basis.Elon Musk and Bill Gates, on the other hand, are known to be productive people who plan out just about every minute of their day. 90003 90002 The difference between these individuals and the rest of us is that they’ve discovered an effective time management strategy, and they execute it consistently. You see, without a strategy, time will get the best of you. 90003 90002 In this post, we’ll look at how to plan your week and stress less, based on proven time management strategies that successful people use.90003 90008 Overview of coming up with a personal time management plan 90009 90024 90025 90024 90025 90024 90025 Understand important invisible factors working against time management efforts and avoid them 90030 90025 Understand how to design and plan your week well 90030 90025 Try mindfulness to better manage the stress of time management 90030 90025 Utilize proven time management techniques and learn new ones 90030 90025 Come up with your own blueprints based on what works for you 90030 90039 90030 90039 90030 90039 90008 Invisible factors working against you 90009 90002 Invisible factors work against your productivity and ability to maximize your time.Identifying what is holding you back can only help with your preparation and planning. 90003 90002 While several factors could be at play, here are some common ones. 90003 90002 90051 Decision fatigue 90052 90003 90002 90055 Studies show 90056 that decision-making requires energy and can leave a person fatigued. 90003 90002 Often people make decisions for the better part of the day and end up being mentally fatigued. In other words, they lack the mental energy to invest in well thought out processes and decisions.This explains why seemingly rational people can get angry at colleagues or family or invest in junk food rather than making healthier food choices. 90003 90002 90051 Planning fallacy 90052 90003 90002 If you have managed projects, you might recognize a tendency to underestimate the time needed to complete a project. Instead of accepting that you are at fault, you blame delayed starts due to hold-ups from other parties, sick days and so on. 90003 90002 Elon Musk 90055 is known 90056 to set unrealistic timelines, which often get pushed back.90003 90002 90051 Parkinson’s law 90052 90003 90002 British author and historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson 90055 noticed 90056 that, during his time with the British Colonial Office, the number of employees increased by 5% every year despite there being less paperwork to deal with. His findings became the basis of his well-known book 90055 90078 Parkinson’s Law: The Pursuit of Progress 90079 90056, and were then consolidated into what is now known as Parkinson’s Law. According to Parkinson’s Law, a task expands to fill the time available for its completion.90003 90002 Parkinson also discovered that a simple task would increase in complexity to fill the time allotted to it. This reinforces the wrongful belief that you need to work harder, not smarter or more efficiently. 90003 90002 You have probably experienced this at some point: A proposal or an assignment was due on a certain day, but you only got around to it just a few hours before the deadline. 90003 90002 How can you overcome these odds and be more productive? 90003 90002 Effective time management means planning your work week.Doing this will reduce your decision fatigue, eliminate planning fallacy and contain the time and resources given to each project. 90003 90002 Let’s examine how to do that. 90003 Plan out your work week to reduce decision fatigue, eliminate planning fallacy and prioritize the time and resources given to each project. Click To Tweet 90008 Design your week 90009 90094 90051 How to make a plan 90052 90097 90002 The largest empires in the sixteenth century were Spain and Portugal. Their navigators realized that to travel safely from one port to another, they needed a way to communicate knowledge about routes, geography and potential dangers.The answer was to create a map that their fleets could refer to. In тисяча п’ятсот двадцять сім, a Portuguese cartographer, Diogo Ribeiro, produced 90055 Padròn Real 90056, one of the first scientific world maps. 90003 90002 In the same way, we need a map to get to our desired destinations — a map that deals effectively with tasks, expanding to-do lists, last-minute invitations, future commitments, work, family, health, etc. The map should enable you to navigate your way through time. 90003 90002 So how do build your own map? 90003 90002 90051 Here are the steps to take for an effective time management plan: 90052 90003 90002 1.Write down: 90003 90024 90025 90024 90025 90116 90025 What is most important to you; in other words, your values ​​and beliefs? 90030 90025 What inspires, motivates and gives you hope every day? 90030 90025 What you want to be doing in the next 5-10 years? 90030 90123 90030 90039 90030 90039 90002 The answers will serve as your compass as you draw up your map. 90003 90024 90025 90024 90025 90116 90025 Next, pull out a calendar and mark out significant milestones that you need to accomplish over the next year.90030 90025 Now, break down the activities required to achieve your milestones at the weekly, and then daily, level. 90030 90123 90030 90039 90030 90039 90002 2. Schedule time every Friday or during the weekend to plan for the upcoming week. This should also be a time of reflection on what is most important to you. 90003 90002 3. When planning, keep a notepad or app handy so you can write down tasks, assignments, to do items, ideas, etc. 90003 90002 4. Group similar items together.For example, grocery shopping and items for a birthday party could be grouped together so when the time became available you could tackle both items at the same time. 90003 90002 5. Allocate time for fulfilling routines. This could be time with family members, indulging in a hobby, sport, etc. Invest in them, as they help refresh and rejuvenate your mind and body. 90003 90002 6. Develop a handy checklist for common items you need to deal with in the morning. This could be deciding on what to make for breakfast, what work clothes to wear, etc.Use a checklist to avoid having to think through these routines. 90003 90002 7. Reflect on your day. At the end of each day spend a little time reflecting on what you enjoyed doing. This will help you feel happier, more grateful and more fulfilled. 90003 90094 What to plan 90097 90002 Elon Musk and Bill Gates have an interesting method of planning their time in 5-minute slots. You could use their approach, or any other, to plan out time for various projects. 90003 90002 What is important is to be proactive.A reactive approach just looks ahead to the next activity; a proactive approach looks at the whole picture and strives for balance and progress in important areas. 90003 90002 To be proactive, plan your ideal week. Michael Hyatt talks about this. It involves creating a simple spreadsheet that lists themes in the top row and focus areas in the left-most column. 90003 90002 Your ideal week plan could be something like the one below. 90003 90002 90003 90002 The software above is Hubstaff Tasks, it’s ideal for personal project management and planning your time.The Kanban board lets you create whatever columns you want and you can attach cards with titles, colors and labels. 90003 90002 It’s free for teams of up to five people, so there’s no cost to use it for personal time management. 90003 90094 When to plan 90097 90002 When is a good time to plan? 90003 90002 Do not wait for the start of a new year. There is no better time to take a proactive approach than today, so start now. 90003 90002 Do not use different calendars for different things. Use just one, as all activities and appointments are part of your life and tracking your productivity will be easier.90003 90002 Set aside time each week to plan the week ahead. During these sessions, reflect on the past week and then plan out the next week based on: 90003 90024 90025 90024 90025 90116 90025 Your ideal week plan 90030 90025 The objectives you want to accomplish-remember the 90055 rocks, pebbles and sand analogy 90056 90030 90025 Your commitments or scheduled appointments, like travel plans, etc. 90030 90025 Activities that will rejuvenate you 90030 90123 90030 90039 90030 90039 90094 90051 Track time 90052 90097 90002 One challenge you will have is estimating how much time you spend on different activities.90003 90002 If you want to learn how to do a time audit, read all about it here 90209. 90210 90003 90002 Mapping out your week gives you an overall view of your next seven days. It allows you to prioritize and reorient your tasks without falling victim to other factors. If you are uncomfortable with the limitations of a calendar perhaps a tool like 90055 Week Plan 90056 can help. 90003 90002 The map also gives you a more accurate picture of the time you spent on different activities — but only if you track with the help of a 90055 time tracking app like Hubstaff 90056.90003 90094 Adjust your map 90097 90002 After following the mapping and tracking process, you will be able to decide what is most important to you. 90003 90002 Based on the time taken and what you have managed to accomplish, you can tweak your time management plan for the upcoming week. 90003 90008 Other factors worth investing in and making time for 90009 90002 Now that you have a road map for your week, other activities can take you further in your journey of effective time management and productivity.Consider making time for the following. 90003 90094 Meditation 90097 90002 The 90055 health and psychological benefits 90056 of meditation are already widely known, but 90055 research 90056 indicates that it can also improve productivity and focus. 90003 90002 In addition, meditation: 90003 90024 90025 90024 90243 90039 90030 90039 90002 Here is a simple way to get started: 90003 90002 1. Download the 90055 Headspace app 90056. 90003 90002 2. Use it to meditate first thing in the morning.90003 90002 Do this every day to build the habit of meditating and make notes on your time management progress and overall productivity over the next couple of months. 90003 90094 Practice thankfulness 90097 90002 Practicing gratitude or thankfulness can boost productivity by helping you focus on the positives, which makes you feel happier. 90003 90002 Psychologist Robert Emmons, author of 90078 90055 Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier 90056 90079, has conducted studies to prove this connection.90003 90002 90055 Other studies 90056 have shown that gratitude reduces negative feelings and helps you achieve goals and make insightful decisions. 90003 90002 So how do you incorporate thankfulness into your day? 90003 90002 The easiest way is to keep a list of things you are grateful for. Another is to show gratitude to those around you via thank you notes, emails or written messages. 90003 90002 Feeling stressed during the day? Take a moment to ask yourself what you are thankful for. List five things, people or situations.90003 Feeling stressed during the day? Take a moment to list five things, people or situations you are thankful for. Practicing gratitude boosts productivity and happiness. Click To Tweet 90002 As you build the habit, you’ll also build your productivity. 90003 90094 Brain dump all your to-do items 90097 90002 As you progress through the week, new to-do items will appear. However, the problem with these loose items lingering in our brains is that they increase decision fatigue. They are like unused computer programs that use up your computer’s RAM, slowing down the overall speed and functions.90003 90002 Free up some mental RAM by dumping to-do items onto an app or paper. Tools like 90055 Evernote 90056, 90055 Todoist 90056, and 90055 Nozbe 90056 can help accomplish this. 90003 90002 Tony Robbins takes this further using 90055 a process he calls chunking 90056. He lists all his to-do items and then groups similar items. He then tackles each chunk. 90003 90002 Why is this more productive? 90003 90002 Because it requires less mental energy and time than hopping from one item to another and then back again.90003 90094 Clean up your clutter 90097 90002 Pending tasks are like clutter lying around on your desk or home. Clutter has a negative impact on our ability to focus and process information. Having it around is as bad as trying to multitask. 90003 90002 According to a 90055 study 90056 by researchers from Princeton University, multiple stimuli in our field of view compete for attention in our brains and diminish our processing capacity. 90003 90002 Mental clutter is just as bad. June Saruwatari, author of 90078 90055 Behind the Clutter 90056 90079, says that even putting away meeting notes that need to be reviewed does not help if the task stays on your mind for the rest of the day or until you complete it.90003 90002 So, dump your pending tasks onto a to-do list like the one we talked about above. 90003 90094 Manage your energy instead of time 90097 90002 Notice how often your brain wanders when you are doing multiple, unrelated things? 90003 90002 How can you bring focus and productivity to your days? 90003 90002 The secret lies in managing 90078 your energy 90079 and not so much 90078 your 90079 90078 time 90079. In other words, theme your work days based on categories of work that require you to move the objectives forward.90003 90002 For example, on Monday you can deal with meetings and administrative tasks. Tuesdays would be dedicated to business development and marketing tasks. Wednesdays are for client work, Thursdays are for setting appointments and customer success. 90003 90002 The point of this exercise is to move the biggest tasks forward on a regular basis. Otherwise, you will be all over the place with no mental capacity to focus. 90003 90002 Jack Dorsey, CEO, and co-founder of Twitter swears by this process to keep him organized.Check out his interview with Techonomy below: 90003 90002 90336 90337 90003 90094 Use admin tasks to fill in empty time slots 90097 90002 We covered the danger of Parkinson’s Law earlier. But what do you do when you have available spots in your calendar? 90003 90002 The temptation would be to allocate the extra time to work-related activities. Instead, allocate the time to less demanding tasks like handling your accounts, updating images on your blog, admin, etc. 90003 90002 Use the principle of chunking to organize your tasks based on related groups and how long they take to finish.Mixing in work-related activities with admin tasks as your calendar allows will make you more productive, give your brain a rest, and prevent you from falling behind. 90003 90094 Momentum is key 90097 90002 Newton’s first law of motion 90055 states 90056: 90003 90002 «A body at rest will remain at rest, and a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force.» 90003 90002 This law can apply as you set yourself up for a productive day. If you are productive in the first few hours of your day, then you are likely to stay productive for the rest of it.90003 90002 Professor Teresa Amabile, of Harvard University, studied diary entries from employees at seven companies and found that the 90055 Progress Principle 90056 has a major effect on a person’s productivity. She discovered that people experience a motivational boost if they make progress on meaningful work. The more they experience that sense of progress, the more likely they are to be creatively productive for the long term. This is the basis for the term she coined the Progress Principle.90003 90094 Remove distractions from your inbox 90097 90002 Email is an essential work tool but is not very meaningful in and of itself. Following Inbox Zero and other email management tactics may be temporarily satisfying, but what happens when the inbox starts to fill up again? 90003 90002 90055 Research 90056 shows that people spend on average 30 hours per week checking for new email. 90003 People spend on average 30 hours per week checking for new email. Here’s how to spend that time more productively.Click To Tweet 90002 The best way to remove distractions in your inbox is to first give email a specific time on your calendar. Do not start the day with email because, by doing so, you are framing the day around other people’s needs. 90003 90002 Use the delete or archive buttons to remove all messages that have the potential to distract you. For the rest, act immediately if the issue can be sorted in the next 2 minutes; otherwise, flag and come back to it when you can. 90003 90094 Delegate and do not be afraid to say no 90097 90002 We already know that it is important to minimize decision fatigue.But as a freelancer or business owner, you often find yourself making decisions about everyday tasks along with strategic decisions. So how can you focus on more strategic decisions and reduce the number of everyday decisions you need to make? 90003 90002 At some point, you will need to delegate to avoid getting overwhelmed by the insignificant decisions you need to make. 90003 90002 To delegate effectively, know what your priorities are for the year and how that translates into activities in the coming weeks.Once you are clear on your priorities, you can use the 90055 Pareto principle 90056 or the 80/20 rule to delegate decisions that will diminish your strategic focus. 90003 90002 Effective delegation takes practice and knowing what tasks can be delegated is crucial. These might include: 90003 90024 90025 90024 90025 90116 90025 Repetitive tasks that fit into your workflow 90030 90025 Tasks with clearly defined procedures and end results 90030 90025 Admin tasks that require little specialized knowledge or expertise 90030 90123 90030 90039 90030 90039 90002 The same principle also helps with saying no to things that have the potential to distract you from your priorities.90003 90094 Take breaks 90097 90002 Consider this: 90003 90024 90025 90024 90025 90116 90025 90055 Studies 90056 have shown that moderate physical exercise can boost productivity and creativity for two hours afterward. 90030 90025 90055 Studies 90056 also show that those who give in to a distraction once an hour do better than those who just keep at it without a break. 90030 90123 90030 90039 90030 90039 90002 So how can you take breaks to maximize your focus and productivity? 90003 90024 90025 90024 90025 90116 90025 Use the Pomodoro time management technique to work in sprints: in other words, work hard with a deep focus for short periods of time.90030 90025 Take recovery breaks. Between each sprint, recover and refresh your energy and focus by taking a break. 90030 90123 90030 90039 90030 90039 90008 Draw up your blueprints 90009 90002 Now that you have the time management strategies, the steps and the tools to map your week and stress less, you need to get proactive. 90003 90002 It might seem like a lot of work, but carve out some time for yourself and start the process. Draw up your ideal week and then create your week map. Track time on activities and then adjust plans based on the data you have.90003 90002 The return that you experience on this time investment will move the needle on your objectives and overall happiness. 90003 90002 This post was published March 2018, and updated September 2019. 90003 90008 90009.90000 8 Tips for Effective Time Management 90001 90002 Time is precious when you run your own business. Especially if that business is just getting started. While being your own boss is a dream for many, it comes with a lot of responsibility. No doubt, you never seem to be able to check off all the items on your to-do list. 90003 90002 From accounting to inventory management, offline advertising to digital marketing, networking to growth strategies-it may seem like there’s an endless number of tasks and never enough time.90003 90002 If you want to maintain some semblance of work-life balance, your time management skills have to be on point. After all, there are never more than 24 hours in a day. Some entrepreneurs respond to this fact of life with focus and purpose. Others freak out. 90003 90002 If you find yourself in the latter group, do not worry. 90003 90002 With the right time management techniques, you can take control of your time, making your work efficient, productive, and relatively stress-free. The following time management tips can help ensure you get your work done when you’re in the office, so you can enjoy your time away from work as well.90003 90012 1. Set goals 90013 90002 Goal setting is crucial to any good time management strategy. To make sure you’re engaging in activities that support your business goals, both short- and long-term, you need to define those goals in terms that are clear and attainable. After all, if your goal is to just «to grow your business,» you might find yourself overwhelmed and not know where to begin. 90003 90002 To counteract this paralysis, many companies find that the SMART goals methodology helps keep them on task and on track.Standing for «Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound,» SMART goals provide clear, step-by-step tasks to help you get where you need to go. 90003 90002 For example, a SMART goal might be: «Increase traffic to my website from 1,000 to 5,000 unique monthly visitors in the next six months.» When broken down, we can see that this is, indeed, a SMART goal: 90003 90020 90021 90022 Specific: 90023 The goal states exactly what needs to be attained. 90024 90021 90022 Measurable: 90023 The goal can be measured with a specific tool, in this case, Google Analytics.90024 90021 90022 Attainable: 90023 Rather than vaguely wishing to increase visitors — or setting a goal too high to reach — this goal states a specific number that is well within the realm of possibility but still ambitious. 90024 90021 90022 Relevant: 90023 Instead of measuring something like site sessions or overall site visitors, the goal is to reach potential new customers — always crucial when growing a small business. 90024 90021 90022 Time-bound: 90023 There is a due date set at the end of six months to attain this goal.90024 90041 90002 Once you’ve set your SMART goals, you can work backward to determine the individual steps you’ll need to achieve your goals. Everything else is a potential time-waster. Your daily plan should revolve around working on tasks and activities that directly relate to growing your business and generating revenue. 90003 90012 2. Prioritize wisely 90013 90002 Once you’ve set your goals and determined the individual tasks you need to complete to achieve them, it’s time to prioritize.Of course, you want to make sure you’re getting things done, but they should be the right things. 90003 90002 Stephen Covey-author of the classic 90049 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 90050 and co-author of 90049 First Things First 90050 -offers advice on how to work through your to-do list based on urgency. His advice is to evaluate what’s on your plate, placing each task into one of the following buckets: 90003 90020 90021 90022 Important and urgent: 90023 If a task falls into this category, you know it must be done right away.Focus your energy on completing your most important and urgent tasks before moving on to less time-sensitive items. 90024 90021 90022 Important but not urgent: 90023 These are tasks that may appear important, but upon closer examination, can be postponed to a later date if necessary. While these items are likely integral to smoothly run your business — perhaps you need to update your website or find a more efficient payroll solution — they are not do or die. 90024 90021 90022 Urgent but not important: 90023 Tasks that make the most «noise,» but when accomplished, have little or no lasting value.In this category, you might find a sales call from a potential vendor seeking to work with you, or perhaps a coworker drops by your desk unexpectedly to ask a favor. Delegate these tasks if possible. 90024 90021 90022 Not urgent and not important: 90023 Low-priority stuff that offers the illusion of being busy. Do these later. 90024 90041 90002 Write down your three or four «important and urgent» tasks that must be addressed today. As you complete each one, check it off your list. This will provide you with a sense of accomplishment and can motivate you to move down the list, so you can also tackle less essential items in a timely fashion.90003 90012 3. Just say no 90013 90002 You’re the boss. If you have to decline a request in order to zero in on what’s truly 90049 important and urgent 90050, do not hesitate to do so. The same goes for any projects or activities that you’ve determined are headed nowhere. Be prepared to cut your losses and move on to more productive tasks. 90003 90080 90002 When deciding whether to do something, if you feel anything less than «Wow! That would be amazing! Absolutely! Hell yeah! » — then say «no.»90003 90083 90002 But, how do you determine what get nixed? Derek Sivers ‘advice on this front is powerful: 90003 90002 Learn from experience to avoid wasting time later on. And remember, for every «yes» that goes into building a great career or business, stands an army of nos. 90003 90012 4. Plan ahead 90013 90002 One of the worst things you can do is jump into the workday with no clear idea about what needs to get done. While it might seem like a waste of time to take five to ten minutes to think ahead rather than getting straight down to business, you’ll be surprised at how much more efficient you can be just by dedicating a little time to planning out the rest of the day.90003 90002 If you plan your time wisely, you can focus on one task at a time, rather than wasting time jumping from one thing to the next (and rarely completing anything). This allows you to work smarter, not harder. Depending on your personality, make one of the options below part of your daily routine: 90003 90020 90021 90022 Plan the night before: 90023 At the end of the day, take 15 minutes to clear your desk and put together a list of the next day’s most pressing tasks. It’s a great decompression technique, and you’ll feel better sitting down at a clean desk in the morning.90024 90021 90022 Plan first thing in the morning: 90023 Arrive a few minutes early and assemble your prioritized to-do list (see tip two). This may prove to be the most productive part of your day. 90024 90041 90012 5. Eliminate distractions 90013 90002 Start paying attention to the number of times someone interrupts you when you’re in the midst of an important task. Track self-induced interruptions, too, particularly those of the social media variety. Your smartphone is extremely useful, but it’s also highly addictive and among the most insidious time-wasters known to man.90003 90002 It may take a massive exercise in will power, but shut the door and turn off your phone to maximize your time. Instead of being «always on,» plan a break in the day to catch up on email, make phone calls, talk with staff, etc. 90003 90012 6. Delegate more often 90013 90002 If you’ve hired talented, dedicated employees, one of the most impactful management tools available to you is the power to delegate. Running a successful small business depends on the owner’s ability to think about what lies ahead and not get mired down in day-to-day operations.Look for opportunities to pass responsibility for specific tasks to others on your team. That’s what you hired them for, is not it? 90003 90012 7. Track your time 90013 90002 How many productive minutes are you actually packing in each week? Time tracking is an extremely effective tool to help you gauge exactly how much time a single task takes you. With a simple timesheet tracker, you can quickly and easily clock in and out of various tasks or projects throughout the day. 90003 90002 Switch jobs or tasks with just one click using this mobile time tracking app or track time directly from your desktop.Then generate robust, real-time reports to see exactly where you’re spending your most valuable asset — and where it’s being wasted. 90003 90012 8. Take time for yourself 90013 90002 This tip is often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of running a successful business. However, taking care of yourself — i.e. getting plenty of sleep and exercise — is critical to maintaining any upward growth trajectory. 90003 90002 In fact, one Harvard study found that insomnia can cause the average worker to lose up to 11.3 days of productivity each year, while another study found that regular exercise helps improve concentration, sharpen memory, speed up your ability to learn, and even lower your stress levels. 90003 90002 Making sure you have some free time each day to spend on the people and things you love outside of your business is important for your mental health, and can help keep you energized and passionate about your work. After all, it’s important to keep things in perspective. You chose to become a small business owner, and every day you get to wake up to a day full of the possibilities you created for yourself.90003 .