Tips On Being Time Efficient In Your Daily RoutinePosted by Bonnie Holscher on April 5th, 2010
Time is something that we all have the same amount of yet some people seem to get a lot more done in that amount of time than others. Is there really a strategy to utilizing your time to the fullest? The answer is yes. There are several things you can do to increase what gets accomplished in the time you have available.
One misconception is that you will be able to get things done in your FREE time. Unfortunately there is no such thing as free time because all time is valuable and your time is precious. One tip to get you started is to find someone successful that you look up to and model after them. They got where they are for a reason. They set their priorities and organized around them to accomplish their objectives. Setting priorities also means that you need to set specific goals. These goals need to be written down so you can see them every day. Do not try to remember everything. When you write down the things that need to be done then your mind is now free to get the task itself done. If it is not worth writing down then it probably is not worth wasting your time on it. One way to stay on top of the achievement of your goals is to keep a journal and create a celebration each time that you reach that accomplishment.
Another important tip is to get considerably organized. Many people spend a ton of time looking through things to find the particular items they are needing to get taken care of. Stacking things for later look through or distribution will take up more time than just getting things filed or placed in organized slots to avoid the mountain of material. Lists are also a great way to keep in order the things you wish to accomplish in any given day. By the end of that day you will have a very good idea of where you will need to begin tomorrow.
Most of us have a fair amount of reading to do to stay on top of new developments or just educate ourselves a little fuller on any given subject. A good time saver tip when you read is to underline or highlight important paragraphs or sentences should you need to return to them later. It is advisable to keep those resources you need to refer back to available whenever you need them. Highlighting makes quick and easy access to previously read material. When you have errands to run or places you need to go to for business, find a place or errand in similar proximity to avoid going back and forth several times. This will increase the usability of your time more effect. Keep in mind though, that people or circumstances will keep you waiting from time to time. Do the best you can to utilize that time by having a book or CD handy while you are waiting. Find ways to avoid letting other people waste your time. Learning how to say “No” is very difficult for some people. If you can’t say no, be hard to find for a while. Learn how to say “Thank You” but at this time I am unable or I have another obligation. What ever it is that keeps you from assisting the other person, let them know that you are not available. But make sure you are honest, sincere and firm with your statement. Learn how to let others know exactly where you stand and that your time is very important to you.
And last but certainly not least is to “Do It Right The First Time” How many time have you cut corners to get something done quicker only to have to do it a second time? So how much time did you save by cutting the corner? Exactly! None, as a matter of fact it cost you twice as much time in the long run.
Time can be utilized to its fullest if you take only a few steps to get started.