Everyday the world’s pace grows and we have to catch up with it. Sometimes we manage to finish all our tasks of the day, sometimes despite giving our hundred percent we fail to do so. And yes, to be honest, sometimes we intentionally waste time, only to crib about not having enough time, later on.
Then we think about time management. Personally I think it is more of work management, because we have to prioritize our tasks and do them on time so that they don’t get postponed to the next day. The majority of people who want to learn time management are students, because they are not stuck in a 9 to 5 schedule yet and they have to voluntarily manage work, chores, study and leisure.
I think making someone a master of time management through a single article is a difficult task. But I do have some personal tips with experience, which might change your perspective that you held about time management till now, and may help you make some changes in your lifestyle.
“Planning is good, but do not delay executing”
1. Do not waste too much time on planning if you don’t necessarily have to follow an hierarchy. For example, you have to complete 12 chapters of your science book, don’t waste time jotting down 1-2 pm Chapter 1, 2-3 Chapter 2, 3 -break. It doesn’t always work that way. You might need a break sooner or maybe even later. So just devote some hours to study in morning, evening and night and start taking any chapter that you like. However, you can take short breaks every 20 to 40 minutes depending upon your attention span. It refreshes you and delays fatigue. So planning is good, but do not delay executing.
2. Prepare your meals a day in advance or prepare the ingredients the night before. It saves time in the morning and you save money by avoiding take away or ordering in. For example, If I am cutting veggies for dinner, I keep some spare for breakfast in a air tight box for sandwiches in the morning. Saves me time and gives me a healthy meal the next day.
“We need to prioritize our tasks and do them on time so that they don’t get postponed to the next day”
3. Prepare a to-do list and prioritize the tasks. Needs no explanation. Prioritizing is essential if you want to avoid confusion and problems.
4. Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on what can be done. Unfortunately if you already pass the deadline on something, do whatever can be done to rectify that or move on to the next task. Cribbing or repenting in loops never does any good to us.
5. Assign some tasks a fixed time. Be it your exercise routine or some household chore. Assigning them a fixed time eliminates all confusion with the other things that you have. For example, I know my kids take an afternoon nap so I do the cleaning at that time. And I don’t think about it doing it before that. So I have the time before that to include or plan any new activity, and the cleaning is done everyday at a fixed time too. That afternoon time is not even taken in consideration.
“Self care increases your overall focus and grasp on your life and makes you a better planner and action taker”
6. Try to include self care in your schedule. Staying hydrated, doing at least 10 to 20 minutes of meditation, trying to sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours, eating a balanced diet, talking to friends, being honest to self, all these things enhance your mental and physical health. This in turn, increases your overall focus and grasp on your life and makes you a better planner and action taker.
All these tips have made my life easier and I hope you might have something good to takeaway from this article too. All the best!
Nitika Mehra, M.A. in Clinical Psychology, is a psychologist and emotional wellness expert. She is dedicated to highlighting the role of mental health in fostering happiness, fulfillment, and overall wellness and spreading awareness about the importance of mental health and the methods of it’s management.
Currently Nitika is working as a school counselor in East Point School, Delhi and also provides online counseling on platforms like GoMentors. She has diverse work experience in the field of mental health and education and aspires to bring about a positive change in the lives of people whom she comes across. She also has a personal blog which promotes mental wellness and overall wellbeing. She tries to be a part of social work sector by donating blood regularly and volunteering for NGOs. Read More >>
For counseling appointments Nitika can be reached at:
Email: nmehra997@gmail.com
Phone: +91-9721208555
