Want to get more done in the day? It’s all about timing. With access to the internet and other sources of distraction practically at all times, it’s easy to forgo important tasks in favor of procrastination and by the end of the day, you might wonder just what have you spent your time doing. No more. Effectively managing your time is about more than making a schedule and listing down a to-do list, but you can still stay on top of your tasks and get more out of your day. What you do with your day is in your hands.
- PLAN TO BE INTERRUPTED
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While we would all like to carry out our day without any sort of distraction, the chances of that actually happening are slim to none. With a whole world out there vying for our attention, being interrupted is all but inevitable, but it doesn’t have to have a negative effect on your work. When scheduling your day, plan a set amount of time to be pulled away from your task or involved in conversation with others. Whether or not you get through your allotted time might change from day to day, but with the extra time set aside, you won’t be worried about what else you could be doing.
- ASSIGN TIME LIMITS
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Every activity that you carry out should take a certain amount of time and before you get involved in a new task, it’s worth knowing roughly how long it should take. Jobs that are particularly important for your personal success should be closely monitored to help you keep on track for the day, so try allotting a set amount of time for each task. While it might be impossible to get everything done in a single day, you can help to streamline your hours and work towards a larger goal.
- BLOCK OUT DISTRACTIONS
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There comes a time, of course, in which you absolutely have to focus on the task at hand, and outside distractions must be completely eradicated from your working environment. When you find yourself tasked with an important job, remove all possible distractions from your office. This could be as simple as hanging a “do not disturb” sign on the door, or turning off your phone and email notifications. Social “blackouts” like this do not have to last for a long time, but by committing to them in brief bursts of time, you can see your ability to focus skyrocket.
