Tips for Effective Time Management

Are you always on the run? Coming to work earlier and leaving later? Working even on Saturdays and Sundays? Perenially fatigued, harassed and irritable? 

Time to slow down, say your concerned family and friends. But wait. It may not be a case of being overworked as much as a simple case of poor time management. 

Heed these time-saving tips and put yourself in control of your work and personal life!

1. Make a plan. Planning is the key to time management. But don’t just make a great-looking plan, implement it and stick to it! Be sure it’s a realistic one that provides for the usual interruptions, distractions and delays.
2. Believe you’re entitled to some personal time. Take a holistic approach to planning. Incorporate time for family and friends, hobbies, exercises and outings rather than giving them whatever scraps of time are left. Leisure time is never wasted time, but precious personal space that allows you to put your life in perspective and recharge your batteries to perform better at work.
3. Don’t be a perfectionist. Complete projects within the time frame you’ve set-and deliver. Wanting to do a great job is one thing; being obsessed about it to the point of going over the details again and again and missing your deadline is another.
4. Learn to say no. Inability to refuse more projects, invitations and responsibilities is a major cause of work pileup and torpedoes your carefully laid-out plans.
5. Know your priorities. Make a list of your priorities and label them according to importance and urgency. Tackle the most important first, hopefully move on to the medium-priority projects and do the low-priority items when and if you have the time.

-- Reprinted from the Summit Publishing
Co., Inc. newsletter "@summit atbp."