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Effective Time Management

Time is one of our most precious resources. In today's hectic world, time is precious and it can sometimes become difficult to find the time to complete all of our tasks or to reach our goals.

Inability to Prioritise - Being unfamiliar with the basic principles of prioritisation can be a major barrier to good time management.

Inability to say No - It is not possible to make everyone happy all of the time. Nor is it possible to please some people all of the time! The ability to say 'no' to people is a very important part of time management.

Imbalance - Having a balanced lifestyle means dedicating time to the various aspects of life which give it meaning (work, social life, intimate relationships, physical aspects, spiritual aspects), and ensuring that each of these aspects are attended to. In today's world it can be easy to dedicate most of our lives to work. But at what cost?

Lack of Focus - If we are not focussed on our goals it can be tempting to spend time on misdirected activities. Understanding what our goals are and making a focussed effort to achieve them is a fundamental aspect of good time management.

Procrastination - The habit of delaying accomplishments to the very last minute is an important barrier to efficient time management.

Poor time management skills are a major contributor to stress. However this stress is self-inflicted, and the good news is that it can be easily prevented if we understand, apply, and stick to some basic principles of time management:

1. Set your goals.
2. Review your goals. Decide what you want to get out of the day at work, on the weekend, etc. Remember to do this each day, either at night or in the morning, whichever time suits you. This exercise is best done with your goals in mind, to help keep you focussed on the big picture.
3. Make a list of the things you think you have to do and things you would like to do, with time estimates.
4. If the number of tasks and activities exceed the amount of time available, decide on priorities. What must be done today? What can wait, and until when? What do I want to do today? What can I delegate? What will happen if I don't do x? If nothing, consider omitting x.
5. Select an order or sequence for tasks to be done. Find the sort of sequence that suits you best. For example, some people find that the day is more pleasurable if they start with a task that they must do and then follow it with a task they enjoy. In that way, they have something to look forward to and the unpleasant task doesn't stay on their mind all day.
6. Try to do one task at a time and try to finish what you start. Don't jump from one task to the other, leaving a stack of partially completed activities. In general, each task takes longer this way as you waste time getting repeatedly started on a task and uncompleted tasks remain on your mind, interfering with the present task.
7. Don't rush immediately from one task to the next. Instead, pause, plan brief breaks, and factor in regular times to relax at least every 2 hours. Relaxing activities could include a cup of tea, lunch breaks, time to practice breathing and relaxation exercises.
8. Look out for procrastination. Are you putting it off because you're setting yourself too high a standard? Are you being unrealistic about what you could do? Could you do it now and get out of the way?
9. At the end of the day, remember what you have achieved and give yourself credit!

Self Essentials psychologists and clinical psychologists help their clients with time management as an adjunct to cognitive behaviour therapy. If you are interested in learning more about time management or any other issues, or to make an appointment, call Self Essentials on (02) 9555 4810 or send an email to essentials@self.net.au