Totorus

Photo credit by ToniVC

Do you always feel like there are insufficient hours in the day or not enough minutes in an hour? Your work seems unending. Days spill into nights and nights back to days without you getting as much as a breather. If this is the case, then you better learn how to manage your time effectively. This will not only lead to enhanced productivity but will also leave you with some leisure time.

Poor time management is one of the major symptoms of stress in the workplace. Here are a few handy tips on managing your time.

1. Prioritize your work: Prioritizing actually means organizing your work and tasks in order of urgency and importance. What usually happens is that you tend to complete the easy tasks first and save the toughies for later on. Since difficult tasks need more concentration, try to alternate between a difficult and an easy task. Prioritize your tasks as follows:

• Urgent and important: these are must dos.
• Not urgent but important: try to do these next as these will add more value to the organization.
• Urgent but not important: Are you sure you want to do these? Get a cheaper resource to work here.

2. Make a list: Make a "to do" list of all the things that you need to do in the day. And keep it right in front of your desk, so that you remember what you need to do.

3. Mark the tasks done: Your job doesn't end just by creating a list. Keep marking the tasks that are done. It is satisfying to see a shrinking list, and at the same time gives you an idea of how close you are to completion.

4. Allow interruptions during your work: Budget for interruptions as these are bound to happen. Forced interruptions can also give you that much needed break.

5. Be realistic: Don't set targets that are idealistic and undoable. They look good only on paper.

6. Commit to a start time: Allocate time to each task and also approximately how long you'll take per task. That way you'll ensure that you complete all your tasks on time.

7. Avoid procrastination: Don't put off any job for tomorrow. Remember tomorrow never comes. Identify the areas where you tend to procrastinate and act now to reduce panic and stress.

You are the master of your time and need to learn to manage it effectively to extract the maximum from your life.