Time Management - 4 Tips to Work Less and Play More

Something many people struggle with is effectively managing time - most of us work or go to school during the day and also have other responsibilities like homework, chores and even getting a full night's sleep. Time management is something that, if done well, can significantly improve your productivity and also means you have enough time to relax and do things you enjoy outside your responsibilities. In this post, I will share some of my favourite tips and tricks that help me manage my time. 

1. Journal or a Diary

Organising your day and time is probably the most important thing you can do to improve time management. First, figure out what you spend your time on using apps or even just writing down what you’ve done - this can help eliminate bad habits and make you more aware of any issues. Planning is key, so make full use of calendars and diaries to plan around things like meetings or lessons. Some people even recommend planning your week in advance if you know exactly what you will be doing. Creating lists also helps motivate you to do tasks - there is nothing like the satisfaction of finally checking something off your to-do list! Plus, having a list of what you need to accomplish  in the day makes sure you don't’ accidentally forget something. If you have a large project ahead like revising for a test, it might be worth making a month-long revision timetable. It is better to be organised than missing out on tasks.

2. Efficient work

Working in large chunks of time is not efficient - you will get more tired and therefore will take longer to complete a task. Instead, work in small segments of about half an hour with short breaks between each task. Also, work without distractions, and make sure you schedule enough rest times to give your brain a break. Also, multitasking is bad - your brain cannot do many things at once and maintain the same quality of work - this is going to take you longer to produce the same work than if you simply did one task after the other. 

Make sure you record how long each task is taking you - if you feel like you are spending too long on one thing, maybe rethink your division of time - does that task require that much time and is it on top of your priority list? You may also have to rethink the amount of work you are setting yourself; the issue may not be bad time management but simply that you have bitten off more than you can chew. Furthermore, finding out when you are most productive can speed things along - if you are a morning person, doing your hardest tasks in the morning means they are easier to complete and take less time. Remember, work smart, not hard!

3. Don’t strive for perfection

Striving for perfection means that you will inevitably spend far too much time on a task. Not everything has to be perfect, and on top of this meaning your work takes much longer than it should, it also can have a negative affect on your mental health. Don’t stress about the small details and try to keep in mind the bigger picture - for example, does the formatting on this report really make a huge difference if the content itself is good? 

4. Boost productivity

Boosting productivity is always going to increase the speed at which you perform tasks, so anything that boosts productivity will help you with your time management. Try and make sure you exercise regularly, and do things that use different parts of your brain as hobbies. For example, if you sit at a laptop writing emails all day, maybe do some art during your rest periods. Taking care of your general health also helps, for example, eating healthy and getting enough sleep every night. 

I hope these tips have helped you, and that your days will be a lot more organised and less stressful!