Effective Time Management Strategies For Busy People
In order to look as organized as I may appear to on your average day, I use three key effective time management strategies to do so. I’m a part-time elementary school teacher who volunteers at the local animal shelter in my spare time. But how do I find that spare time in my life? Well, it’s actually easy for me as I’m not married and I have no children. However, in my school work I meet a lot of Mums who are overworked and just can’t seem to get their lives under control for other things – like fun.
Three Steps To Effective Time Management
So, I’m going to share with you the three key things I do that keeps my life in order. I’m convinced that if you start to adopt these, you’ll discover that you can be more productive. Hey, I have to find time to mark papers, make lesson plans and figure out what I’m going to feed my cats when I get home and all of this takes careful planning.
1. Embrace The Time You Have
Before you start yelling at me that you have no time and that you thought I was going to be of some help, let me explain. Every moment that you have alone to yourself is precious. Even if it is only for a few seconds or a couple of minutes when you have locked yourself in the bathroom for a break. The idea here is to do just that – lock yourself away in some manner so that you do get a few moments alone. It may be as simple as leaving the house and walking down the street. When you find a way to truly embrace the extremely short periods of time you steal for yourself, you’ll discover something truly amazing.
When you pull away from the frenzy of activity swirling around you and become a detached part of it, you give your mind a moment to recharge. It may not sound like much but you have to start somewhere. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll become inventive in finding ways to sneak in a few moments here and there throughout your day. When you get a chance to recharge, you clear your mind and begin to see things clearly. It helps me to plan ahead when I basically unclutter my mind of all the things filling it up today.
2. Do Most Of Your Work At Your Best Time Of Day
You’ve heard this one before, I’m sure. Are you a morning or an evening person? Maybe you are more productive in the afternoon. Once you determine what your best time of the day happens to be, try to focus on your main tasks for that day. On school days, I find I’m at my best first thing in the morning. I find I get so much done that I can easily free up an afternoon if I need to. I also find that on those days when I am not teaching, I tend to be more productive midday. What if you are busy all the time? Well, ask yourself this question: When do I do my best work? Start to watch your activities and soon you’ll know if you are better off planning those projects for the morning or later in the day.
3. Use Deadlines To Keep On Track
I know, you are not a robot. Neither am I. However, if I have a task that needs to be completed soon, I will give myself a realistic time limit to get it done. I rarely hold things over or roll them into the next week unless they are ongoing projects that require some extra time. Oh, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m a bit lazy at times so I may fudge my timeline a little to take away some of the stress. The cool thing about deadlines is that if you end up finishing projects early on a regular basis, you will feel good about your productivity.
Time Management Is Essential For Busy Mums
I can only imagine the time restraints placed on families and Mums in particular. If you are a working Mum, you are my hero. It can’t be easy juggling all that you have to in maintaining both a career and a family. Hopefully my three key effective time management strategies for busy people can be applied to your situation and bring you positive results. I know they work for me and I think I’m pretty busy. Just ask my cats. They think I have no time for them at all!
Jeanie aka CrazyKittyChick
Jeanie is an elementary school teacher by day and cat blogger for Top Cat Condo by night. When she isn’t preoccupied with her two mischief makers (Doogle & Roger) she’s exploring and sharing new ways to make money online.
