With so much to do in a day and so many responsibilities, how are we supposed to get it all done? how do we get the work started, the kids off to school, the phone calls made, the bills paid, the laundry done, the marketing tackled, dinner planned, the car-pool moving... ? And the list goes on.
If you don't have a to-do list, you need one. It's not painful nor time consuming. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and at the top write "make a to-do list". Voila, you now have a to-do list to work with.
Time management is built on the foundation of a good, consistant task list. Every single day something comes up or happens or interrupts the day so the intended to-do list becomes altered. That's ok. You're allowed, and should include, the wiggle room for your scheduling. The key is to have a plan, be flexible to adjust the plan and have an end goal so there is a point to the plan.
5 tips to help you more effectively work with your tight schedule
1. Have a real, written down to-do list. Either on the computer or on a pad of paper, keep an ongoing list of all your to-dos. Make sure to include not just business, but family stuff. Organize it or not, categorize it or not. The most important thing is to have the list.
2. Schedule tasks that don't have deadlines. It's easy to get the deadline oriented tasks completed because they have real deadlines. However, open ended tasks tend to be pushed down and moved around or just outright forgotten if you don't put a real deadline on them.
3. Label yourself as a client. Often times our own needs and tasks get set aside for client oriented tasks. This is a problem when it comes to our own marketing efforts, branding, promoting and business growth. Most of us will schedule in phone calls and emails because we know we need to keep in touch, however blogging, networking and social media efforts are just as important... We call this relationship building, and without relationships we have no business.
4. Be realistic with your time. Be honest with yourself how much you can really schedule in your day. Be open minded about the idea that you do need clean socks and your kids do need dinner even though you have a massive deadline. Then, plan accordingly.
5. Allow for breaks. Even the best time management gurus and their industrial strength work stamina have to stop and breath now and again. Make sure you include in your task list things that require you to stop and rest, look around and enjoy the moment. If you need to make sure you allow yourself these moments, write them down on your list as well.
Bonus: Consolidate tasks. Before jumping head first into your to-do-list, take a look and combine tasks that are related, could be done at the same time or might compliment eachother. Taking someone to football practice and making a couple phone calls while you wait is one example. Answer emails while lunch is in the microwave, the laundry dries and a file downloads is another.
Make your time work for you, don't let the time get away from you.
Comments
Those are some great tips! I have a mental to-do-list, but I never thought about a hard copy...Something I should do right now!
I used to write everything down on my computer in the notes section but found that if I use a little notebook and write it down, I not only remember more, but there is something literally tangible I can hold on to to keep track.
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