Managing your Time Effectively
by Jenny Ungless
How’s your time management? Do you feel you never have enough hours in the day? Do you go to bed exhausted but still feel you haven’t achieved enough? There are so many demands on our time that it can be almost impossible to fit everything in. And if you’ve got the extra pressure of trying to find a new job, it can all just seem too much. Job-hunting can be a fulltime job in itself, so how do you balance that along with all your other responsibilities?
The secret to managing your time well is to be clear about what your priorities are and disciplined about using your time in a way that reflects those priorities. With a bit of thought, planning and practice, you can free up hours every week to spend on the things that matter to you.
Here are some good tips to help you reclaim time for yourself:
- De-clutter. If your home is full of clutter and possessions you don’t use or need, you end up wasting time just trying to keep things tidy and under control. Having a really good clear-out makes your life easier and gives you a real psychological boost. Get rid of old newspapers, magazines, junk mail and other paperwork that you don’t need. Buy some files or storage boxes and keep paperwork that you do need in an easily accessible place. Clear out your wardrobe too – get rid of anything that doesn’t fit you or that you haven’t worn in the last year. Aim to keep your home as streamlined as possible – it’ll save you a lot of time and help you feel more in control of your life generally.
- Don’t try to do too much. Be more relaxed about housework and chores, for instance – it’s not the end of the world if you haven’t hoovered! If you share a flat, either with a partner or friends, take it in turns to cook. Prepare meals in bulk and put the extras in the freezer. Get your clothes for the next day ready the night before to save time in the morning. A bit of domestic planning like this can free up a lot of time for you to spend on more important things.
- De-clutter emotionally as well as physically. How often do you find yourself doing things that you don’t want to do, but that you feel you “ought” to do? Try eliminating the words “ought “ and “should” from your vocabulary for a week. Only do things that you need to do or want to do – and see how much time you free up! Don’t be afraid to say “no” if your friends are pressurising you to go out and you don’t want to – you need to find time for yourself, too. And don’t be afraid to ditch people who are an emotional drain - if you always feel worse after you’ve seen them, don’t waste your time and energy on them! Surround yourself with people who are positive and encouraging.
- Prioritise and plan. Most of us spend a huge proportion of our time doing things that we don’t actually think are very important. Make a list of the three most important things for you to spend your time on at the moment – job-hunting, spending time with your friends and family, and so on. Now keep a diary for a week and note how much time you spend doing these things – and how much on other things that are less important. Resolve to find time for the important things by reducing some of the other demands on your time. If you need to, put “appointments” with yourself in your diary – and keep them!
- If you’re job hunting, set aside time to take some action every day. A “little and often” approach like this is more effective. Put together a plan for yourself which incorporates actions such as networking, keeping your CV up-to-date, identifying and researching opportunities. Make sure that you do one thing every day that is aimed at getting you closer to your ideal job.
- Finally, build in some time off for yourself. None of us can survive for long if we are running in top gear all the time. Give yourself some regular “space” – have an evening to yourself, pour a glass of wine, chill out with some mellow music – whatever it takes for you to get things back into perspective and focus on the bigger picture. If you regularly take time to recharge your batteries, you’ll cope much better. An important part of good time management is to take some time off now and then!
Copyright: City Life Coaching 2004
