Feeling like you never have enough time to get everything done is common, but there are steps you can take to minimize or eliminate wasted time and procrastination. By paying more attention to the time it takes to get certain jobs done, you’ll be able to determine where time is wasted and what you can do to keep yourself focused.
Helpful Tools
Using a calendar and a planner can remind you where you should be in your day, week, or month. Schedule blocks of time for yourself to work on certain projects. By keeping track of the work you need to get done, you can clear your mind from trying to remember everything and focus only on the task at hand.
Use a task list for every item that needs to be completed and list things in priority. Once you’ve completed one thing, move on to the next.
Keeping notes of any ideas that come to mind rather than working on them right away will prevent you from getting side tracked from your current job.
Plan Appropriately
Whenever possible, try to work on similar tasks in succession to keep your mind working on that train of though. Check all your e-mails at once or get all your filing done in one shot. This type of strategy is especially important when you need to leave your home or office for anything. If you’re running errands, try to get them all done in one trip and plan your route before you leave to avoid backtracking and wasting valuable time.
Review Your Work Plan
There may be certain things you do that waste time or prevent you from getting right to work. Take stock of your daily routine and see what can be cut out of it. Any instances where you feel like you stall in getting back to work or times when you spend much longer on a task than necessary should be reviewed. If you’re prone to procrastinating, try to just jump into your work without thinking about it and use your momentum to keep you going.
Stay Motivated
Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you burn out, you’ll leave yourself with no desire to work and you’ll end up just staring blankly at your computer screen. Take mini breaks whenever you feel you need them and when you’re done working for the day, really be done working. If you’re still checking your e-mail and taking calls when you’re trying to unwind, your mind won’t have a chance to rest and clear itself out.
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