The other side of purple part 5

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Time Management 101 ( or 5000)

Time management has always been something I strived to perfect. I probably do better than I know or give myself credit for, but I'm always trying to make the most of my time and be the most efficient I can be both at work and at home.

Tips that have helped me:

Make a "to do" list and get it "to done". Make this list in order of priority--that is the most important and pressing items on top and the less pressing, but still want/need to get them done at the bottom. If I have a lot on my list, I can sometimes look at it and see if some things can be done simultaneously. For instance, if I have laundry to do, I can put the laundry in the washer and during the 37 minutes it takes to wash, I can vacuum, pay bills, or accomplish whatever small tasks on my list that will fit into that time. By the time the laundry goes into the dryer, I have already accomplished more than a few things on my list! Same goes for drying laundry. Think to yourself, what can I do during the time the laundry is drying? You have approximately 45-50 minutes which is more than enough time to tackle a "zone" which I described in my last blog entry. So the point is, think about the things on your list and how long they will take. Think about things you can while something is "going" such as laundry. This will not only save you time, but allow you to cross off things much more quickly! And we all know crossing off things on a list is so satisfying. :)

Doing errands:
Think about where you are going and what direction each place is from where you're starting--either work or home. Say you need gas in the car, money from the bank, and groceries. Well, maybe the gas station is on the way to the bank, so stop there first and then proceed to the bank. (unless you need the money first in which case, bank first). Groceries tend to be perishable so you don't want them sitting in your car, so I say this is the last stop before going back home. Try and group your errands by the area they are in and how long they will take. For all tasks no matter what category they fall into, I like to do the small things first, get them out of the way, and then tackle the big stuff.

Timing:
If you have a work schedule, how do your other personal chores fit in? Where can you find time to do these during the day? Make an appointment with yourself and put it on your calendar--whether that be on your phone or a paper calendar. Put in 5pm bank. 5:15 grocery store. You're more likely to get it done at that time if you see it on your calendar rather than just telling yourself you can put it off until tomorrow. Which brings me to my next point...

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Enough said.

Living an organized life is not rocket science but it does take some planning. Once you get into the habit or ROUTINE :) of planning your life like this, you will find you actually have MORE time for the fun things you want to do. And by fun, I mean relaxing on the couch watching your favorite trashy TV show if that's what you like.

Remember, everything takes time and just starting is the first step. Just start. You'll find your way sooner than you think. I'm the most impatient person on the planet so I know the statement about "everything takes time" can be infuriating and cause one to throw in the towel in frustration, but don't. It's totally worth the wait. And if you're like me, you will curse along the way and wish things would just happen faster. That's ok too.