With 2012 quickly approaching plans for the New Year are on everyone’s mind. One of the things that leaders must constantly be striving for is improvement. One of the quickest ways to improve productivity is to manage our time well. Whatever our circumstances – budget – staff – number of families – we all have the same 24 hours in a day. How we manage those 24 hours is going to go a long way in determining our success or failure. So, as we look forward to 2012 here are my Top Ten Time Management Tips:
10. Time Wasters
identify the “time suckers” in your routine and eliminate them.
9. Time Tools
go old school and use a Day Timer – go online and use Ever Note or Remember the Milk – just use something!
8. Time Limits
set limits on the amount of time you will commit to certain tasks – email, phone calls, etc.
7. Time Blocks
set aside blocks of time for tasks that require your complete focus. Have your calls held, let voice mail work for you, let staff members know you need undisturbed time. If possible get out of the office.
6. Time Plan
set aside the first thirty minutes of every day to plan your day and how you will spend your time.
5. Time Chopper
break large projects into chunks of time. This will make it easier to begin working on the project, getting started can often be the hardest part.
4. Time Off
schedule 10 minute breaks into your day. Fatigue is the enemy of productivity.
3. Time to Dream
YES, we should set aside time regularly to Dream of what could be.
2. Time for Family
put it in your schedule and guard it as something precious.
1. Time to Pray
this should be priority #1. Every day we should set aside time for prayer & meditation.
There you have it, ten ways for us to take control of our time. Success or failure in this New Year may be decided by how well we use our time. What time management tips would you add to the list? Which ones are hardest for you to master? Share your thoughts and leave a comment.
