by Joyce Good Henderson

Created on: April 15, 2009

Tips for more effective personal time management doesn't have to mean working harder, just smarter. Time management involves improving productivity by learning from mistakes.

Learned Lesson 1. Start each day with a plan. Choose your clothing the evening before; make out a schedule or to-do list for your day. Even if tomorrow is not a workday, make a plan for how you will spend your time. Productivity isn't limited to a five-day workweek. Plan your weekends, and your free time. Don't neglect time for relaxation; pencil it into your schedule also. Effective time management means doing the right things at the right time.

Learned Lesson 2. Strive for balance in your life. Number a piece of paper from 1 to 10. Then, fill in the blanks after this statement; "I am a _________." (Hint: each answer will be a noun, not an adjective.) Your answers cover all the roles you play: spouse, parent, sibling, friend, employee, boss, mentor, acquaintance, child, lover, etc. Next, rank each role in priority. Rewrite the list according to the priority. Then assign another number to each role to represent the amount of time you spend on each role in a week. Does the time match the priority you have assigned to the role. Obviously, if you are the mother of a young child, you might spend far more time on that role than on being a wife. However, this exercise can be a real eye-opener toward establishing better balance in your life. Time is money, but it is also something far more valuable than money. Time is value. Be sure your time allotments are aligned with your priorities.

Learned Lesson 3. Create goals for your life. Short term goals, covering three to six months and long-term goals for five to ten years bring order, focus and direction to your life. Goal-setting involves turning wishes into reality by developing an action plan for change. Making goals forces you to prioritize your time every day in order to meet your short and long-term goals.

Learned Lesson 4. Take care of your body. Eat a nutritious diet, drink six to eight glasses of water every day, and get seven to nine hours of sleep at night. Without fuel, hydration and rest, you cannot plan, focus and work efficiently. Balance in your life comes from balance in your lifestyle.

Learned Lesson 5. Learn to say "no." Management of time requires deleting time wasters, inefficiency and over-commitment. For many overachievers, saying "no" is an impossibility. Try to develop alternatives, such as: "Not at this time," "I can't fit it into my schedule right now," or "it's not on my list of goals."

Withe these tips for more effective personal time management, you commit yourself to formulating a daily plan, establishing balance, creating goals, meeting your physical needs, and safe-guarding your time. Your productivity will soar.

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