by Stephanie A. Smith

Created on: September 23, 2010   Last Updated: October 31, 2010

It's a very common thing heard in the workplace and at home, there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Many times this is true, but most times the real problem is that people don't know how to manage their time.

On-line:

E-mail is the worst thing for time management ever. People compulsively check their e-mail as often as every five minutes. Set aside specific times to check your e-mail. This option may not be for everyone-especially those who get important emails throughout the day and those whose job it is to read emails, but it will work for most people.

Similar to email, social networking can take up a large chunk of your day. For some people, this is part of the job, but only do what you need to do.

Cut down on distractions. Being interrupted or distracted takes up a lot of time everyday. Ask not to be distracted during your business day unless the distraction is business related or someone is hurt.

Make a to-do list and stick to it. If you only put on your list what absolutely needs done and only do what is on that list, you will be surprised at how much you can get done. To be able to make your to-do list, you need to know what needs to be done now and what can wait until later. A deadline usually helps a person figure this out, but many times, you will have to work this out for yourself.

Put the items on your to-do list in the order that they need to be done. If the work really needs to be done today, put that on your to-do list first. Then, if you have time left over in the day, you can do those things that need done by tomorrow.

Keep a clock handy. This can be in the form of a clock on the wall, a watch, or even the clock in your cell phone. This will help you always be on time, which can make an enormous difference. Just remember to not watch it all day, a clock can be a form of distraction in and of itself.

Your Family:

If you have children, try to work only when they are in school. However, this will not work in the Summer, so try to keep them busy. You can even make them feel important in your work at times by giving them "assignments".

Know when you are at work and when you are at home. For many people this is the same place, but this is actually about a state of mind and how everyone else treats you. Make sure everyone else knows not to bother you when you are "at work." When you are at work and people are calling you, it takes up a lot of time that you could be using to get your work done. If you work outside the home, the calls could annoy your boss and you could be fired because of the people calling from home. If your job is based in your home, this just annoys you and make it harder to concentrate on your work.

Same thing at home, If work keeps protruding into your home life, your family can suffer.

These tips should help many people manage their time and become much more productive in their work. It can also help you make more money!

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