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They say time is wasted on the young and they couldn’t be more right.
Time is fleeting and goals become difficult to explore because you’re swamped. You’ve got the resources but not the energy to see ideas to fruition.
You fall back onto comfortable routines — welcome to stagnation.
You can’t help but wonder how successful people seem to get so much done when they’re always so busy? Well, the secret lies in strict, smart personal time management.
Here is a sampling of those time management strategies used by successful people.
1. Start by Planning Your Week
Success begins with a week plan that’s complimented by SMART goals.
The plan covers important elements like:
- Prioritizing the most important activities
- Organizing the schedule and timings
- Removing expected distractions
Unlike a weekly to-do list covering a dozen items, this time management plan focuses on just a few big goals. It also gives you the “big picture” of what you’ll do throughout the week. The big picture is vital for keeping actions aligned with reaching your goals.
Task: Download and fill out a weekly schedule template.
2. Make Sure You’re Getting Sleep
Workaholics are trapped in a vicious cycle. The same goes for those on ‘team #nosleep’ and the hustle culture crowds. They feel like they need to stay busy 24/7 else they’re missing out.
Here’s the thing: sleep and rest are essential parts of great time management.
You need downtime else you’ll run out of energy to get things done. Or worse, you’ll hit a burn-out point and have immense trouble getting back into it.
Task: Make sleep a priority and get that 8 hours. And, take time to relax on your off days.
3. Track and Optimize Your Time
Only that which you measure gets optimized.
Time tracking is a great way to understand:
- Where your time is going
- What’s wasting your energy
Tools like RescueTime and Toggl are great starting points to track time. Some tools show a time management chart with a breakdown of your activities. Within the data are insights on how you could stop wasting time and use more of the day for valuable activities.
Task: Download and use a time tracking app to discover how you’re using your time.
4. Go With the Flow
Have you ever zoned into an activity and before you knew it many hours had passed? This is often what happens when you’ve reached a flow state.
You can encourage your brain to reach a flow state:
- Find a task or goal that truly interests and motivates you
- Remove all distractions so you can focus 100% on the task
- Get rest and feel when your body wants to get into something
Dive headfirst into an activity and let it consume you. But, make sure this is one of your most valuable tasks dictated by your weekly schedule.
Task: Seclude yourself and cut out distractions so you can vibe and go with the workflow.
5. Pass off Tasks That Waste Your Time
Time management in business is a lot about delegating tasks to others. This places tasks on those who can handle them best. It lets you focus on the ones that matter most in reaching your goals.
What can you do to free more time for yourself?
- Outsource parts of your work you don’t want to do
- Automate redundant or repetitive tasks
The extra time you gain from offsetting tasks lets you stay focused on the high-end ones. These high-end tasks are the big ones that create the biggest impact!
Task: Create a list of activities you rather not do and use the best option to get them done.
Make Time for Personal Time Management
Effective personal time management is a lifechanging activity.
Through smart goals, delegation, and tactics, you reclaim many lost hours of your day. Use those extra hours well and you will, no doubt, find success in what you want to achieve.
How else can you achieve more? Check out more of the business and management guides here on our site! And while you’re at it — be sure to follow our socials to always stay up to date with great insights and resources.
