Career Advice - Time Management Tips

5 Tips To Help Manage Your Time Better

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I also feel like I'm down to the last minute, trying to rush to finish everything on time, especially when I'm at work. Not only does this make things extremely stressful for me, but I'm afraid I annoy my co-workers and make them nervous as I rush to finish. Monday morning everything always looks so promising, but by Friday, I can't figure out where the week went. Do you have any ideas for how I can better manage my time?

Sincerely,

Out of Time

A:

Time management means managing your time so that you are the most productive and healthy in the time that you have. While most people attempt to try and cram more into less when it comes to time management, I advise taking a step backwards to get the best view of what you can do to manage the time you have, given who you are, more effectively. 

Here are 5 unexpected and elegant tips to time management:

1. Don't be late. Get a good watch and a couple of alarm clocks if you need them. It sounds simple, and it is, but when you're late, you create chaos for yourself and everyone depending on you. Be realistic about how much time it takes you to do what you need to do whether it's shop for career clothing, get up and out of the house in the morning, or complete a brief or a project. Then make sure you have enough time to do what you need to do so that you won't be late. Being late is not just bad time management, it's disrespectful of yourself and others. 

2. Get the icky stuff out of the way. Do the hardest task first. If it's firing someone or if it's doing a time sheet -- whatever you hate to do most, do it first. You'll be surprised at the burst of energy you get having gotten that out of the way. You'll also feel relieved and successful -- two great boosts for the rest of your day. 

3. Share the wealth -- and the burden. Teamwork makes for efficiency. You can't do it all yourself, so cultivate your group. Then share the burden and the  benefits of your rewards. You'll find time management rewards and psychic rewards as well. 

4. Don't put your body last. It's so easy -- especially for women who are prone to care taking everyone else first -- to put your work and deadlines first, and to put your own body last. Don't forget that if you're not well rested, fed, exercised, and groomed, you're not going to be efficient or effective. Make the time for your body. 

5. Grace. Don't ever forget to be graceful and thankful for what you have. It's easy to see the glass half empty, but if you look at it as half full, you'll realize all the resources you have and you'll want to take care of things. Thank employees for their work and reward them. Thank colleagues for their work and reward them. Instead of losing your  temper or getting frustrated, be grateful you have what time you do have, and lighten your load or delegate to the people you are lucky enough to have in your employ or community. 

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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