Basic Time Management Basic Time Management PrinciplesPrinciplesAdjust your attitudeAdjust your attitudeBe organizedBe organizedFollow a routineFollow a routineWrite down your goalsWrite down your goalsBe selectiveBe selectivePrioritizePrioritizeGive yourself extra timeGive yourself extra timeTrack what you doTrack what you doSchedule downtimeSchedule downtimeFind shortcutsFind shortcuts

Adjust your attitudeAdjust your attitude

Being busy is not something that life Being busy is not something that life does to us – we do it to ourselves. does to us – we do it to ourselves. Some things are beyond our control, Some things are beyond our control, but many things are not.but many things are not.

Be organizedBe organized

Have a place for everything and put Have a place for everything and put things away as soon as you are things away as soon as you are done using them. done using them.

Put items that are oft-used in a more Put items that are oft-used in a more accessible location and file accessible location and file everything else away. everything else away.

Be ruthless about throwing things Be ruthless about throwing things away if they are no longer needed. away if they are no longer needed. Clutter is a big time-waster.Clutter is a big time-waster.

Follow a routineFollow a routine Make a daily, weekly, monthly, Make a daily, weekly, monthly,

quarterly and annual routine and quarterly and annual routine and follow it. follow it.

Routines help you make sure you Routines help you make sure you don’t forget to do things.don’t forget to do things.

Be proactive - stagger periodic Be proactive - stagger periodic tasks so they don’t overwhelm you tasks so they don’t overwhelm you all at once.all at once.

Make checklists of oft-repeated Make checklists of oft-repeated tasks, so you don’t have to think tasks, so you don’t have to think about them. about them.

Routines are good for your mental Routines are good for your mental and physical well-being. and physical well-being.

Write down your goalsWrite down your goals

List specific goals like buying a List specific goals like buying a house, obtaining a certain job, house, obtaining a certain job, paying off debts, finishing a big paying off debts, finishing a big project, etc. Include specific dates.project, etc. Include specific dates.

List general goals like spending lots List general goals like spending lots of time with family, having a fulfilling of time with family, having a fulfilling career, being healthy or contributing career, being healthy or contributing something to society. something to society.

Write your goals down and refer Write your goals down and refer back to them often – keeping them back to them often – keeping them fresh in your mind will help you to fresh in your mind will help you to avoid time-wasting distractions and avoid time-wasting distractions and later regret.later regret.

Be selectiveBe selective

Make a mental list of criteria for Make a mental list of criteria for accepting a new task and if something accepting a new task and if something doesn’t fit your criteria, say “no”. doesn’t fit your criteria, say “no”.

Don’t try to please everyone, or you Don’t try to please everyone, or you may end up pleasing no one. may end up pleasing no one.

Try to get people to answer their own Try to get people to answer their own questions. questions.

Ask people what their timeline is and Ask people what their timeline is and how crucial their needs are – don’t just how crucial their needs are – don’t just assume that every new request is an assume that every new request is an emergency.emergency.

Remember that not everything is your Remember that not everything is your responsibility - don’t be afraid to responsibility - don’t be afraid to delegate. delegate.

PrioritizePrioritize

Once you have a list of things to do, Once you have a list of things to do, schedule them according to their schedule them according to their importance. importance.

Sometimes it may make sense to do Sometimes it may make sense to do a bunch of small tasks first, to clear a bunch of small tasks first, to clear your mind for a bigger task. your mind for a bigger task.

Other times you may have to just Other times you may have to just ignore the small stuff to get the big ignore the small stuff to get the big projects done. projects done.

If you are more alert at certain times If you are more alert at certain times of the day, do harder tasks then and of the day, do harder tasks then and save the more menial stuff for save the more menial stuff for another time.another time.

Give yourself extra timeGive yourself extra time

Allow for the unexpected. If it takes Allow for the unexpected. If it takes 15 minutes to get to work, give 15 minutes to get to work, give yourself 30. yourself 30.

Be prepared - check the weather Be prepared - check the weather forecast ahead of time so that you’ll forecast ahead of time so that you’ll know if you need more time to get to know if you need more time to get to work. work.

For time-critical things like catching a For time-critical things like catching a plane, give yourself lots of extra plane, give yourself lots of extra time. The cost of being an hour time. The cost of being an hour early is much less than the cost of early is much less than the cost of being even a second too late.being even a second too late.

Track what you doTrack what you do

Keep a detailed log on occasion to Keep a detailed log on occasion to see how you are really spending see how you are really spending your time. your time.

Write a daily journal to help yourself Write a daily journal to help yourself remember why you made certain remember why you made certain decisions or how you fixed decisions or how you fixed something. Don’t reinvent the wheel.something. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

Evaluate yourself on a regular basis Evaluate yourself on a regular basis to make sure that the way you are to make sure that the way you are prioritizing tasks is in line with your prioritizing tasks is in line with your goals.goals.

Schedule downtimeSchedule downtime

If you don’t make time for downtime, If you don’t make time for downtime, you may either never get it or end up you may either never get it or end up sacrificing something you shouldn’t sacrificing something you shouldn’t because you’re going crazy.because you’re going crazy.

Schedule specific times to spend Schedule specific times to spend with family or friends on a regular with family or friends on a regular basis, and keep the appointment.basis, and keep the appointment.

Don’t sacrifice downtime for work – Don’t sacrifice downtime for work – your work will end up suffering in the your work will end up suffering in the long run.long run.

Find shortcutsFind shortcuts

For the super-busy person:For the super-busy person: Learn to speed-read.Learn to speed-read. Take notes in shorthand.Take notes in shorthand. Take reading materials or note cards with Take reading materials or note cards with

you everywhere - you can read them on the you everywhere - you can read them on the bus, while waiting in line at the bank, etc.bus, while waiting in line at the bank, etc.

Don’t do things at the same time or in the Don’t do things at the same time or in the same place as everyone else. same place as everyone else.

Batch related tasks – save up several Batch related tasks – save up several errands that are in the same part of town errands that are in the same part of town and do them at the same time.and do them at the same time.

Learn the flow and schedules of people and Learn the flow and schedules of people and places around you, and adapt yourself to places around you, and adapt yourself to them.them.