6 Changes to Your Schedule to Help You Manage Your Time Like a Pro

You’ve learned some tricks on how to manage your time, whether you’ve learned from a boss, a friend, or on your own. Yet putting those tricks into action is a different story. You have to learn how to make a schedule for yourself, which sounds about as daunting as being your own boss. Take out your self-starter hat and get ready to learn how to manage your time all on your own with these six hacks!

 

1. Leave Wiggle Room Between your Time Blocks

 

Friends, meet buffer-time. No one should have a fully stacked calendar with no time in between for a break. Block out buffer-time on your calendar in between meetings and tasks. Your future self will thank you when your days are more productive, and the hours are less exhausting. 

 

2. Organize Yourself

 

This is a big life change for some people because organization habits don’t always come easily. At first, it may feel like you are spending extra time trying to stay organized, but the payoff is worth it. Here’s a staggering statistic: On average, Americans waste about 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced objects. Don’t be part of that statistic! Find a place for your belongings and always put them back where they belong. This goes for computer files too! Create a simple filing system and save new documents to the correct location. 

 

3. Make Use of the 80-20 Rule

 

Have you ever heard of the Pareto Principle? Otherwise known as the 80-20 rule, this principle says that you can get 80% of the work done in 20% of the time. Similarly, 80% of the results come from 20% of the actions. It can be applied to many things in life, so it’s a great concept to apply to your usage of time. Get in the habit of noticing what tasks get the most results. Spend more time on those actions and cut out some of the responsibilities that take up time but don’t produce the outcomes you are looking for.

 

4. Stop Waiting

 

Every once and a while, you’ll inevitably have to wait for something: at the grocery store, in the doctor’s office, in traffic. Instead of actually waiting, or deferring to your phone for entertainment, do something productive with your time. Listen to a podcast you’ve been dying to try out, read a book on an interesting topic, or write in your journal. Turn waiting time into productive time.

 

5. Organize Your Tasks in Blocks

 

Batch all your similar tasks together. For example, don’t check your email every time someone pings you. If it’s urgent, go right ahead, but otherwise, set a time block every two hours or so to plow through all your emails at one time. This keeps you focused, which is a more efficient way to work. 

 

6. Try to Do Less

 

This may sound like a slacker approach, but it’s not. Believe it or not – we take on way more than we need to, meaning we take on more than is beneficial to our work. If you find yourself planning parties, chatting with your coworkers, and dabbling in another department’s workload, you may have spread yourself to thin. By doing that, you’re not helping yourself or your peers. In the end, you could wind up letting down people because you overpromise and under-deliver. 

 

5 Simple, Yet Effective Time Management Tasks You Should Start Using Today

Are you trying to become an expert time manager? Have you noticed you don’t spend your time well throughout the day? We could keep going with these questions all day, but that would be a waste of time, right? We’re going to jump into five simple, yet effective time management tasks you should incorporate into your daily life. 

 

1. Track your Time

 

If someone asked you how long you spend reading emails every day, what would you say? What about your lunch break? Chances are, you don’t really know how long you spend on certain time blocks of the day. Start tracking your time and learn how to make changes so you can maximize it. 

 

2. Set up Time Blocks

 

When you have a certain set of tasks to do every day, set up time blocks for yourself. Give yourself 2 hours to do one thing and then 1 hour for another. It becomes a competition against yourself because you’ll be rushing to beat the clock, competing against yourself.

 

3. Plan it out

 

Morning person or a night owl, it doesn’t matter. Use the beginning and the end of your day to make a plan and try your best to stick to it. Before you leave work at night, write a list of important tasks to get done the next day. In the morning, prioritize your list and review the items. Then, get to work!

 

4. Get it out of the Way 

 

Eat that frog – Mark Twain said it himself. Pick the most important, and most dreaded, tasks first, and knock them out first thing in the morning. It’s such a relief once you finish them, and then the rest of your day is devoted to tasks that you care more about and find more challenging. 

 

5. Delegate When You Can

 

If you have a task on your plate that a subordinate could do (maybe even better than you could), delegate it to them. Some people worry that this is a bad work ethic, but it’s part of company culture. You’re all on the same team, so it’s a matter of asking for help rather than being lazy. Understand what your point of genius is and use your time for those important tasks while handing off things that you aren’t great at or that are below your paygrade. 

 

We kept it simple with these tasks. Time management is an art worth perfecting, and you’ll get there. Check-in with yourself (and the clock), and make sure you’re really optimizing the hours you get in the day. And if you don’t, fear not! There’s always tomorrow. It’s a constant work in progress, so do your best, and the rest will fall in place. 

 

7 Tips for Creating a Simple Morning Routine at Work

When you want to create a better day for yourself, you need to start out where you begin. This means having a morning routine at work as well as at home.

 

Think about this for a moment. A morning routine at home will set you up for success by getting you out of bed and ready to transition into wakefulness. 

 

Likewise, a morning routine at work can get you settled into a mindset of getting work done and ready to face the work world. Think of it as a series of steps designed to transition you into productivity.

 

How can you do this?

 

Start with How You Get There

 

Don't arrive stressed out at the very last second. To set yourself up for success, it's important to arrive with time to spare after a relaxing commute. Strategize to make this happen by allowing enough time to get where you need to go. Also, consider your route. Heavy traffic or construction is always more stressful in the long run, so you might want to adapt your route to a quieter one to reduce unwanted stress.

 

Schedule Check

 

What do you have going on today? What work is expected from you by what time? Get a mental picture of the day by noting what needs to happen when.

 

Set-Up

 

What needs to happen so you can get your work done? Are you lacking supplies or resources? Are there things you might need to delegate? Taking a few minutes to track down these items will help the rest of your day run more smoothly.

 

Habit Check

 

What detractors are already pulling at you, trying to derail your day? If you're someone who checks your phone often or can get caught up socializing with coworkers, think about how you can limit these activities as part of your routine. For example, you might want to schedule email checks at certain times or limit socialization to break times.

 

Make a List

 

Jotting down the 3-to 4 big items you want to get done today will help give you a clearer view of what needs doing and set up your goals.

 

Get Comfortable

 

Before you buckle down to work, do you need coffee? A Bathroom break? Do these things now, so you don't have to break concentration later. Also, take a minute to stretch if you haven't yet.

 

Begin

 

Time to get going. Take the first item on your list and dive in, concentrating fully on what you’re doing.

 

Of course, adapt your routine to fit whatever you need to get started for the day. The key here is to be intentional in your actions, shift your mindset, and set yourself up for success. Do only what works for you.

 

Avoid Burnout with These 3 Tips

Burnout is a real and quite damaging condition. Once you find yourself suffering from burnout, it can be difficult to turn your life around. This is why it is necessary to take steps to try and avoid burnout. 

 

1.    Set Boundaries

 

No matter what your profession may be, it’s important to have boundaries. You can’t be available around the clock; this is simply impossible. So, to prevent burnout, it’s critical to establish boundaries of times you will not be available. This means that you won't be in the office or available by phone or email during these times. If you are in a management position, it might help to post these hours somewhere or adjust your email auto-reply, so people know you will answer as soon as you are available.  

 

2.    Have A Work-Life Balance

 

Besides just setting boundaries, you need to have time to do things that aren't workplace-related. This means you have time for your hobbies, your family, and just doing what you love. This doesn't have to be complicated, and it could be as simple as taking one afternoon a week to go for a walk in your favorite park. Whatever it may be, it needs to be something you want to do, and you need to put your foot down if work ever tries to interfere with your time.

 

3.    Put Yourself First

 

Whatever could be going on at your job, if you start not to feel well or feel overwhelmed, you need to put yourself first. This means that, even if your group just started a new project, if you need a mental health day, you take one. You will be no use to your group if you begin to feel burnout and your mental abilities begin to deteriorate. 

 

Putting yourself first is especially important when you start to feel the symptoms of an illness. Although it may be tempting to say it's just a cold and go to work anyways, this will only make you feel worse and put yourself closer to burnout. Stay home and rest instead. 

 

Overall, in this day and age, it may seem difficult to avoid the condition of burnout. But you can—as long as you remember to set boundaries, have a work-life balance, and put yourself first. And if you follow these tips, not only will you avoid the damages of burnout, but you'll also go through life feeling less stressed as well. 

 

It's Never Too Late to Learn That Tomorrow Never Comes

If you have a few dirty dishes in the sink, no worries. You can always get to them tomorrow. You don't feel like doing them right now, and that's okay. There's always tomorrow. Wrong! Tomorrow never comes. All you ever have is the present moment. There's this moment in time right now, and that's it.

 

You're probably thinking that tomorrow is almost on the horizon already. If today's Monday, you know tomorrow is Tuesday. We get that. What we mean is that if you regularly adopt the policy that you can do today's tasks tomorrow, you will eventually see a tomorrow with too much to accomplish. You'll have tons on your plate because you kept procrastinating, and your responsibilities have piled up.

 

The Negative Power of Procrastination

 

SolvingProcrastination.com is a website all about, you guessed it, procrastination. They want to share a lesson that time eventually teaches us all. Procrastination is dangerous.

 

If putting things off hasn't caused any real harm in your life, good for you. The problem is, that scenario might be telling you that if you procrastinate every now and then, what's the big deal? Don't fall into that mindset, that way of thinking.

 

The negative effects of procrastination are plenty. How serious are they? Check out this warning published on the website we just mentioned.

 

"Procrastination is associated with a variety of dangers and negative effects, including worse academic performance, worse financial status, increased interpersonal relationship issues, reduced well-being, and worse mental and physical health."

 

That's rather scary. What's even more bothersome is that the person who procrastinates often gets dealt with several of those issues simultaneously. They're closely related because of certain behaviors. 

 

Frequently putting things off can be very stressful. That stress attacks the body internally. Your overall health and well-being worsen, and you might have self-esteem issues because you never accomplish everything.

 

Do It Today or Write It Down

 

If you've got something small to do, something that doesn't take much time, do it. Stop reading this right now and go and do it. If it requires more time, planning, or the accumulation of resources, break out your day planner. Write it down. Schedule it. You get much more done in your life when you write things down. This has been proven in several studies.

 

Stop procrastinating. It can wreck your mental and physical health. Procrastination ruins relationships and does damage in so many other ways. Stop putting things off unnecessarily. This is a lesson life's ticking clock eventually teaches all of us, but you were reminded of it today, so you've got a jump on Father Time.

Personal Autonomy: Strengthening Your Ability to Be Independent

Lately, the discussion has been focused on how to reach a level of personal freedom in your life that helps you achieve life goals. Being independent and practicing personal autonomy has its advantages, like having no one to answer to but yourself.

 

it encourages you to become self-aware while taking in the big picture. So, you’re not just focused purely on your needs, but you recognize that you’re part of a thriving community, with certain responsibilities, privileges, and freedoms.

 

Interested in finding out how your personal autonomy can strengthen your ability to become independent? Then, keep reading!

 

What Is Personal Autonomy?

 

There are several ways to describe personal autonomy, from being free to follow your heart to having a sense of determination and self-endorsement. Yet, the simplest explanation is that personal autonomy is your ability to act on your interests and core values.

 

Having that drive to keep you on track makes it easier to live on your own terms and live according to your desires and personal beliefs rather than being goaded to conform to someone else’s beliefs.

 

Yet, at the same time, personal autonomy requires a high degree of responsibility. You have to make informed decisions and learn how to back them up and take ownership of things when anything goes wrong. 

 

It also means that you’re able to manage yourself and take initiative when needed. It’s all about getting things done consistently without needing anyone to remind you.

 

How Can Personal Autonomy Strengthen Your Ability to Be Independent?

 

Now that we know what personal autonomy means, let’s look at some ways it can help boost your independence.

 

Have Initiative

 

Having personal autonomy means trying new things. They don’t have to be big things; they can even be trying that new coffee spot you’ve been eyeing for a couple of weeks.

 

Then, step by step, you’ll be able to go on to larger tasks. For example, you can try getting ahead start on a work presentation earlier in the week to avoid having to deal with that dreaded deadline looming overhead.

 

You could also show initiative at work by taking on additional tasks or doing a bit of research on your own regarding a certain project.

 

Initiative doesn’t have to be at work only. Why not take up a DIY project you’ve been wanting to try out? How about volunteering several hours a week at a local shelter or soup kitchen?

 

Get Organized

 

Being organized doesn’t just mean tidying up your workspace, picking scattered documents off the floor, or alphabetizing your bookshelf. Don’t get me wrong, all that sounds great! But it’s not enough for personal autonomy.

 

To actually become independent, you need to learn how to organize and manage your time and money. Luckily, dozens of life-saving apps can help you do just that.

 

Start by writing down all the things you do during a typical workday. Then, expand it to a whole week and eventually to an entire month. Don’t forget to schedule how long each task or activity takes. Also, remember to include any chores, errands, appointments, or sports events going on during that time.

 

An independent person is capable of efficiently mapping out their schedule. They’ll also be able to remove or postpone certain tasks if things get too hectic.

 

Be Responsible

 

We also talk about being responsible, but what does it actually mean?

 

Basically, responsibility is knowing what you have to do, getting it done on time, and taking credit for your hard work. You’re dependable, you honor your commitments, and keep your word no matter what.

 

That’s the cheerful side of responsibility. You’ll know you’ve made it when you feel that you’re on top of your game and everyone is singing your praises.

 

Yet, it’s not always so bright and cheery, especially when you have to muster up the courage to hold yourself accountable instead of coming up with excuses or blaming others when things don’t go as planned. Let’s be honest here, sometimes that can be easier said than done.

 

Yet, as soon as you admit that you were wrong about so-and-so, or that you failed to meet certain deadlines, you’ll instantly feel better. Then, you’ll be able to move on from that and work towards fixing what needs to be fixed.

 

Developing Willpower And Self-Control To Change Behavior

Willpower and self-control are crucial ingredients for success, transformation, and mastery. So, how can you develop each one to change your behavior and thought process for the better? Keep reading to find out.

 

Willpower

 

The spiritual leader and activist, Mahatma Gandhi, said, “Strength doesn’t come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will [power].” Yet, what exactly is willpower?

 

Basically, willpower is your ability to turn down and curb inner conflicts, such as short-term temptations, to meet long-term goals.

 

Say you want to supersize your takeout order or smoke a cigarette. But, deep down, you know you shouldn’t.

 

Or it could just as easily be the reverse. Maybe there’s something you know you should do, but keep procrastinating to avoid doing it, like going to the gym or filing your taxes.

 

When you reach this crossroads, that’s when your willpower kicks in. This instantaneous reaction stems from the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is the front section of the brain responsible for regulating our behavior and decision-making abilities.

 

So, the first thing you need to do to develop your willpower is to keep your prefrontal cortex in good shape by:

 

• Getting quality sleep each night

• Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet

• Exercising 3–5 times a week

• Managing stress

 

Can We Run Out of Willpower?

 

Interestingly enough, experts say that we have a finite stockpile of willpower. You start your day with only so much and the more you use it, the faster you run out.

 

Take, for example, trying to control your temper on your way to work, at work, then on your way back home from work. You also use up your willpower when you try to ignore distractions, help your kids with their homework, and negotiate a compromise with your partner.

 

Just like our actual muscles, our willpower gets worn out from all that repetitive use.

 

How to Develop Your Willpower

 

Check out these tips to increase your reserve of willpower.

 

• Learn breathing techniques

• Practice daily affirmations

• Meditate each day

• Focus on what’s important now by postponing what you shouldn’t do for later

• Limit your intake of addictive substances, like alcohol and nicotine

 

Self-Control

 

Self-control is defined as the “restraint exercised over one’s impulses, emotions, or desires” and works side-by-side with willpower. When you practice self-control, you direct your willpower toward the outcome you want.

 

This means that at times, you’ll have to not do something, like when you want to eat healthy and pass on the supersize meal. It also means that there will be times when you have to put in a conscious effort to dosomething, like building good habits or getting started on those taxes.

 

Ego Depletion

 

And, as with willpower, it’s also finite. In other words, each time you use self-control, your power to make sound decisions gradually diminishes until you start again the following morning. This is what experts refer to as ‘ego depletion’ and it happens because you spend most of your waking hours trying your best to focus on making decisions and exerting your willpower.

 

So, it’s no surprise that by the end of the day, you feel depleted and exhausted, and probably find it difficult to think coherently, let alone be able to make choices you won’t regret in the morning.

 

How to Develop Self-Control

 

Luckily, there are ways to improve your levels of self-control and reduce the impact of ego depletion. Many of them rely on the same techniques used to boost your willpower, like getting good sleep and managing stress, while others are slightly different.

 

Take a look.

 

• Learn how to regulate your emotions.

• Practice self-compassion.

• Become aware of your wants and needs to direct energy toward self-improvement.

• Manage your time and energy more efficiently.

• Create short and long-term goals to stay motivated.

 

How Avoidance Actually Creates More Stress

When you have an especially difficult or stressful task on your plate, it can be very tempting to avoid completing said task. Or if you don’t like to think about a subject because of an experience, it can seem easier to just not think about that topic. Both of these situations are known as avoidance, and though it may be tempting to engage in this behavior, it causes more stress than it relieves. 

 

You Won’t Stop Thinking About It

 

If you’ve ever experienced trauma, it can be tempting to avoid all thoughts of things that may remind you of the trauma you experienced. Although this may be less painful in the short run, the truth is, long term, this will stress you out more because the thoughts of your trauma will always return until you genuinely learn to deal with them rather than avoid them. The same holds for certain physical tasks. You may put them off because you don’t want to think about them, but this will only stress you out more because you will have to keep thinking about the task instead of simply completing it now.

 

You’ll Run Out Of Time

 

When you put off a task, you may momentarily relieve your stress by telling yourself you will complete the task later. But this is worse than doing the job now because later you will experience more pressure as you are faced with a fast-approaching deadline. This is especially true if you haven’t left yourself enough time to complete the task and have to rush at the last minute. 

 

Avoidance Creates Conflict

 

Maybe a coworker is waiting for you to complete your work so they can get started on theirs. And if you didn’t leave yourself enough time before the deadline, you may cause them to be late on meeting their deadline as well. This can cause a conflict between you as your coworker may be upset that you made them late. And when you experience conflict in your relationships, this only adds to your overall stress level rather than lowering it.

 

Although it can be extremely tempting to avoid certain tasks or put them off, this is a flawed approach as it will only cause you more stress in the long run. This is because avoidance doesn’t solve any problems. Instead, it just creates conflict, which leads to increased stress in the future.

 

Never Look at a Failure As Final

Do you know anyone who seems to be bulletproof? You know, that friend of yours that takes failures in stride and is always smiling and moving forward in life. How do they do it? You know they're not immune to setbacks or hardship. They just seem to be able to bounce back quickly. Life's inevitable difficulties don't keep them from living the life they desire.

 

By the way, that person can be you. Mental resilience is something that can be developed. It's not a character trait you have to be born with. Every time you suffer some type of loss or failure, you have an opportunity to respond with resilience and emotional control.

 

If that seems impossible for you sometimes, here's what you need to start doing. Never look at a failure as the final result. Don't let some hardship or difficulty be the final chapter in your story. Or, as famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald said ...

 

"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat."

 

That is such a powerful reminder that your outlook is everything. The person with resilience chooses a positive outlook. They understand that negative things are going to happen in their life. Yet they don't allow that to be the end of their journey.

 

They don't embrace any single failure or loss as the final declaration of who they are.

 

Just Take One More Step

 

Resilience means persisting. You keep going. You push forward and see life's difficulties as nothing more than challenges. You can either become stronger and more capable or allow a defeat or failure to be a statement of who you are.

 

This can seem like simple advice, but the truth is, sometimes, the hardship we encounter in life can be truly debilitating. We simply don't see a way out. The worst of possible things has happened, and there's simply no way that we see any good coming from this.

 

When this happens, as it inevitably will in life, just take one step forward.

 

Don't worry about some big end result. You may be in a terrible situation. If you are, just make one positive movement. 

 

Have one positive thought. Move in the direction of a positive outcome. Even if it's miles away, don't worry about that end result. Just take the first step that moves you a little bit away from the difficulty you encountered.

 

Never let any single defeat be your final defeat. The instant you decide to relentlessly push forward, you show the world and yourself that you are a resilient human being. You won't be kept down for long because your unbreakable mental resolve won't allow you to be defined by defeat.

 

6 Things You Need to Make a Fresh Start in Your Career

How do you feel about your job?

 

To most people, this might be a somewhat loaded question. Jobs are complicated things. We like having them, or we like having the money we get from your employer on payday. But we might not always like the job itself very much. Or we might like the job, but not the people we're working with. 

 

Now imagine if you could have a fresh start.

 

A new beginning when it comes to your job can be a lifesaver. Imagine if you were excited about going to work every day! Let’s look at what you’ll need to make this a reality:

 

Start with an Honest Assessment

 

Does your unhappiness stem from the job or a specific situation? If you still love the job itself but are having problems with a co-worker, your approach will be different from when you feel burned out on the work and want to change careers entirely.

 

Consider Your Skills

 

It’s time to think the way management does when they do your annual review: they tend to start with a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for:

 

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Opportunities

• Threats

 

This kind of review lets you know what you have to offer and where you need some work. If you can figure out your passion and abilities, then combine those into your daily work, you have a winner professionally and a direction for your fresh start.

 

Fill in the Gaps

 

If you’re looking to make a proper Fresh Start, you’re going to want to go in with the skill set needed for where you want to be. Were there areas where you need some further education or training? What can you do to obtain this?

 

Initiate Discussions

 

Next, talk to your mentor for advice on where you should go next. If you don't have mentors, consider talking to others in the position you desire to get their take on the skills you're going to need to get where they are now. With any luck, they’ll also give you some solid advice on how to get there.

 

Consider All the Options

 

Don’t get so locked into one idea that you fail to see other options. 

 

Take a step back to consider all the angles. Are there other jobs that are similar or involve similar skills? What other areas interest you? What are the opportunities you might be missing?

 

Hone the Right Attitude

 

No matter what, as you start on this journey, keep positive. Attitude is everything, especially when you're working on getting ahead.