Okay…so you re probably wondering what time management tips would have to do with losing weight. Well, it is one of the many nonfood related things that impact your life and can lead to emotional eating.
Losing weight has just as much (probably more) to do with things that have nothing to do with food and time management is just one of these things.
Since you are creating the life you want, you should be not only looking at your health but your well being as well.
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Why Focus on Time Management?
Why should you focus on being more efficient with your time? The answer is simple. The better you use your time, the more time you will have to do as you please.
I recently wrote about losing weight when you weigh 200 pounds or more and mentioned all the things besides food that can lead to out of control eating.
Having time for your necessary activities, such as; caring for your family and home, managing your health and having a career all take time management skills.
If you want to have time left to enjoy the things you are really passionate about, it might mean changing how you spend your time or giving up some of the things in your life that are sucking your time.
When it comes to your health and peace of mind, you have to keep in mind that not every second of every day has to be filled with an activity or a task.
It does a body and mind good to have quiet time as well as completing tasks.
For me, the ultimate goal for planned time management is to have more time for the things that I really want to do as well as minimize stress when it comes to the things I have to do.
Here are 9 time management tips for making the most of the 24 hours you have each day without going crazy.
Know Where Your Time Is Going
One of the first things you need to be able to make efficient use of your time is to find out where your time is going. This may seem like a waste of time, but it is one of the firest exercises that is done in many wellness classes.
You can easily do this on your own just by subtracting the time that you sleep and the time that you spend at work. Note where your time is going in 15-minute increments.
It is important to figure out if you are dedicating an excessive amount of time to anything. You may not realize you are working 12 hours a day or you sleeping only 3 hours a day.
Taking the time to map out how you are spending your time in a week will allow you to make changes. You cannot make your schedule more efficient if you are not fully aware of how your time is being spent.
Kick Clutter to the Curb
A few extra things on your desk may not seem like a big deal. The problem is a few things can easily turn into many things. Everything should have a place and items should be in their designated places.
How often have you spent 10 minutes looking for your car keys? Do you lose time trying to remember the last place you used a screwdriver?
Rifling through clutter will cost you a lot more time and frustration and then putting things in their proper place when not in use.
If you have clutter, start decluttering one area at a time. Get rid of what you don’t use and find places for everything else.
There are so many clever organization systems today. Why not use them to make your life simpler and give yourself more time to do the things that you love.
Plan It Out
Do you have a lot to do at work tomorrow? Is your week filled with appointments, tasks and things you want to accomplish?
Make a plan to help you get things done. List out everything you need to do and assign an amount of time to the task. Doing this will allow you to see if you have more to do in a day than your time allows.
Having a plan will also help you stay on task as your day goes on. You may also choose to make a list of everything you intend on getting accomplished and anything that does not get completed will go on a list for another day.
Having a plan will give you a road map to get you through the day and reduce some of the stress that goes along with having a full schedule.
Prioritize It
Prioritize your to-do list. I always to put the items that require the most mental capacity at the top of the list. This is when my ability to achieve these tasks is the strongest.
I try not to have more than 3 priorities each day, but unfortunately, it does not always work out that way. Having too many priorities means you have none.
There is no hard fast system for prioritizing. But if the task has a deadline, it should be prioritized accordingly.
Put the most important and most difficult items at the top of the list and anything that is not critical can be moved to the next day.
Effectiveness Over Efficiency
Efficiency is great and no one likes to cross an item off a list more than me. But it is important to be effective at what you do.
Working smarter rather than faster is the goal here. Having to revisit something that has already done will only waste your time and could cause critical mistakes.
Avoiding multitasking is a good way to avoid mistakes and save time. It is a misconception that multitasking is more efficient than working on tasks one at a time.
Having to focus on several things at once will not only drain your mental capacity, in the end, you may find that you have not completed all the tasks.
Take tasks one at a time and give each one the attention it deserves and you will see that you get everything done effectively without driving yourself crazy.
Focus On It
Focusing on what you are trying to accomplish will not only give you better results, it will save you time. Interruptions and distractions are two of life’s biggest time thieves.
Sometimes interruptions are hard to avoid. Trying telling a five-year-old they cannot interrupt. But, there are certain limits you can set on your time, even when it comes to your family.
Avoiding distractions will be up to you. Take some time to think about what derails your focus. Can you do anything about it?
There is a difference between being distracted by noise at work and looking down at your phone while you are in the middle of completing a task.
Avoid distractions that you can control and work at minimizing the impact of things that are out of your control.
Finish It
Handling situations and tasks one time only is the most efficient way of working down through a list.
It can be easy when we get to a task that we don’t like to pass it and go onto the next. But at the end of the day, doing this will cost you time.
What can you gain by putting it off and doing it another time? It will not be any more appealing the second time you have to face the task.
If you deal with the task completely the first time, you will not have to address it again. Your goal should be to finish everything the first time you address it allowing you to cross it off the list and move on.
Don’t Put It Off
There is nothing to be gained by putting things off if they need addressed. It has always been my experience that the longer you put something off the more difficult it is to complete.
I have gotten in the habit of taking care of unpleasant tasks as soon as possible. My thoughts are the sooner I do unpleasant tasks, the sooner I get my life back on track and go onto things that I enjoy.
Procrastination can steal your dreams and bring a load of stress. Get out there and take care of business so you can go on to something you are passionate about.
Keep It Organized
The easiest way to stay on track with things is to have a maintenance program. We have them for our cars and homes. Why not have one for your life?
One of the things I do to stay organized is to keep a running list of things I have to do.
Maybe they don’t need to be done today or tomorrow, but having it on the running list keeps me aware it needs to be addressed.
Bullet journals, regular cleaning and maintenance schedules and putting things in their places all excellent ways of staying organized.
It is the little things that you can do daily that help save you time in the long run and that is the ultimate goal here.
Final Thoughts on Time Management Tips
We all get the same 24 hours each day to live and what you do with that time is up to you. It is up to you to recognize when your time is being focused too much in one area. Maybe you are spending too much time working?
Maybe too much of your time is being drained taking care of a home and family? I am not saying stop taking care of them, but maybe you need more help from your family.
You could also benefit from outside help if that is an option for you.
Enjoy living a simpler and leaner life so you can dive headfirst into the things you are really passionate about.
Managing your time can be as simple as having a list of things you need to do and knowing which 3 things you want to tackle first.
Learning to put your focus where it is needed is also key. Write down 3 things you want to get done each and look back at the end of the week and see what worked as well as what didn’t work. Adapt and adjust as necessary.
Did you have more time to spend on the things that you are really passionate about? That is the ultimate goal here.
At the end of the day having more control over how your time is spent will allow you to make decisions that are better for your body, mind and spirit.
This week’s challenge…see where you can come with an extra hour of free time this week. Better yet, try to come up with an extra hour each day!