Ten Tips To Master Time Management

1. Eliminate these words from your vocabulary: "I don't have time", The next time you go to say those dreaded words, just remember - you have exactly the same amount of time as everyone else. Eliminate those words because what you're really trying to say is: "I don't want to make time to do that", and that's quite alright too! The next time you go to say I don't have time, imagine if that task you're saying you don't have time for was a family member at hospital - you'd have time to get there, so what you really need to decide is "Does this deserve my time".
2. It's an oldy but a goody - start each day by getting rid of your most despised task. Nothing ruins a day like dreading a task you have to do later in the day.
3. Set rewards for yourself if you can achieve all your tasks, find out what motivates you. Another great thing to do is to buddy up with someone and become accountability partners for getting your tasks done.
4. Unless you have the world's best memory, make lists. When someone gives you a responsibility, write it down, whether you record it in your phone, your organiser, email yourself, write it on the back of a panadol packet - it doesn't matter how, write it down! Nothing's worse than the feeling of waking up in the middle of the night thinking - oh no, I forgot to do that.
5. Little things first. What this means is that when you get an email, if it's small or has a small task, get rid of it quickly rather than continually come back to it over and over again. This leaves you with the bulk of the day to work on larger projects.
6. Set or get deadlines for your tasks. When setting yourself a task or getting one from someone else - always find out when it needs to be done by. Then diarise an appropriate amount of reminders before the due date.
7. Work/life balance. This seems to the be the buzz word all over the world at present - but you really do need to put time and energy into this area. Schedule in time to relax, time with family, time reading, time with your partner - if it's in your diary and you're committed to it, you're less likely to neglect it.
8. Desk Layout. If your desk layout doesn't make your day easier - change it, constantly change it until you get something that works. Have a single out tray - this simple tray stops you from getting up 20 or 30 times a day as much of what comes in needs to go elsewhere in the office. If you have a tray full of non urgent things to read, start going through them when you have time. Have a tray full of things you're waiting on others for and have an email folder full of these sorts of emails - your diary should prompt you with a recurring reminder to check through these two areas. Whatever works for you, works for you, just take some time to find it!
9. Don't be afraid to ask for help. What's worse - asking for help once or doing the task incorrectly or incompletely 5 times, or even worse, hiding the work! It happens, don't be a victim of the "scared to ask" disease.
10. Your mind isn't a computer, use your computer to help your mind become like one. You're not a machine, use your technology to its best advantage.

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