Getting More Done in Less Time?

Time is a luxury. Each of us only has 1440 minutes per day and they go by quickly, so you surely don’t want to waste any of them! By maximizing your efficiency, you can complete every item on your to-do list with time to spare!

Unfortunately, many of us have a tendency to procrastinate. Make sure you look at Dr. Linda Sapadin’s book on the 6 Styles of Procrastination to help you find ways to make your style work better for you.

Follow these suggestions to help you get more done in less time:

1.    Organization. Organization is the key to successful time management. Take a few moments before completing a task, whether small or large, and create a time-saving game plan. Lay out all of your supplies; know exactly where you’ll start and where you want to finish.

•    Create a checklist and check it twice. When laying out your supplies, place them in the order that they’ll be used. In doing so, you’re able to shave a few seconds off of your project time whenever you reach for supplies.

•    Even if you don’t have supplies, you can still benefit from a checklist. Create milestones. If you’re checking the milestones off as scheduled, you’ll know that you’re on the right track. If you’re checking them later than scheduled, it’s time to speed things up.

2.    Work in spurts. (One of my favorite strategies!) If you have a time consuming task to take on, rather than dreading the hours of work that are ahead, work in spurts. Working in spurts of 25 minutes, with a five-minute break in between, still allows you 50 minutes of work time without feeling worked to the bone.

•    It’s important to focus solely on the task at hand while working in spurts. If you take even a two-minute break, you’ve lost two minutes of work time and increased your break time by 20%.

•    Concentrate on the one task at hand. If you’re painting a room, the only things that you should be doing throughout your 25 minutes is rolling paint onto the wall and reloading your paint roller. No using the restroom, changing the song, or helping your spouse in another room – just painting.

3.    Power-up correctly. In order to be efficient, it’s necessary to start the day off on the right foot. First, get a good night’s rest. If your mornings are dependent on your consumption of coffee, drink a healthy sized cup of coffee accompanied by an equally healthy breakfast.

•    Wake up early. You’ll find that you’re more energized after breakfast and coffee at 7:00am rather than 11:00am. Plus, you’ll add extra hours to your day, which allows you to cross off tasks on your to-do list even sooner. Then, the rest of the day is yours!

4.    Eliminate all distractions. Distractions are a part of life and everyone’s schedule is susceptible. Rather than trying to fight them off, eliminate them completely.

•    Turn off the computer, place your cell phone on silent, and unplug the television and all other things that are known to be a distraction to you. In doing so, you’ll be less likely to channel surf, catch up on your Facebook friends, or chat away when your friend calls.

•    If you need to get something done on the computer in a timely fashion, block the websites that are known distractions by using LeechBlock, a Firefox plugin. This plugin allows you to restrict your visitation to the websites of your choosing.

5.    Invest in time-saving assets. The final, and possibly most important step, is to invest in items or services which permanently shave minutes off of your day. It may be more money upfront, but you can potentially shave hours of chores off of your to-do list each week.

•    For example, you could invest in an automatic floor cleaner to automatically clean the floors each week. Also, a lawn mowing service, purchasing a dishwasher, and opting for carpooling are additional strategies that can shave time off of your to-do list.

Whether you’re hoping to finish a complex task more quickly or simply shave minutes off of your everyday responsibilities, it can be done. Increasing your level of efficiency and focus are the only requirements. To this end, these simple tips will make maximizing your time a breeze.