Checklist: 8 signs that you do not know how to allocate time
alexander savina
It would seem to evaluate the effectiveness of time management skills very simple: if you have time to do all the work within the specified period or are able to accelerate in a critical situation and do the tasks as quickly as possible, then everything is in order. But sometimes problems with the allocation of time are not so obvious - for example, if you have time for everything, but from time to time you feel that you are acting at the limit of possibilities. We understand how to understand this - and what to do about it.
1
You can't estimate how long your action will take.
If you notice that you are stably late for five to ten minutes (to work, to meet with friends and wherever you are), perhaps the problem is that you don’t fully understand how much time you have different tasks. This happens - you seem to be sure that the matter is simple, and only at the very end you realize that you would need an additional ten minutes.
The good news is that you can cope with this: if you notice a propensity to plan everything at the same time, simply lay on each case twice the time - or at least those fifteen additional minutes. Many people use this technique when planning their working day: remember that an unanticipated force majeure can always be inserted into a harmonious list of tasks.
2
You have no clear plan for the day.
A to-do list is one of the easiest and most effective time management tools: thanks to it, you can easily understand how much time you have spent on tasks and where the system fails. All this, of course, does not mean that you have to count on the day up to the minute - but at least to understand the list of questions and think about what and in what sequence you will be engaged in is always useful.
Many in the work and outside it is hampered by the feeling that there are too many problems and it is not clear which one to take in the first place. The diary or business plan will solve this problem and add specifics on the day: the list of items scares far less than the chaos in my head.
3
You are afraid to delegate
"If you want to do something well, do it yourself" - a popular, but not the most productive idea: there is always the risk of collecting so many things that you simply cannot cope with them. If you are used to following the process from the beginning to the end and are not ready to let go of control, but this begins to interfere with productivity, consider whether it’s time to delegate part of the tasks to someone else.
And if you let go of the working questions, you are not ready yet, then it is quite possible to entrust the cleaning to someone else, and instead of cooking after a busy day - order food at home. Free time can be spent on rest - to be more productive the next day.
4
You do not prioritize
To optimize time, it’s not enough to understand what you need to do in a day — you also need to evaluate what is important to do right now and what can wait. “Very often we postpone important tasks, those that put pressure on us - because of the mental effort that we have to put in order to concentrate on them,” said coach Kimberly Medlock.
It is easier to respond to a dozen letters, although they do not require an urgent reaction, than to take up a large and important report that needs to be submitted as soon as possible - although it is more productive to pay attention to the second one. If this is your case - try to reconsider the priorities: no matter how difficult it is to take on the bulk of the work, you will certainly be grateful to yourself that you did it.
5
You are trying to do ten things at once.
Not all experts consider multitasking to be such a good idea. And if it’s easy to cope with two mechanical cases (for example, listening to a podcast and simultaneously), two actions that require continuous attention (for example, watching a TV series and trying to respond to email at the same time) are harder to combine - most likely you will quickly switch from one task to another.
Contrary to what the logic dictates, you will probably more quickly cope with the case if you pay attention only to him. You can try the famous "tomato technique": start a timer for twenty-five minutes and don't be distracted by anything at this time - when the time is up, you can take a five-minute break.
You can try less stringent methods - for example, to allocate a specific time for a specific task (deadline makes you work faster - the main thing is not to overstrain) or just try to minimize external stimuli. Start with an email: instead of rushing to check it once every half hour, set aside a few minutes two or three times a day.
6
You are not relaxing
After the student years, many will face a difficult discovery: do not sleep all night long, and then, as if nothing had happened, they can’t do business. You yourself probably noticed that in the days when you didn’t get enough sleep or were just very tired, you get distracted more often, and the work goes much slower than it could.
In such cases, there is always a risk of falling into a dangerous rut when you realize that you did very little during the day and finish things late at night - so that you do not get enough sleep the next day and work less than you could. If you catch yourself on this, know that the best helper of productivity is a good dream (do not forget about its hygiene!).
7
You do not know how to say no
Too many tasks are simply impossible to accomplish: trying to do everything at once, at a certain stage, you may have to sacrifice either quality or terms. There are always those around you who are asking for a favor or service, it seems to you that there is nothing wrong with one small business - until you realize that numerous requests interfere with your own, much more important for you matters.
It is as easy to overestimate how many tasks you are able to take on, as well as to make a mistake with the time that is needed for them - and all this, in turn, can lead to burnout. That is why it is so important to learn how to say "no" in time: it is better to immediately refuse to do something, than to fill up the deadlines, do everything badly, or just get exhausted.
8
You are trying to remake your rhythm
The most frequent advice that can be heard when it comes to productivity is: “Just get up early and do more in the morning” - this is what Anna Wintour, Tim Cook and Richard Branson supposedly do. Perhaps inspired by their example, you get up at five in the morning to practice, to meet up with your girlfriend at breakfast and to be at the office table already at nine - but instead of cheerfulness and willingness to quickly end matters you feel overwhelmed and tired.
Unfortunately, there is no universal recipe for productivity. It is possible that it will be easier for you to train and meet with friends not early in the morning, but in the evening after work - and the peak of your productivity is not at nine in the morning, but at three in the afternoon, after a lunch break. Instead of trying to become a lark, listen to the body - so you will feel much better.
Photo: cherylvb - stock.adobe.com, Nomad_Soul - stock.adobe.com