Time management is a skill that, if mastered, can take us to unexpected heights. We often hear how important it is to practice time management to maintain balance in our lives. But let’s admit it, if you are someone who depends on spontaneity, time management can seem quite a challenge at first, unless there is some external pressure.
Here are a few tips and changes for your schedule to help you avoid time from slipping away.
Monitor Yourself
Before taking any step, you need to know exactly what is going on. Monitor what you do during the day. Write them down. Figure out what’s wrong, what’s alright, and what can be made better. This self-monitoring report will give you an accurate idea of what changes you need to make to your schedule.
Schedule As Per Your Convenience
While a schedule is the most basic element of time management, most people tend to make their first mistake in this very step while learning how to handle their time better. They create a schedule that is not at all suitable for them. The human brain leans towards pre-made and effortless stuff; this is why we often look up for schedules on the internet or YouTube.
However, there are some things that are only known to you, such as the time of the day when you’re most energetic, whether you have taken extra courses, your to-do list, the amount of time you need to relax after work. These things are essential to know before deciding on a schedule suitable for you.
It’s also not necessary that the first or even the second schedule you design for yourself would work for you. It’s a trial-and-fail scenario, where you have to figure out what works the best for you. It might take some patience to stumble upon the right schedule for yourself.
Avoid Mindless Scrolling
Mindless scrolling is another evil that eats up your time without you even realising it. You scroll through YouTube for hours until you realise you’ve wasted half of your day. To manage this time, download apps that monitor your screen time. Your Hour is an app that has a timer running on your screen for each app.
After a day or two of observing your screen-time, you may include it in your self-monitoring report. Remember to start easy. You cannot expect yourself to cut down your scrolling time from 3-4 hours a day to 10 minutes in just one day. Rather start by trying to reduce 5-10 mins each day.
Avoid A Bot Schedule
Let’s remember that we are humans and we need rest. Creating a schedule with continuous work or productivity is impractical. Allow yourself some leisure time. Include time for practicing a hobby, meeting friends or any such thing you enjoy doing. Also be sure to include a separate time slot dedicated to your family and relationships. It’s important to have a healthy balance in all aspects of your life.
These tips need long-term practice and might also involve some failures. With time you will become better at sticking to a schedule suitable to you and will surely bring your life together. Good luck!