If you feel like your life move like a NASCAR car, you are not alone. We are living in a time where dual income family and single parents are the norm, a big difference where a happy sitcom family we grew up watching tv on.

So, how  would you get everything done if you only have 24 hours a day? Well, the thing you need to do is to reprioritize. Does it matter if your family need a 7 course meal every night? Instead of deliberating coming up with the meals, wouldn’t it be better to use the time to catch up with your family? 

Regardless of how your priorities are defined, we could all be using some extra time for the day. The following are some time management ideas which could help increase your productivity and improve the quality of your life. Try to use just a few of these ideas and see how much it can impact your life. 

Turn your email off

It might be hard to break away from the constant communication with the world, but if you check your email two time per day instead, you will realize how much time you’ve save. Specify a certain time frame to read your emails and stick to the schuedule. 

One company in Silicon Valley implemented a ‘no emails on fridays’ rule. If you need a question answered, you will have to walk over to that person or pick up the phone. Though I agree this may not be the most productive use of time, it does drive the message that we rely too heavily on technology for our communication. When you stop letting it rule your life, your productivity ultimately increase. 

Create email filters

Creating email filters to send junk mails directly to the bin. With the current email programs, you can easily right click on junk messages and block the senders, preventing any future message to land into your inbox. 

Hire a virtual assistant 

Hire a virtual assistant to handle your daily administrative work. VAs are remote administrative officers who can handle large mailings, contact management and other office duties. They can be hired on a permanent basis or on a ad-hoc basis. If you are interested in finding a VA, you can visit the International Virtual Assistants Association.

Get in the habit of using a to do list every day 

At the end of each day, make a list of items to complete the following day. This help you to close the day so that you do not have to worry about the task that awaits you tomorrow. 

Manage your meetings

Set expectations at the beginning of the meeting by annoucing your cut off time. You can try saying something like “I know you are busy and I too have a meeting at 3pm, let’s plan to wrap this up by 2.45pm’. This does not just keep your schedule on track but busy attentees appreciate that as well. Keep an eye to the clock and stick to the time you have allotted.

Get your filing system in order

Do you waste time looking for your receipts or invoices? Create a file folder for individual items and each month simply drop the receipts or invoices in the folders. This can be important in the future when You might need to find out your credit cards bills for January. Simply pull the file of Janaury and woot - you have the information on your finger tips. 

Use pre-printed lists for supplies, groceries, etc. Make a list of the office supplies that you use regularly and post one on a bulletin board near your desk. Simply check off the supplies you need when you run low so you remember what you need to reorder. This system works well for groceries and household supplies too. Get your family in the habit of checking off items that are running low so you never again forget to pick something up at the grocery store.

Use templates for repeat projects

Do you have a daily, weekly or monthly report to write? Do you spend time calculating figures manually that could be done easily in a spreadsheet? Create templates to reuse over and over again and minimize your prep time.

Freeze leftovers

 If you have a serving or two left of tonight’s dinner and you know nobody will want it tomorrow, put it in a freezer safe container and save it for lunch or a quick dinner option in the upcoming weeks.

Designate a daily chore to everyone in your family

In previous generations, most kids worked for a living! Break your kids away from the video games for twenty minutes to help with garbage duty, dishes, vacuuming or taking care of the pets. Delegating one chore to everyone daily will lighten your load and keep your home organized and clean. You can even make a list or spreadsheet and rotate the chores or make it fun by offering a reward after everyone finishes.

Don’t forget the most important time management tip- make time for yourself. You’re no good to anyone if you’re sleep deprived and miserable. We all deserve a little downtime, even if that means you have to schedule some time for yourself into your calendar each day. Your business, family and relationships will all benefit when your priorities are in order and you have balance in your life.

Related posts:

  1. Getting Things Done - There is No Such Thing As Multi Tasking
  2. How you can squeeze more time in a day
  3. 10 Tips to Get Organized and Clutter Free
  4. Time Management Video - Define Your KRA (Key Results Area)
  5. You Will Never Lose Your Keys Again