50 Practical Time-savers

These are just some simple ideas that can save you time and help you
work more effectively. Please pass on these tips to any of your friends,
family, or colleagues who may find them useful.

1. Write things down.

A common time management mistake is to try to use your memory to

keep track of too many details leading to information overload. Using a
to-do list to write things down is a great way to take control of your
projects and tasks and keep yourself organized.

2. Prioritize your list.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you focus and spend more of your time
on the things that really matter to you. Rate your tasks into categories
using the ABCD prioritization system described in the time management
course.

3. Plan your week.

Spend some time at the beginning of each week to plan your schedule.
Taking the extra time to do this will help increase your productivity and
balance your important long-term projects with your more urgent tasks.
All you need is fifteen to thirty minutes each week for your planning
session.
4. Carry a notebook.

You never know when you are going to have a great idea or brilliant
insight. Carry a small notebook with you wherever you go so you can
capture your thoughts. If you wait too long to write them down you
could forget. Another option is to use a digital recorder.

5. Learn to say no.

Many people become overloaded with too much work because they
over-commit; they say yes when they really should be saying no. Learn
to say no to low priority requests and you will free up time to spend on
things that are more important.

6. Think before acting.

How many times have you said yes to something you later regretted?
Before committing to a new task, stop to think about it before you give
your answer. This will prevent you from taking on too much work.

7. Continuously improve yourself.

Make time in your schedule to learn new things and develop your natural
talents and abilities. Continuously improving your knowledge and skills
increases your marketability, can help boost your career, and is the most
reliable path to financial independence.
8. Think about what you are giving up to do your regular
activities.

It is a good idea to evaluate regularly how you are spending your time.
In some cases, the best thing you can do is to stop doing an activity that
is no longer serving you so you can spend the time doing something
more valuable. Consider what you are giving up in order to maintain
your current activities.

9. Use a time management system.

Using a time management system can help you keep track of everything
that you need to do, organize and prioritize your work, and develop
sound plans to complete it. An integrated system is like glue that holds
all the best time management practices together.

10. Identify bad habits.

Make a list of bad habits that are stealing your time, sabotaging your
goals, and blocking your success. After you do, work on them one at a
time and systematically eliminate them from your life. Remember that
the easiest way to eliminate a bad habit, it to replace it with a better
habit.

11. Don’t do other people’s work.

Are you in the habit of doing other people’s work because of a ‘hero’
mentality? Doing this takes up time that you may not have. Instead,
focus on your own projects and goals, learn to delegate effectively, and
teach others how to do their own work.

12. Keep a goal journal.

Schedule time to set and evaluate your goals. Start a journal and write
down your progress for each goal. Go through your goal journal each
week to make sure you are on the right track.

13. Don’t be a perfectionist.

Some tasks don’t require your best effort. Sending a short email to a
colleague, for example, shouldn’t take any more than a few minutes.
Learn to distinguish between tasks that deserve to be done excellently
and tasks that just need to be done.

14. Beware of ‘filler’ tasks.

When you have a to-do list filled with important tasks, be careful not to
get distracted by ‘filler’ tasks. Things such as organizing your bookcase
or filing papers can wait until you tackle the items that have the highest
priority.

15. Avoid ‘efficiency traps’.

Being efficient doesn’t necessarily mean that you are being productive.
Avoid taking on tasks that you can do with efficiency that don’t need to
be done at all. Just because you are busy and getting things done
doesn’t mean you are actually accomplishing anything significant.

16. Utilize ‘productive procrastination’.

Procrastination doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing if you use it to

delay working on low priority tasks that may not need to be done at all.
Wait until a task becomes important enough to deserve your time before
you work on it.

17. Ask questions.

Asking questions can be an effective tool to help keep you on track.

Whenever you are unsure of what to do next, just ask yourself, “What is
the most valuable use of my time right now?”

18. Apply the 80/20 rule.

The 80/20 rule states that 20% of your tasks account for 80% of the
value in your to-do list. Some tasks have a much greater return on your
investment of time and energy than others. Use prioritization to identify
and focus your time on these high payoff tasks.

19. Avoid attempting to do too much.

While it is good to balance important long-term projects with urgent

tasks, you can take this too far. If you spread your time and energy over
too many different projects, you may not be able to make meaningful
progress on any of them. Good time management often requires that
you focus your time on a smaller set of objectives.

20. Use your energy cycles.

We all have times in our day when we feel productive and other times
when we feel sluggish. Use these highs and lows to your advantage. Get
complex and mentally challenging tasks done during your energy highs.
During the lows, take care of low priority, routine, or non-challenging
tasks.

21. Avoid saving too much stuff in your files.

Experts estimate that between 60 and 80 percent of items that people

file they never look at again. Learning what to save and what to throw
out is the first step in creating an effective filing system.

22. Urgent vs. Important tasks.

A key principle in time management is that important things are not

always urgent, and urgent things are not always important. Learning to
distinguish between the two is essential for effective time management.
Weekly planning helps you maintain a balance between projects with
long-term importance and your more pressing matters.
23. Make time for important projects.

Schedule regular time each week to work on important long-term

projects. If a project is important and not urgent, you run the risk of
neglecting it unless you make regular time for it.

24. Clean your desk.

When you have too many things on your desk, it can be distracting. Only
keep things on your desk that are necessary. When you eliminate
unnecessary distractions, you will find that you use your time more
wisely.

25. Learn to relax.

Working hard is important, but you also need to take time off to relax
and enjoy yourself. When you do, you will find that you use your time
more wisely while you are at work. The extra time off renews your
energy and gives your brain much needed rest.

26. Avoid wishful thinking.

Wishful thinking can ruin any well-laid plan. Avoid this by identifying risks
and learning how to have realistic expectations on your projects. Make
sure to schedule room for error and unexpected problems when creating
a timeline.
27. Don’t over-schedule.

When you over-schedule your days, it can cause unnecessary stress.

When creating your weekly plan and scheduling appointments, always
create room for error.

28. Learn to group your tasks.

In order to use your time wisely, try to perform certain tasks in batches.
For example, sort out the papers on your desk and file at the same time,
or process several emails in your Inbox at the same time. Related tasks
don’t take as long when you do them all at once.

29. Don’t automate email.

Some email programs have a timer so your email gets checked on a

certain schedule. Turn this feature off. Handling emails as they come in
as a distraction and it wastes time. Depending on your needs, use 3 to 5
predefined times during the day to check your email.

30. Don’t file an item that still requires an action on your part.

Avoid filing an item that still needs your attention before you record it in
your time management system. Otherwise, you might easily forget about
that item and the associated work that you still need to do. The same
rule applies to emails and paper documents.
31. Balance your time.

When you have a lot of different types of activities, you can create a
better sense of balance by giving each week a specific focus. For
example, you can focus one week on your finances and your home, and
the next week on relaxation and fun.

32. Weekly planning routine.

Setting up a weekly planning routine will help you manage your time
better. Make time to write and prioritize your pending projects and
tasks, reconnect to your mission and goals, and create a plan for the
upcoming week.

33. Practice easy-reach filing.

Trying to find frequently used files in a complex filing system can be

frustrating and time consuming. Instead of filing them far away, keep
them organized within easy reach. The filing drawers in your desk are a
great place to keep frequently used items.

34. File folders and labels.

Keeping a supply of file folders and labels nearby can help encourage
organization. Instead of keeping papers in piles on top of your desk, you
can immediately create an appropriate file for them.
35. Record your favorite shows.

Are you addicted to certain television programs? Instead of making your

schedule revolve around them, record them so you can view them at
your convenience.

36. Learn to speed read.

Speed reading is a valuable skill, especially if you spend most of your

day reading documents. You can take a class, watch a how-to program,
or read a book on the subject.

37. Backup your work.

How often do you back up your work? You never know when you will
have computer problems. Back up your files frequently to prevent
unnecessary stress later.

38. Schedule according to your energy.

When do you have the most energy? Learning when you are most
energetic will help you use your time more effectively. Perform tasks that
require a lot of energy when you have the most of it.

39. Give each item a ‘home’.

One of the key principles in organization is to make sure each item has a
home where it naturally belongs. This alone can dramatically increase
the organization in your home and office.

40. Sort your magazines and toss out the ones you don’t need.

To help reduce clutter, throw away any old magazines and newspapers
you no longer read. This will help free up space for other items and will
help you stay organized.

41. Make checklists for repeat tasks.

Are there tasks you need to complete on a routine basis? Making a

checklist is an easy way to make sure you finish the task without
forgetting anything important.

42. Baby steps to time management.

Learning how to manage your time is an art. Make one small change at
a time to foster lasting change. Remember that it takes at least a few
weeks to form a new habit.

43. Write in a journal.

Keeping both a personal and professional journal can help you grow.
Use it as a way to review your days and weeks. Think about what you
did right, what you would have changed, and how you could have done
better.
44. Goals in small steps.

Effective goal planning includes a list of smaller tasks that will help you
achieve it. When you create a plan of action and take smaller steps, you
increase your chances of success.

45. Find a role-model.

Is there someone who has achieved the same goal as you? Make this
person your role-model or mentor and follow in their steps. A role-model
can inspire you and boost your morale when it is low.

46. Just begin!

When you have a goal to achieve or a task to complete, just begin. Once
you start, you can use the momentum you develop to help you finish
what you start.

47. Organize your workspace.

When your workspace is disorganized, it can distract you and make you
less productive.

48. Get active.

An active body leads to a sharper mind. Develop a consistent exercise

routine to help you stay in shape and increase your mental capacity. If
you don’t have a lot of time to spend, take a few ten minute activity
breaks throughout your day.

49. Get enough sleep.

If your mind is well rested, you will be more productive. Make sure you
get enough sleep every night. When you are over tired, it becomes
nearly impossible to perform your best.

50. Have fun.

What is life without a little fun? Make time to spend with your friends
and loved ones. Having fun will help you feel more satisfied with both
life and your job.