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Five Time Management Tips to Get You Started on the Right Track

You can read all about time management skills, but if you never begin to use them, you will never reap the rewards. Getting on track with your time management skills is a difficult step. It is easier when you jump head first into it. You may seem a little off balance the first week or so, due to the new way of doing things, but after you get use to the newer system; you will find yourself more relaxed and happy. These five time management tips are great ways to get started.

Spare Time v. Free Time

There is a difference between spare time and free time that many people don't recognize. Spare time is the time you have in between important tasks, while free time is time you have when you have nothing else to do. Using spare time to your advantage is a great time management opportunity. Tasks such as making phone calls can easily be done from your car or while you wait at the doctor's office, so go ahead and get them done. Time you have in between meetings is a great time to prepare yourself for the upcoming meeting. Instead of staying up at night preparing, allow yourself to prepare shortly before the meeting, so you will have everything fresh on your mind. These small time management savers will help your overall schedule quite a bit.

Don't Over Commit

Over committing is a huge problem in families today. Adults are taking on more than they can handle at work, while trying to maintain a happy household. There is so much to do, that everyone gets overwhelmed. The stress and overwhelming feeling can lead to unhappiness if left untreated. This is a type of problem that needs to be changed through specific behavior. If you are the type of person that cannot say "no", then you are like more than half of the world today. The inability to say "no" is a huge problem in time management. You should practice saying "no" throughout the week and always keep a handy excuse for not being able to take on another task. Honestly saying "I just don't have the extra time" is a great approach as well.

Family Schedules

Time management relates to your entire family. If your family has too much going on, then you will have too much going on as well. Many families are pushing their children today to do too many extra activities. While it is important for children to explore many activities outside of school, there is a stopping point. If you have multiple children, allow each child to participate in one extra-curricular activity at a time. If that is still too overwhelming, allow them to decide as a group what one activity everyone will participate in. This will simplify things for your family. It will also keep the children at low stress levels and leave plenty of time for homework and friends.

Timing Is Everything

Planning tasks for the most appropriate time has a lot to do with great time management skills. If you are someone who likes to get the most difficult things done early in the day, be sure to plan accordingly. If you would rather work late into the night, then plan later in the day. It all depends on your family schedule and when you are most productive. Obviously if you have children, you probably won't schedule your important business phone call when they are running through the house. Be aware of your own preferences and the schedules of those around you to get the most out of your day.

Personal Time

Although it has been debated, many researchers feel that spending more time on your self will make your time management skills sharper. Some studies have shown that by exercising each day, workers are more productive and have better time management skills. With this being possible, it is important to schedule time for yourself each day. Even if it is only a half hour spent walking the neighborhood or reading a book, it will likely help your overall time management outlook. Be sure to schedule personal time when you are most likely to be focused on just yourself. Trying to read a book right before a huge deadline is not likely the best time. You will probably be stressing over the deadline and getting very little quality personal time in.