Time management is a skill that most people have to learn by the nature of the circumstances they find themselves in. This has its own set of problems in that the skills picked up have not matured to their full potential and bad habits keep coming back. Spending some quality time getting information about how to improve your time management skills has benefits way beyond anyone’s’ comprehension. Some of these benefits include but are not limited to increased productivity, absence of procrastination, more time to relax, and an increase in time to accomplish tasks.

In the sections that follow we look at some skills for better time management.

1. List down tasks to be accomplished

It is always advisable to write down as many tasks as you can. You should always carry a notebook with you at all times. Making a simple to-do list is very beneficial to every Tom, Dick and Harry since you get to know what you are supposed to do next thus getting you well prepared for the task ahead hence spending less time on it and avoiding procrastination. You should however avoid writing a list that is too long and will bug you down. Simple, achievable lists are the best way of doing this.

2. Make good use of free time

You should put extra time into use. This extra time is the time you spend doing things such as driving, riding the subway, showering or walking. These are very good time to plan and get the goals for the day into focus. You should also take this time to prioritize the goals.

3. Reward yourself

When you have finally accomplished something important take some time to reward yourself. This can be done by setting significant goals or milestones for the day and as soon as you have reached a set target, you give something to yourself in return. This can be a little time off from the task or even buying yourself a snack.

4. One thing at a time

A person is able to work better when they are focused on the task at hand. Trying to do multiple tasks at a time is actually very disastrous and significantly reduces your productivity. It is recommended to focus on one task at a time and get it done completely. However, in situations where multitasking seems to be the better route, which is not very common, you should go ahead with it.

5. Delegate tasks wherever you can

Sometimes, you may take on more work than you can handle. This results in more work and a load of stress for you in the end. It may happen sometimes when you overestimate how much you can accomplish. Wherever you find yourself in such situations, do not feel guilty about sharing some of that workload with someone else.

6. Set long term goals

In the daily hustle and bustle of life, we may lose track of our goals. Setting long term goals and having them somewhere handy will help you visualize your long term goals and be able to optimize current targets in order to align them with your long term goals. Make sure everything you do has a long-term effect in terms of achieving your goals. The long term goals should be revised from time to time in order to stay on track.

7. Avoid working too much

When you demand too many tasks out of your body and mind, a situation known as burnout occurs. This makes your body too tired and unproductive. Do not stretch the limits of your abilities to extreme ends. Make sure you set time to carry out important duties but always remember to also set aside some time for relaxing and reflecting upon your life and goals. This is one way in which you can gain confidence in yourself and in turn lead to a higher productivity.

8. Work with other people

Although delegating responsibilities may seem like a bad idea for some people, it is a very valuable way of increasing the productivity of the team involved. You should make sure the other people know what you are trying to achieve and the part played by everyone in the group. This works best with open and free communication. Giving tasks to those who are good at them will ensure that things get done in a shorter time.

Anyone who possesses good time management skills gets more out of life than others.  Try to make use of the skills highlighted above and increase your productivity.