In business, we often hear the saying that “time is money.” The adage usually means that one should do tasks as quickly as possible to get more done and thus make more money. But many also take it to mean that time is a finite and precious resource and should not be wasted!
But this mindset can be destructive to one’s well-being. It has affected many young people who comprise most of today’s workforce. Millennials are the world’s most stressed-out generation, struggling in working environments that encourage over-work and over-competitiveness. Employees pressured to achieve success no matter the cost can lead to physical, mental, and emotional burnout.
Perhaps it’s high time that we approached the aphorism differently. Time is precious, but we shouldn’t only use it to enrich ourselves financially. We should all aim to spend it as meaningfully as possible, doing things that matter to us personally. To achieve this, we need to strike a healthy balance between work and life so that there’s enough time each day for both. These time management tips can help.
1. Wake Up Earlier
Time is one of life’s greatest equalisers. We all get the same number of hours in a day. However, you have control over how you want to spend those hours. You can start by stopping hitting the snooze button on your alarm.
Sleeping past your alarm for another 15 minutes might seem insignificant at first. However, all that wasted time can add up over the long run. To make the most out of your day it’s best to get between six to eight hours of sleep and maintain a regular schedule. For one thing, it’s better for your health, helping you to wake up feeling refreshed instead of sluggish. You can use all that extra time on self-care activities such as working out, meditating, or even pursuing a side project or new hobby.
2. Make Yourself Comfortable
Comfort can play a big part in staying focused and productive during the day. People are not usually aware of it, but workers spend a lot of time making themselves comfortable at their desks, adjusting unwieldy seats, or getting up every so often for a drink or snack.
Minor distractions like these not only take up your time, but they also break your focus and make it more challenging to return to what you were doing. You should ensure you have everything before sitting down to work, whether your morning coffee or any necessary supplies for your tasks. You can also make your workstation more comfortable by investing in a laptop stand and an ergonomic chair cushion.
3. Use Tech to Your Advantage
One of the best benefits of living in the twenty-first century is having convenient access to effective time management tools and technologies that can make our work easier. From timekeeping software that lets you keep track of your hours to apps that remind you to take breaks to health check apps. There is no reason you should not use tech to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
You can minimise online distractions by using browser extensions to block access to popular social media sites for a set period. If you still need help focusing on your tasks, consider downloading a Pomodoro timer. Pomodoro timers are designed to break your work into 25-minute intervals to encourage short breaks between sessions.
4. Be Mindful of Your Own Time
Most people do not consciously schedule enough time for themselves. However, you can sharpen your focus and feel more mentally refreshed when you practise mindfulness in your free time.
What is mindfulness? It is the simple act of focusing your attention on the present moment. It can be as simple as savouring every bite of food at lunch instead of scrolling mindlessly on your phone as you eat. It could also be as easy as clearing your mind of work-related thoughts as soon as you step into the shower. It is a way of practising self-care that can lower your stress levels and give you more clarity at work, which can help you manage your time better at the office.
Managing your time is crucial to creating your ideal life. With these time management tips, it should be easier to have time for your professional and personal dreams.
Why not reach out to the experts here at Priority Management? We’re an organisation that boasts an effective customer service training programme, among other courses beneficial to the improvement and progress of organisations that operate in all sorts of industries and niches. Contact us today and let us know how we can assist you.