Life Management

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I really hate to be the author of a negative type article, but after having read numerous books on the subject and reviewed lots of programs, the reality is that many of the programs out there are not only not effective, they are a negative on your productivity.  This means they actually make you less productive than doing nothing or what you were doing before.  Now, I am not going to name names and am not slamming anyone because there are systems that may fall into these categories for some, yet be the holy grail for others.  Let’s explore some of the common shortcomings of time management programs.

1. They are too theoretical – Many systems tell you to focus on your goals and priorities and then every thing else will fall into place.  These are all great concepts but does prioritizing a list of things you need to do get them done?  These are great concepts but not necessarily big productivity boosters. I like thinking about goals and priorities but in and of itself, this activity is not a pure productivity strategy in my book.
2. They are too specific – What, you just said too theoretical is not great.  Yes I did, but productivity systems are like porridge, you need it just right.  Some are too specific.   Put you stapler here, don’t look at email until 9:32 am, and use this exact model planner or software package.  The reality is we all have different habits, work environments and needs.  You need to find the right combination of tweaks to your life to improve productivity.
3. They cost too much – There is no need to spend lots of money on software, gadgets, notebooks or planners to improve you productivity.  Simple tools that are readily available and cheap are just as good.  Put money into your business or learning new skills, there is no need to spend hundreds of dollars to be productive.
4. They are too complicated – If someone told you that to be productive you needed to learn a new language, sport or musical instrument you would say they were crazy, yet some productivity gurus systems are discussed in this manner.  After three months you will be starting to get it, after two years, you will be super good at it.  If you need help today, who has two years yet alone three months to learn something new to help them be productive.  In my view, if I can be more productive and free up time, I am going to learn a new musical instrument or do something that interests me.  So productivity does not need to be complicated.

Productivity systems should be almost immediately helpful, simple to implement and provide a benefit to you well in excess of the time spent “doing” the system.  While evaluating time management or productivity systems use this list as a guide to see if the system you are considering meets your own criteria and will perform for you.

Author of the Ultra Simple Guide to Time Management, a 10 page ebook on paper based productivity. It is available on the authors blog.Simple Time ManagementArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/time-management-articles/the-top-four-reasons-most-time-management-systems-fail-to-improve-productivity-1502098.html

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How you use your time is very crucial. You could waste time unneccessarily or have tons of down time by working quickly.

You should look at these tips if you need some tips with time management. However, the truth is, that there are no cookie-cutter rules for managing your time. It is perfectly okay if your friends’ strategies do not work for you.

When trying to perfect your time management skills think about these guidelines:

1. Shut your door and turn your phone off. You need to avoid distractions when you have a task that is very important. Your head will be more clear if you are sitting alone. If you are working on your computer, try not to go to social media websites like Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook since they will just waste your time.

2. Group common things together. When you get home, keep things that you use often , such as your keys and wallet, together. This way you will not have to waste valuable time looking for them the next time you are trying to leave the house.

3. Change your actions. You need to consciously change your behavior if you know that it is being counterproductive in your day.

- For instance, if you are always running late after lunch, set a timer so you can be back to work on time, for example.

4. Use fewer documents and keep them organized. You should not keep every email, memo, document, and file that comes across your desk, even though most of them are electronic.

- Get rid of what you do not need, organize what you need to keep in folders, and only keep things that you need at that time.

5. Make a timeline. If you are doing work or out having fun, estimate how long you will take to be engaged in that activity. If you are constantly aware of the time, you will not look at your watch and wonder where several hours went.

6. Act more, plan less. How many times do you catch yourself trying to figure out what you have to do? You will not move forward if you are just thinking about the future.

- Live in the moment by doing what needs to be done to finish your tasks.

7. Do not procrastinate. Many people have trouble with this. You will spend much more time thinking about a project when you are trying to avoid it than you would if you just did it right away.

- Stop making excuses for yourself and just do what needs to be done. Once you finish something that you didn’t want to do, you will feel so much better about yourself and you will want to take on another task.

8. Have goals. Every plan should have goals. It is much easier to keep track of your progress if you have goals outlined so you know what is done and what is still waiting for attention.

9. Give yourself a reward. When you do a good job, make sure that you give yourself a reward. If you know that there is a reward at the end of a task, you will be much less likely to procrastinate.

- You need to have some fun in your life.

10. Give yourself a break. You don’t want to be overworked and burnt out although discipline is important. When you give yourself a chance to take a break and relax, you will actually give your productivity a boost because your mind has a chance to reflect, rejuvenate, and repair itself subconsciously.

- Clear your mind by taking 10-minute breaks every hour.

A last bit of advice.

You need to find time management tips that work the best for you personally. That is the most important thing. Keep track of when you are wasting time the most and when you procrastinate.

Just be sure to keep taking steps in the right direction and you’ll soon conquer the time wasters that have kept you from success for far too long!

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/time-management-articles/time-management-exercises-10-tips-to-do-more-in-less-time-1502661.html

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