Although not specifically about money this article is a good tie in, especially if you’re side hustling. I don’t know about y’all, but I have a tough time balancing everyday stuff with side hustles so this is definitely a good read for me. Shin
By Rachel Foxwell, The Latte Budget
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Do you ever think of how much you could accomplish if time weren’t a limiting factor? We all have just the same amount of time available to use in a day. But are we being as diligent about our time as we could be?
Prioritizing your time isn’t easy, especially when you’re under the pressure of a deadline. But taking the time now to prioritize how you will spend your time will save you a load of time in the future.
Here are 8 tips to help you better prioritize your time.
1. Begin each day by creating a to-do list
Before you jump into your email inbox or social media, take a few minutes to create a list of everything you want to accomplish that day.
While it can be tempting to dive right into work, without a to-do list, you aren’t prioritizing anything and you aren’t making the best use of your time. Creating a list gives you direction and allows you to proceed in your day being organized and effective.
2. Remove all distractions
Every moment, we are surrounded by dozens of distractions. Especially with technology, we are notified the second a new text, email, or even Facebook update happens.
All of these distractions interrupt your concentration and make you less productive overall. While many may claim they are “multitasking,” constantly jumping from one task to the next is not productive.
While working on a task, put your phone away and turn off email notifications that might tempt you to jump to another task. Personally, I find it effective to check my email once an hour to scan for anything urgent that may have come up. If nothing is urgent, I can then put it on tomorrow’s to-do list.
3. Give yourself frequent breaks
Most of us are guilty of not taking enough real breaks during the day.
Taking a few minutes to walk around, stretch, or get more water can enhance your productivity greatly. Working 8 hours (or more) a day without a break is damaging and limits what we can accomplish. While many people believe that taking a break interrupts their day, there are so many ways you can incorporate a break without sacrificing your train of thought.
Commit to taking at least one short break an hour. If you can’t do that, make it a priority to take a longer break after you finish a task or meeting. Remember, checking your phone and social media does not count as a break!
4. Focus on high-value tasks first
This may sound obvious, but when you’re overwhelmed by the amount of projects at hand, it’s tempting to start with the easiest and least pressing task first.
Instead, prioritize the tasks that have the most value. For example, is your boss waiting on a report from you? Are you needing to call customers back? Tasks that involve other people are typically more high priority than tasks only concerning you.
5. Be flexible
When you have a to-do list, one of the most frustrating and counterproductive things is to be interrupted.
Can you think of a day when you weren’t interrupted by anyone? A day like that is rare. So, instead of becoming frustrated with interruptions, plan for them by allowing some wiggle room in your schedule for the day.
6. Take control of your time
When you work in any sort of collaborative environment, people will come to expect a lot out of you. It can be easy to let others dictate your tasks and schedule or to take on more than you can handle.
Instead, be honest with others and yourself. Let people know that if you don’t pick up the phone or answer an email right away that you will get back to them by the end of the day. Remember, it’s okay to say no when needed.
7. Create a to-do list method that works for you
It can be difficult to keep track of everything when you likely have multiple email accounts, planners, and time management systems. Figure out what to-do list method works for you to ensure you have everything in one place.
For me, I take a few minutes each morning to organize my day. I first create a list of things I know I need to get done. Then I check all of my email accounts to add anything pressing to my to-do list. I write everything down in my planner and cross it off as I go. Whatever your preferred method is, stick to it!
8. Take care of yourself outside of work
It makes it difficult to be productive when you haven’t had enough sleep or aren’t feeling well. Taking care of yourself is such an important piece of productivity advice, but it is often forgotten about.
When you’re busy, working out, eating fresh foods, and sleeping 7-8 hours a day are often pushed to the side. Doing this frequently is a very unhealthy habit and is making you less productive in the long-run.
Instead, give yourself only so much time to accomplish tasks. While some days might require a few extra hours of work, make it a point to accomplish everything within the standard work day. If you work a side hustle, dictate how much time you will dedicate to it.
While everyone says they are short on time, I think we tend to be short on focus instead. If we can do all of the steps above and truly focus on a task, we can accomplish a lot more than we think.
