4 Time-Management Tips for Decreasing Your Stress

Do you feel that there are never enough hours in a day to get everything done?

Is this resulting in increased pressure and stress in your daily life?

If so, implementing some time-management tips can be beneficial in reducing the stress you are experiencing.

1. Determine Time That is Being Wasted

• One of the most important things you first need to do in learning to manage your time, is to figure out how you are wasting it.

• Are you watching too much television, spending too much time socializing on the phone, or doing unproductive things on the computer?

• Figure out what you want to keep on doing, and what you are willing to stop doing in order to gain more time.

2. Plan Your Time

• People who don't plan their time end up losing or wasting a lot of it.

• You don't need to schedule every minute of your day and week, but you should write down the things that you need and want to get done.

• A simple way is to spend every Sunday evening reviewing your home calendar and adding in things you need to get done in the upcoming week.

• For example, you may want to schedule in when you plan to go grocery shopping that week, when you plan to take your children to the zoo, and so forth.

• You should also plan your week at work. It can be helpful to review your work calendar at the end of the day or work week in order to plan what you will do when you return there next.

3. Delegate Tasks

• Stop trying to do everything by yourself.

• Determine what tasks can be passed on to others, and what absolutely has to be done by you.

• If you can afford it, hire a housecleaner or someone who can run personal errands for you.

• If you are a perfectionist, set clear expectations and train your delegates to do things the way you have asked. If delegation of tasks involves children, be realistic in your expectations of their capabilities for their given ages.

4. Work Within Allotted Time Limits

• When you do not specify times within which to complete tasks, you end up wasting a lot of time. • Instead, if there is something you need to get done, it is better to set a deadline to strive for. This can then keep you motivated, and ensure that you are using your time most effectively.

• If you do not reach your deadline, you can always adjust it accordingly later. However, realize that you have probably already accomplished more than you would have had you not established the first deadline.

To sum up, an important way to reduce stress in your life is to learn some time-management skills.

Applying the ones mentioned above can start you on your journey to a life with less stress and more time for what you want and need to get done.