Finding More Time in the Day

Being able to accomplish all your goals in a day can be become a gruesome task at times. It seems your task list continues to grow and the hours in the day continue to decrease. The time has finally come to rearrange the method in how you prioritize your day so you can find enough time to finish all that is truly important for the day.

• Plan weekly. Look ahead to your week. Make check marks or highlight tasks that are imperative to be done on each day. Some appointments cannot be moved, keep those appointments in place. It is very difficult to rearrange your day when you have not looked at your schedule in advance to determine which appointments and tasks can be changed. While you are looking at the next day's schedule, keep in mind what you need to do when you get home. Preparing your dinner meal in advance or preparing your lunch for the next day the night prior can help you get yourself in the proper mindset when you get up in the morning.
• Plan daily. Take a good look at your tasks for the day. Some can be delayed in order to handle the higher priority tasks for the day. Many people want to finish tasks that could normally be pushed off a day or two since the higher priority task is usually more challenging or tedious to complete. It is only natural after all we tend to procrastinate on chores we do not want to deal with.
• Prioritize. Take the highest priority task and put that task in front of all the tasks. Tackle your toughest task when you have the most energy. If you are not a morning person, determine what time throughout your day you will have the most stamina to handle your job. Block out more time than you think you will need to complete your task. Finishing your job early will revitalize you and give you the extra push of adrenaline to continue your day on a positive note. Should you find that your task took a little longer than expected, you do not lose time out of your day since you had blocked out a longer block of time.
• Learn to delegate. If possible, delegate some tasks that can be handled by others. Keep in mind, if you want your job to be handled by someone else, clear instructions must be provided to eliminate wasted time re-doing the job due to poor instructions.
• Breaks are good. Take small breaks throughout your day. Take a brisk walk around the block or stand up and stretch for five minutes. Giving your mind a break will refresh your mind and body giving you more energy and less fatigue.

Remember, it is acceptable to say no when you do not have time help someone else. You too need to be able to finish your job on time. Keeping on track with your priorities will not only allow you to complete everything you need to do, but will also open up your day to do things you want to do.