3 Tips to Better Manage Your Time
For some reason over the last couple of days I’ve had a lot of questions from people about time management. I’m no pro on this subject, but I thought it would be a good idea today to share a few things that I do that I’ve found to be helpful in managing my time.
Actually, I wrote another post about this topic a long time ago (3 Tips to Optimize Your Time) which was more about not wasting time, but today I want to approach it from a different angle.
Time management really is an important issue. How many times have you heard someone say (including yourself), “I wish I had more hours in a day!” I admit, I’m guilty of saying it as well! Well, we know we can’t get extra hours, so here are some tips on how to make the most out of the hours that you have.
Have a List of Priorities
Each morning I take a few minutes and write out the things that I feel I need to get done that day. In fact, sometimes I make the list the night before and then revise it that morning. Either way the idea is to write out the important things you need to get done.
The next step is to prioritize that list. For the most important items put a ‘1′ next to them. These are the most important items. It may just be one thing, or you may have 2-3 first priorities. Then number the second priorities with a ‘2′, third priorities with a ‘3′, etc.
Be careful not to mark everything as a ‘1′ and ‘2′. Part of this is being able to tell what really are the most important things. Then, try to go through that list by order of priority. This will help you to ge the most important things done first. If anything really important didn’t get done, assign it to another day in the week.
There are always lots of things calling for our time. So being able to set priorities can really help you feel like you got more done that day.
Wear Certain ‘Hats’ on Certain Days
In the world of website marketing, there are a lot of different hats that you’ll have to wear. You will be working on the website, doing marketing, possibly doing the accounting and other stuff as well.
I find that it helps to select which hat or hats you’re going to wear each day. I’ve also found that personally I do best when i assign the same hats to the same days each week. Here’s an example (not what I currently do, but just an idea):
- Monday: Blogging and Blog related SEO
- Tuesday: Accounting (input bills and receipts) & site maintenance
- Wednesday: Articles (SEO) and site updates
- etc.
Try something like this. Only do certain types of tasks on certain days. If you try to wear every hat every day you’ll find that you’re trying to get too much done in one day.
RELAX!
I find that a lot of us are too hard on ourselves. It seems like society encourages us to be stressed out workaholics. And again, I have to admit that I’m somewhat guilty of this, too! So it’s important to not take everything so seriously that you’re stressed out all of the time.
If something doesn’t get done on a particular day, it’s ok! Just reassign it to the next day and move on. Your goal each day is to do the best you can with the time you have.
Life will happen. You’ll have things come up that demand your time. This is where your time management is really put to the test. But if you’re dedicated to what your goals are, you’ll find a way to still make at least something happen.
I hope those tips help. If you have some that you’d like to share, feel free to leave a comment! There are a lot of great systems and ideas out there about time management, so I’d love to hear some of your ideas!
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I would like to add RescueTime to the list. It is a tool that monitors your web and desktop application usage and tells you how many hours you spend using each app. By seeing where you spend your time every day and comparing the numbers it to your performance, you can determine whether or not you are allocating your scarcest resource properly. Definitely give it a try. It has changed the way I work.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
That sounds like a really cool tool! For anyone interested, its RescueTime.com. It’s a free tool. I may have to check this one out!
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As a full time work at home entrepreneur, wife and mother time management is something I have to master. Thanks for the tips as I am always looking for ways to be productive. I also wanted to share this video by Eben Pagan who recently launched his time management system. From what I hear it is a great system. In this video he gives three great time management tips that can be implemented along with your tips.
http://www.wakeupproductiveblog.com/2008/09/time-mgmt.php
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Thanks for sharing the video!
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I’ve never heard of RescueTime - I’ll have to check it out. Lately, I’ve really been trying to keep moving, and really prioritize what I do. I just need to accept that sometimes, I cannot get to everything, and stick to the things that make the most sense. I find I have to work at it, as the things I “should” be doing, are not always the things that I want to do.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
The realization that I couldn’t get everything done in one day was a big step for me as well. Also by setting priorities I find I am much more productive.
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Jewelry Party Plans Reply:
November 18th, 2008 at 6:42 am
Hey I am also the person who always suffers time loss. How should I overcome to this problem?
I am really in need of a good advice.
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Dan Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 7:13 am
Try different plans and see what works. I find that on those days that I don’t have a plan I get less and less done. So develop a to do list or some other type of time management plan and give it a shot. If it doesn’t work, try something else!
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I tend to hire someone to do the easier jobs, but it sucks because they can not do it aswell as I can, so i speard out my work through out the day. I feel like if you do something one day, than another the next will make you lose time.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
That’s another great way to manage your time, outsource the jobs that can be done by someone else to free yourself up. Nice tip!
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¡Hi!
Hola, saludos desde Guayaquil - Ecuador - Sudamerica en:
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Un abrazo…
Victor.
Pd: Thanks to use “dofollow”, please visit my blog and commenting too.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Saludos desde los E.E.U.U.! Espero que todo esta bien alla en Ecuador!
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RescueTime sounds like an idea I need to try. I have my own relaxing/ time management skills I have used for years. Not that they all work now so maybe it’s a good time to try some new one’s. Thanks for the tip’s guy’s.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Yeah, one thing Ive found is that when something stops working it’s time to make a few changes. I know that sounds obvious, but I think we all still don’t do it from time to time.
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Amazing tip for time management better put it to practice soon.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Let me know how it goes for you!
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Time is money and time management is money management.
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Well put Jill, thanks!
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Wow nice tips, Is my first visit, I like all your blog, we meet
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Dan Reply:
October 30th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I’m glad you like it. Thanks for the comment!
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yeah ive learned that it really helps to have a little agenda ready in in my pocket, that way its always there, reminding me of the things i need to get done in an orderly fashion.
- jack
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Dan Reply:
October 31st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I agree jack. It helps me to know what is a priority and like you said, it’s always right there in front of you!
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Nice tips. I’ve always found that making a task list is essential and the idea of wearing a certain ‘hat’ on each day is a very good one. It’s very easy to waste time online jumping from one thing to another without ever focusing on and completing one task.
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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
It amazes me sometimes how easy it is to just waste time online. It takes an extra level of concentration to really be productive
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That’s a great way of prioritising your time, particularly when you write the list the day before, so when you get up in the morning you already know what you have to do. One thing I still find difficult is being realistic with goals v time, which leads to frustration because you don’t get as much done as you wanted. If you set a realistic goal in the first place and you achieve it or better, your left with a positive feeling at the end of the day.
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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I think that being realistic comes with time. As you get more familiar with what you’re doing you start to realize how long things take. But I agree, it is frustrating when I don’t get much done because I didn’t plan right!
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Your tips are very interesting but also very stressing. plus to apply what you suggest you need to consider blogging as a job. i have a job and i work all day. when i come home i write and take care of my blog. it is tiring and time consuming but i do happily because i like it. i can not imagine to do all the stuff you suggest anyway. dont take me wrong. if you want to success you have to do it but wow! it is hard stuff. thanks for your article
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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Well, I suppose that’s where you have to do what works best for you and your schedule. I do what I can with my time, and I figure everyone else should do the same. Just make the most of the time that you have.
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Wearing certain ‘Hats’ on certain days is really effective and a very practical approach for me especially when I have so many things to accomplish. When we are faced with numerous tasks daily, it is indeed wise to allocate some task in other days.
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Dan Reply:
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I really have found it to be one of the best ways of doing things. I hope that suggestion helps!
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I also have some blogs similar to time management on my site and I guess we have similar ways of managing time better
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Dan Reply:
November 4th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Do you have any additional tips you’d like to share?
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Shabbir Bhimani Reply:
November 6th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Check out the following link for some of the posts in Time Management.
http://www.mbaguys.net/blog.php?blogcategoryid=10
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Good idea with the “hats”. I’ve never thought of it that way, but I do know that I waste more time by trying to get a little bit of everything done all in the same day. Thanks for the tips! I used to write lists when I was little (eat breakfast, do hair, do homework) and I though they were silly, but looking back they really helped me get things done.
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Dan Reply:
November 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am
With a list like that it could be crazy long! LOL.
Try the hats idea and let me know how it goes for you!
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Great tips! I am in great need of organizing my time. I spend way to much thinking about the tasks to be done and not enough doing them lol
Thanks
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Dan Reply:
November 6th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I know what you mean! Sometimes it takes a minute to realize it, but in the end you just have to act.
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THX for this good hints. I hope I can follow some of this. So I can hopefully save some minutes per day.
Great articel
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Dan Reply:
November 6th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
These ideas are pretty easy to implement, you just have to want to do it. Let me know how it goes!
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You are right about something “a lot of us are too hard on ourselves. It seems like society encourages us to be stressed out workaholics. And again, I have to admit that I’m somewhat guilty of this, too! So it’s important to not take everything so seriously that you’re stressed out all of the time.”
I am guilty of this too. I love what I do, and I keep forgetting that life is not only work. So, I think that I should reconsider my priorities and add on the list - relaxing, free time, enjoying reading a book or watching a movie with friends. Time never returns!
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Dan Reply:
November 11th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Very true! I think we all need to constantly look at what we’re doing and make sure that we are at least somewhat balanced, even though that is different for everybody.
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The best step you can take to managing your time is to delegate whatever tasks you can to someone else and then prioritize the others.
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Dan Reply:
November 12th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Yeah, that is a great way to go. That’s why I think eventually everyone has to look at outsourcing certain tasks if you don’t have anyone that works for you.
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I think time management starts with your “can do attitude”. I find that if I approach my tasks with a positive attitude, I am able to accomplish more.
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Dan Reply:
November 12th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
I think that’s a great tip as well! If you aren’t positive you won’t get much done!
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I have a trick. It´s good to write list, but sometimes you make the mistake of only writing down “big things” to do, and you forget all the small, but important stuff. I write detailed lists so I don´t forget. It feels great when I have achived to do 20 things on the list in one day.
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Dan Reply:
November 14th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Those are good days for sure! I also like to include small things on my list that just take a minute or two to finish up. Helps me feel like I got stuff done.
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Wow great information. Really makes me think about how I’m managing my time and how I can implement these tips for my own life.
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Dan Reply:
November 14th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Well, I hope they really do help. I think we all need to make adjustments from time to time.
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You really get some energy out of feeling that you have accomplished something. On the other hand nothing is more depressing than the feeling of running around in circles, not getting anything done properly.
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Dan Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 7:14 am
I know both of those feelings all too well
I think we all can work on better managing our time, and in the end we’ll feel better for it anyway!
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I too think that fixing priorities help to divide time well & to devote fixed time to each task saves effort, time & makes things more manageable.
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Dan Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Do you have any specific tips that you’d like to share?
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I am one of those that needs to go to Stressed Out Workaholics Anonymous! Man, do I need to slow down a little.
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Dan Reply:
November 24th, 2008 at 7:15 am
LOL, let me know if you find a group like that, I’ll want to know if they have meetings in my area
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Great tips. As a small business owner and adviser to other small business owners, time management is an important issue to constantly be working on. If not careful it can get away from you fast. Making sure to implement these tips and periodically checking yourself on them can really help save a lot of time.
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Dan Reply:
November 25th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Do you have any other tips that you share with your own clients?
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Staying organized is key to running a small business-there is no other way to lead others than to stay on top of the tasks ahead.
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Dan Reply:
December 17th, 2008 at 11:50 am
I couldn’t agree more. If you’re all over the place an unorganized things won’t more forward like you want.
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You get a stumble from me, very good tips here. I have my days where I try to wear so many hats I get NOTHING done. Exactly. Spot on.
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Dan Reply:
December 17th, 2008 at 11:50 am
Thanks for the stumble
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Like this discussion! It´s really terrible when you realize how much time to have wasted on trying to plan everything that you have to do. I really need to shape up my time management for next year.
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Dan Reply:
December 30th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Time management is one of my big goals for the next year as well. I hope you have a great 2009!
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Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful and beneficial to your readers
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What´s better than starting a new year in a great way… I decided that 2009 would be the year when I avoided all kinds of stress, by managing my time better. It´s going really well and I´m much more relaxed
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ohhh man! this is such a problem to me….I really Need to manage better my time. I am one of those who wastes precious time in stupid things.
I will follow your daily guidelines to see if I can do it better.
Thanks1
Alex.
online web stores
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Oh man, multi-tasking is a huge part of staying organized when you are really busy. So far I’m doing well with the juggling, lol!
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