Let’s Master Your Day and talk about Time Management!
If you are self-employed, a freelancer or even just work from home, you have been exposed to the many distractions that showcase themselves when you are working from your home office.
So, how do you ensure that you ensure that your day is productive and you get through those to do lists?
I would also like to take a moment to say that if you end up having a non-productive work day in your home office, do not continue to beat yourself up over it. The hoovering may need to have been done. You may have needed time to recharge (which is often when you aren’t as motivated to work as usual).
We are only human after all!
Do you start the day with a plan?
By taking the first 20-30 minutes each morning to plan the day, you can keep yourself accountable. When you have a set plan and goal for the day you can also use your time more wisely. This will allow you to divide up your day according to your set goals. When you have an initial plan you become more focused and this allows you to be more productive.
How many plates are you juggling?
When you look at your never-ending to-do list do you notice that it seems endless… When you plan your day choose the top 3 necessary things that you need to complete. Then choose 2 that you would like to get done if the day allows. Your to-do list doesn’t need to be endless, by ensuring you are only focused on a maximum of 3 projects or tasks you will feel less overwhelmed. When you split your tasks this way, it allows you to be more realistic with your time management.
You know that the world isn’t perfect, right?
Distractions, a client issue, an appointment or a multitude of other things may cause your day to become disrupted. To battle these potential disruptions that could overthrow your busy day you can schedule in breaks to give yourself some wriggle room. The world isn’t perfect, and no one expects your day to be either!
Make yourself a safe zone to ensure better time management
Put up a do not disturb sign. turn off notifications and shut the door. Whatever makes the area you are working in primed for productivity. A social media notification can take 15 minutes out of your day from the initial ping. So when you then get back to the task it initially distracted you from. Make yourself and your work a priority. When you do this, your time management will improve exponentially.
Feeling low?
When you are feeling low in your day you can look to gather motivation and gain your productivity back. You can do this by listening to or reading something that inspires you. Just a few quotes may work, but it’s also ok to make a cup of tea and listen to a podcast.
Time management isn’t an exact science. But these few simple habits that can be implemented within your day can give you a boost in productivity. If you take the time to ensure you have a plan for your day, reduce your to do lit into manageable chunks, you will be amazed at how much more you get done.
But remember, the world isn’t perfect. So take the rough with the smooth and allow yourself to deal with distractions and then just stop, reset and start again.
If you would like to have a conversation about how to manage you day then don’t hesitate to get in contact! https://rkvirtualassistance.com/contact/
Have a look at some of the services offered by R K Virtual Assistance to give you time back within your day! https://rkvirtualassistance.com/services/pa-services/
If you wish to look further into how you utilise time within your day you can check out this TED Talk on “How to gain control of your free time” https://www.ted.com/talks/laura_vanderkam_how_to_gain_control_of_your_free_time
