Time Vampires - How to Recognize and Avoid Them

Time Vampires

Are just exactly what they sound like... things that will suck the life out of your time management plan. They can, and will, sneak up on you if you're not paying attention.

In this article I'm going to teach you about time vampires... specifically how to recognize and avoid them.

Television

I am not a TV watcher, I never have been but I do have a TV in my kitchen, and I'll turn it on while I'm cooking. I personally usually turn it on the Weather channel but more and more here recently I let my daughter turn it on NCIS. This was not a good thing because I kind of got used to watching TV... okay I got addicted... but only to this one show.

So, while I was cooking I would turn on the TV and start watching this show. The time vampire part comes in because even if it only took me 40 minutes to cook, of course, I had to watch the rest of the 20 minutes and if it was a two-parter... which it always seemed to be when I was watching... then I was really sucked in.

Now that's not always bad but, for the most part, I really don't have time to watch two hours of TV. So I have to be real careful and if I really don't have time to watch I just won't turn that show on.

After all, it's pretty easy to walk away from the Weather Channel if needed.

Email

Another time vampire, for I think most of us, is email. It's become such a problem in my own life that I spent a large portion of the day yesterday unsubscribing to a lot of people. These were people who I had subscribed to for a reason.

The problem was that my life got more and more focused. I realized I just didn't have the time to open these 10 emails each day. Even if I spent only five minutes on each one that would add up to almost an hour a day that I could spend with my daughter or on a hobby. I knew this so I just didn't open them. Unfortunately, that caused a clog in my email and once every 2 or 3 months I'd have to go through and erase them all.

I've recently gotten serious about singing and I'd rather spend that 50 minutes a day singing instead of going through emails.

That's really the crux of it is to think about whether you want to spend time on this time vampire or spend it on something else because you only have so much time and once it's gone... it's gone.

Indecision

One last time vampire I want to talk about and that's indecision. It can sometimes be paralyzing in that you don't know what to do next. You have three things you need to do and you just can't decide which to do so you take off and do something else.

Avoid These Time Vampires

By conscious effort. Give each of these time vampires the proverbial stake-in-the-heart. That's the only thing that will work.

Don't turn on the TV.

Only sign into your email account once or twice per day and then do so with a time limit.

Have a to do list (that may or may not include time for watching TV and checking email).

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas.

Time Management Course - How to Efficiently Manage Your Time

Time is the single most valuable asset for anyone on this planet. It waits for no one and paces on ahead leaving you behind unless you know how to make the best out of it. So no matter what occupation you are in, you need to study effective time management to climb up the success ladder. Many people tend to think that working long hours will make them more productive and successful, but this is far from the truth. It only leaves you tired and stressed out making you incapable for the next day's work. So, if you feel that you need to learn how to use the precious seconds efficiently, then enroll for a good time management course which will teach you to do just that.

Wasting your precious time is like wasting away your life. One of the first things that you will learn at a management course is how to prioritize your tasks. It is very important to sort out what needs to be done first and what can wait for the last. A little thought at your activities of the day will help you sort out what needs to be finished quickly and eliminate all unnecessary activities that take a lot of time and do not yield any results. Personal time management is equally important as this helps you to get to work on time and also manage your professional and personal life better.

At work, time management means that you get more hours to spend to focus on things that are really important. If you work in the upper echelons of a company, then having more minutes can help you interact and bond better with your team members and subordinates. This can greatly help to boost morale and confidence which will only help to generate more work and hence more success. You also get time to focus on your career-related goals and work towards achieving these in the right manner. It is important that you get enrolled in a reputed time management course and not any mediocre ones which have nothing new to teach you.

Such training programs use a combination of seminars, conferences, class room training, debates and also worksheets to help you manage your time effectively. A productive day spent in office also means that you get more time in your personal life with your family and loved ones which only encourages you to work better the next day. Searching online is one of the best ways by which you can find a good time management course to utilize the ticking away seconds effectively.

Prioritizing your activities and learning to manage time effectively can help you both in your personal and professional life. For this, it is important that you learn how to use your hours efficiently and get maximum work done; these are the things that are focused on in a time management course. To know the best courses available in your location, visit http://www.icml.com.au/

How to Prioritize Your Workload So You Can Accomplish As Much As Possible

Too often we make our to do list and, with all the best intentions of just whipping out our trusted pencil and crossing off item after item, we start with the simplest thing because, after all, we can get that done quickly and that's our goal, right? Then we start on the next simplest thing... and on and on.

We may get a lot done, but did we get the right things done? Did we get done the things that will most impact our lives? Isn't that what we're trying to achieve?

In this article I'm going to teach you how to prioritize your workload so you can accomplish as much as possible. This is an essential component in any time management plan.

First,

Have an overall plan. This will include all tasks, both large and small, that you need to complete during your selected time period whether that's over the next week, month, or year.

For most of us, that's going to be a weekly plan. We're just trying to live through soccer season with the twice weekly practices followed by the weekly games.

(I know, as soon as that season is over, another activity kicks in and you have a whole different schedule.)

Second,

With your master to-do list see if you can fashion some kind of workable schedule out of all the tasks you've listed. Literally filling in the spaces in a planner will enable you to see exactly where each task fits best based on what's going on around it.

This will allow you to spread out the tasks that are going to require more time and effort so that you don't end up with several big projects to do on a Friday. Or, alternately, so you don't burn yourself out on Monday or Tuesday thereby making yourself less productive the rest of the week simply because you panicked about getting everything done and run yourself ragged.

Done correctly, you should be able to clearly see where you can interweave big projects with small projects so that your overall day is comprised of larger tasks alternated with smaller ones. This will greatly increase your productivity level while simultaneously decreasing your stress level.

You will get more done and be a happier healthier person while doing it for the simple reason that you're not all stressed out.

So there you have it. We've covered the two steps needed for you to learn how to prioritize you workload so you can accomplish as much as possible.

Now, go be productive.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

Need to Be More Productive? Follow These 5 Tips

Chances are you've complained that there are "only" 24 hours in a day. Between work, your spouse, the kids, and all of your responsibilities around the house, making the most out of those 24 hours is crucial. If you're like most people, your productivity could use a boost.

So, how do you do it?

Follow these 5 tips. They can help you get more done without feeling like you're running around like a chicken with your head cut off!

1. Get up earlier.

This is probably the last thing you want to hear, but being rushed in the morning sets the tone for the entire day - and it's not a good tone. If you currently go running out of bed and into the shower, then out the door with coffee in hand, you're just unnecessarily stressing yourself out. By getting up an hour earlier, you can give your brain a chance to wake up and prioritize the rest of your day - without being rushed.

2. Never multi-task.

Some people brag about their ability to multi-task, but how focused can they really be on six different things at once? If you really want to be productive, focus on one task at a time. That way, you can give you full attention to it - which increases your chances of doing it well. By focusing on one thing at a time, you'll start to notice you actually get things done much faster.

3. Avoid "Smartphone Syndrome".

With all of those apps, social networking shortcuts, emails, and games, is it any wonder that most people are completely fascinated by their smartphones? However, all of the tapping, texting, and browsing you're doing is getting in the way of the rest of your day.

If you really want to be productive, turn off your smartphone and check it on your lunch break. Don't worry... that witty email from your buddy or that funny comment on your Facebook wall will still be there.

4. Hire a virtual assistant.

It may sound like something a celebrity would get, but virtual assistants are easy to find and inexpensive to have. By outsourcing menial tasks, you can focus on the more important issues that require your personal attention.

There are plenty of VA companies out there. Or, you can head to websites like Fiverr to find people who are willing to do easy work for low prices.

5. Give time wasters the heave-ho.

Every office has one - the guy who spends most of his day going from desk to desk, shooting the breeze. Sure, having social interaction is a great way to keep your sanity during the work day, but having too much of it can be a bad thing. If you get distracted by conversations, you're never going to get your work done - and you'll only wind up getting more stressed out.

So, what do you do? Politely tell your office time-wasters that you'd love to catch up later - as soon as you finish your current project. If you want, you can spend your lunch hour chit-chatting with co-workers. If you're consistently polite, you won't have to worry about hurting anyone's feelings - and you won't have to worry about getting distracted from your work.

Tony Mase is a serious student of the works of Wallace D. Wattles and the publisher of the "A Powerful Life: The Lost Writings of Wallace D. Wattles" ebook that includes "Time" by Wallace D. Wattles along with twenty-four other rare books and articles by Wallace D. Wattles. Grab your copy now at: http://www.wallacedwattles.com/

Time Management Techniques - How to Say No Without Feeling Guilty

One of the Best Time Management Techniques

A person can implement is to just say "No." Unfortunately, one of the hardest things for a person to do is...you guessed it... just say "No." One of the biggest reasons is because, in many people, that word conjures up nearly unmanageable feelings of guilt.

If you fall into that category then this article was written for you with the express purpose of simplifying your life, improving your life, and reclaiming some of the time appropriated from you by people who know you as a person who can't say that two letter word.

When you finish this article you will have learned how to say "No" without feeling guilty.

First, Think About Guilt

It's simply the feeling that you are declining to do something you feel you should do. But why do you feel you should do the task? Is it because no one else can/will do it? Is it because you are one of those people who feel you should do everything that's asked of you? Really think about this. Search deep for the reason you feel the need to say "Yes" to things you don't want to do.

Second, Realize What That Yes Means

And that you only have so much time in a day. Therefore, a "Yes" here means an automatic "No" somewhere else. Will that be aimed at your spouse or child? That should give you incentive to learn to say "No" to someone else.

In the beginning when you're trying to get away from agreeing to do things you don't want to do purposely plan something with your spouse or child for the exact same time that someone wants you to do whatever it is you'd like to say "No" to and eventually it will be easier for that word to spring forth from your mouth.

For instance, say a friend asks you to do something on Thursday night at 8 pm. Immediately think of something else you'd like to do with someone else you'd like to do it with and then make the mental plan to do that thing. An example may be read a bedtime story to your child. If you'd really rather be reading to your child at that time then you just made the time to do that.

Another great way to make it easier to say "No" is to have someone...say, a friend...who is pretty much always available for...oh, we'll say coffee and chatting. Have this agreement that whenever someone asks you to do something you don't want to do she'll meet you for coffee. Now you should have no problem saying "No" because there's something you'd really rather be doing.

Are you ready to begin managing your time better? Download my free ebook about Time Management for some wonderful ideas.

Time Management and Students: Best Practices

The relationship between time management and students is a tenuous one at best. Ask pretty much any student about their time management plan, and I would bet that the majority of the time you'd get rolling eyes and a belly laugh, followed by a "Yeah right, I'd love to have some time to manage"!

While everyone knows they need to get better at managing their time few seem to actually have the time to devote to creating even a short-term plan. Instead, they run around just surviving (sometimes barely) always meaning to do better tomorrow or next week.

Sound familiar?

There is a concept called best practice which is a way of doing things using some technique that can be relied upon to provide superior results as compared to results achieved by other means. Translated...it's the way to go to get to where you want to be in life. It really is simple...figure out what works and do it. It works for companies and it'll work for you.

What are some of the best practices of time management and students?

· Don't Neglect Your Family- They are, after all, what you're working for. When you can't spend time with them right now make future plans. It will give everyone something to look forward to.

· Make Time for Studying- Part of our self-esteem comes from how we perform in areas such as academics. We identify ourselves to a large degree by our performance (e.g., GPA, Honor Societies) and it just feels better when we do at least adequate in our classes.

· Save Time to Make Time- When you unexpectedly save time somewhere don't just waste it. Use it for spending time with your child or spouse. An example may be there are leftovers for dinner so you will save that time you would normally be cooking thereby making time for family.

· Allow Yourself to Recharge- Sometimes enough is enough. Sometimes you just can't do anymore. When I was a senior in college I had this one class that just whipped my butt. The previous week I'd had a rough week with midterms in my other 3 classes and the bad class's one was coming up on Monday. On Sunday morning I woke at about 7:00 am and began reading. I was beyond exhausted and only studied about half an hour before I laid over on the couch and slept for 2 hours. I woke up studied for about half an hour and fell asleep for 3 hours. I woke up studied for another half an hour and fell asleep for 4 hours. I went to sleep early that night, slept all night and woke the next morning feeling somewhat refreshed. The strange thing was that I did just as well on that midterm as if I'd studied as much as I'd been planning to. It really hit home how I'd run myself down. I never did it again to that extent even though I've pulled many all-nighters since then. It's a different story when it's a short-term situation.

There you have a short list of some of what I'd consider best practices for students where time management is concerned.

Download my free ebook about Time Management and Students where you'll find ideas for time management in several crucial areas where we all struggle. Also visit me at There Must Be A Better Way

Time Management on the Job - How to Be More Productive at Work

Time management is a skill you can improve. To improve your time management skills, you need to know what to focus on, and how to focus.

Here are ten ways you can use to improve your time management skills over time:

Work on the high ROI stuff. Apply Pareto's Principle (The "80/20 Rule"). Work on the 20% of activities that produce the 80% of your results. For example, rather than just do a lot of tasks just because they are easy to do, ask yourself, "What do I want to accomplish?" Chances are you can find smarter or better plays, with more leverage or more impact. Trade-up, and do less to accomplish more.
Team up. Pair up with other people and improve your own effectiveness. Ask yourself, "Who can I team up with to get results? How can I build more effective teams? Who should be paired up on the team for best results?" By pairing up, you create a team of capabilities and you can amplify your results. This can also help you get over your own personal bottlenecks, by finding complimentary skills. Worst case, you can make common chores, more fun.
Create clarity. Ask yourself, "Who, what, when, where, why, how?" Having clarity of mind makes it easy to focus on what's important. It also makes it easy to know where you are in the process. The bottom line is, clarity saves you time.
Clear your mind. Carry a small pad for tasks, notes and ideas. When you declutter your mind, you make it easier to act on your ideas, and you have more of your attention available to focus where it counts.
Don't dwell on the past. Catch the next train. Keep your trains leaving the station. When you miss one, don't hold your train back. Instead, catch the next one.
Learn how to scan. Find and focus on what's important faster. By scanning before drilling, you can figure out where to invest more of your time. You can also avoid spending too much time following dead end trails.
Make minor decisions quickly. Don't spend $20 on a $5 problem. Decisions take energy. If you over-invest in small decisions, then you waste your time and energy.
Periodically evaluate how you're using your time. Remember that time changes what's important. Your current schedule may be a slave to your past priorities, or may conflict with your current goals.
Give yourself less time for things. Remember Parkinson's Law - Work expands to fill the time available to completion. To waste less time, give yourself less time.
Use The Rule of Three. Use The Rule of Three to avoid getting overwhelmed. Limit yourself to three things and think in threes. For example, identify three wins to focus on for the day, or three wins to focus on for the week. Use these three wins to improve your focus and create compelling results.

You can apply these tips on a regular basis. One simple way is to keep asking yourself, are you working on the right things, at the right time, with the right energy, the right way. It's an easy way to find opportunities to improve your time management skills while you apply the ideas above. Remember that, a little daily improvement, will quickly add up over time.

About the Author

J.D. Meier created the time management system, Getting Results the Agile Way, which is a simple system for meaningful results. You can take Getting Results the Agile Way for a test-drive by checking out the free time management training system, 30 Day Boot Camp for Getting Results.