Introduction:
“Time and tide wait for none,” wastage of time is such a loss that cannot be resumed, and the time which has gone would never come back. Successful nations and personalities are those who always value their time and manage accordingly. As some people do not value time much and some cannot manage it effectively. Following are some important words that signify the value of “time” and guide you on how to make the best use of your present time:
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Each individual has been given a gift of equal time, each day without discrimination.
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As time never remains the same, similarly our perceptions regarding time change.
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Some people make “use” of time, others “payout” it, whereas some just “live” it.
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One of the widely used terms is “shortage of time.”
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There are some moments in a day when the mind and body are highly active and this time is a person’s “prime time” in which he can do his best.
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Work qualitatively rather than quantitatively.
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Time is more precious than money but people do not value its importance, it might be because they do not earn it.
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Check out how much time you waste on things that are less important to you in your daily routine.
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Tasks that you postponed today will require more effort and time on the next day and the day after tomorrow, respectively.
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Choose some “quiet time” from your day and spend this time with yourself.
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Try to make a “to-do list” and prioritize your tasks when you need to do several important tasks simultaneously.
What to Do to Use Your Time Wisely?
The following tips can be followed to make wise use of time:
Trace Your Daily Activities: Prior to developing an effective time management plan, you are first required to record and trace how you are currently passing your time daily. Keep data of your daily activities for many days.
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Note down what you do exactly at each point of the day and write how much time you spend on each activity.
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Look out for problems and pay attention to the "time wasters" that are consuming your free time.
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Adopt ways to improve your work so that you can consolidate some tasks in order to save more of your time.
A daily planner or a calendar can be a good method to track your time, or online resources like mobile applications can also be used.
Know Your Priorities: To manage your time effectively, it is essential to know the activities that might be causing issues. By taking an insight into how you spend your time each week, you will be able to identify areas where you lose a notable amount of time.
Some of the common time wasters are:
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Dealing with clutter and disorganization.
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Playing video games.
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Social media.
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Unnecessary interruptions from friends, family, or coworkers.
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Watching television.
Even if you are only spending a minimum of time on each of these affairs, it can add up to a lot of time. Over a period, even such small distractions can interfere with your ability to complete your tasks. By organizing how you actually want to pass your time, you would end up being more productive, would accomplish more, and would even have time left for your hobbies.
Set up a Schedule: The next step includes establishing a daily and weekly routine. Your daily timetable should be directed by your own needs and preferences.
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Give top priority to the important tasks. Initiate by jotting down the essential things that you must fulfill every day, like going to work or attending school.
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Add secondary tasks. After the priority work has been included in your schedule, start adding in the rest of the week with the other activities that you would like to do.
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Individualize your approach. Handle the most important task first, while paying attention to when you are the most productive.
Get Organized: Once you get a schedule made, the next is to get organized and stop wasting time searching for all that you need to succeed. For example, if you are a student, having all of your books, notes, writing tools, and other accessories and storing them in one place is helpful.
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Collect your required tools. Assure that you have all of the things you need.
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Arrange your work area. Select a comfortable place to work, free of distractions.
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Visualize your routine. Keep a wall calendar or print out a copy of your daily timetable in a visible place. Having clear reminders of the daily tasks can keep you on the go.
Avoid Multitasking: People usually prefer doing many things at once as they think that it would help them to get more work done. However, studies suggest that multitasking interferes with both productivity and performance. Multitasking is done in the following different ways:
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Doing more than one task simultaneously.
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Doing multiple things quickly back-to-back.
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Switching back and forth from one thing to another.
Studies found that having to constantly shift attention from one task to another diminishes one’s ability to perform quickly and consistently. Instead of trying to manage many things at the same time, try keeping aside time to focus on each task separately.
Keep Aside Time to Relax: You know what has been said about all work and no play. Assure to add a little time for leisure activities each week. Research claim that leisure activities can be essential for mental well-being. Many such activities, like exercising, taking part in sports, and socializing, have their own physical and mental health profits as well.
Reserve your rest and relaxation time for the end of the week to give yourself something to look forward to. Waiting until the end of the week allows you to accomplish the not-so-enjoyable tasks more easily and also ensures that you would not have so many deadlines looming over your head and hampering your leisure time.
Conclusion:
Using time wisely does not just add to the productivity of a person. It also boosts confidence and improves both physical and mental health. So, use your time wisely.
