MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR 24HRS

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR 24HRS

Time is the one indispensable and irreplaceable resource of accomplishment. It is your most precious asset. It cannot be saved, nor can it be recovered once lost. Everything you have to do requires time, and the better you use your time, the more you will accomplish.

It is rightly said that time waits for no one. An individual should therefore understand the value of time for him to succeed in all aspects of life. I strongly believe that people who waste time are the ones who fail to create an identity of their own.

As a business owner, your ability to manage your time, as much as any other practice in your career as an executive, will determine your success or failure. Time management is essential for maximum health, business and personal effectiveness. The degree to which you feel in control of your time and your life is a major determinant of your level of inner peace, harmony and mental well-being.

According to Toggle 2017, time management is the way we decide to utilize our time in order to maximize our productivity in achieving certain long-term goals. I believe that we all want to make the most of the 24 hours we get each day. Although we have different priorities, some people achieve more happiness, productivity and success. The funny truth is that we all have the same amount of time as everyone else.

But how can you utilize your 24hrs effectively? You probably find yourself asking yourself the how I can be more successful at managing my time question. The simple answer to your question is the application of one powerful concept called conscious time management.

I will be sharing a few time management tips that have helped me plan, execute and manage my day and have helped me achieve massive success up till date.

Create a time audit
The first thing you should start with is finding out where your time goes throughout the day. There is often a big difference between your subjective time and reality. I would recommend a time management app preferably (Rescue time) to keep track of everything you do for a week.

Take time out, sit down download the reports and evaluate them. With this date, you can easily find points you are lacking behind in your time management and find areas to improve. For example, you may be spending too much time on social media or attending to low priority tasks.

Put a time limit on all your tasks
Take a look at your time audits and identify tasks that take longer than you expect. Setting time constraints for these items will help you focus more and work more efficiently. If you find yourself struggling or going beyond these time limits, examine your workflow and eliminate little time wasters like unscheduled breaks or irrelevant chit-chat sessions when you have productive thing lined up.

Plan your week on Sunday
Starting a new week with a plan will help you focus on priorities. You can easily transition from your carefree weekend mindset to a productive Monday morning.

Consider taking a few minutes break on Sunday to create a plan for your whole week. Cure procrastination by breaking down your weekly goal into daily tasks. You would only need to glance at this list to remind yourself.

Bear in mind that your energy and creativity levels fluctuate throughout the week. Thus, you might want to schedule low-priority tasks for Mondays and other low energy tasks for other days in the week. Often times, I complete creative and demanding tasks on Tuesday and Wednesday as I believe that y energy level is at its peak on these days. I schedule meetings for Thursday and dedicate my Fridays to planning and networking.

Complete your most demanding task first thing in the morning

Majority of us find our first hour of work the most productive you may want to consider using it wisely! Funny thing is that you can focus more easily when your brain isn’t fully awake.

Block out distractions
I don’t know what works for you but I always use my computer’s ‘do not disturb’ function when I’m working on focused tasks. I find that working on only one monitor and opening only one window helps me channel my attention better. You might also want to consider going offline for maximum concentration.

Don’t wait for inspiration, do it now
Writers sit around for inspiration or for writers block to subside. Some business owners don’t attend to serious tasks if they aren’t in a perfect work environment.
I don’t believe you have to feel like getting something done to do it. Observe the thoughts and feelings that arise while you work from an outside perspective. Don’t let them govern your actions.
Acknowledge your emotions and daydreams and put them in motion. Start tasks even when you feel unsure and trust your motivation to follow.

Stop striving for perfection
Striving for perfection is right but when everything must be perfect, can anything ever be good enough? Probably not.
To become exceptional, you must fail repeatedly and learn from your mistakes. Look at every effort as an experiment no matter the outcome.

Use your calendar
A calendar is good for so much more than just scheduling meetings. I use my calendar to keep track of deadlines; block times off for focused work and automatically add locations to any upcoming events.
Take responsibility for your time. If you think that a scheduled entry will not advance your plan for the day, just cancel it.
Schedule relaxation time
Sometimes you have to break the cycle and get out of the hamster wheel, spend some time with your family and friends and turn off you ‘work brain’. You will be surprised to see the positive effects a little play time can have on your creative process.

In conclusion, have a great time no matter what. Don’t obsess over checking off all the items on your to do list. Enjoy every day with an appropriate work/life balance. Finishing an oversized workload today isn’t worth an unproductive day tomorrow.
Work steadily and stay at your best pace. Rushing through tasks reduces work quality and creates stress.

ABOUT DEBBIE LARRY-IZAMOJE
Debbie Larry-Izamoje AKA The Entrepreneur’s Best-Friend holds a BSc in Information management from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. And MSc in management from University College London (UCL). She has also secured certificates in user innovation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Innovation and strategy from Harvard University.

She is the founder of the Image Boosters a digital agency that connects brands to consumers online and offline in various industries leveraging Digital opportunities in our local market.

www.imageboosters.com.ng
Instagram: @imageboosters_
Email: contactus@imageboosters.com.ng

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