Time Management 4

Have you heard “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

It’s nice to think that you can work for 8-10 hours straight, especially when you’re working to a deadline, but it’s impossible for anyone to focus and produce really high-quality work without giving their brains some time to rest and recharge.

So, think of breaks as part of the day. They provide valuable down-time, which will enable you to think creatively and work effectively.

If it’s hard for you to stop working, then schedule breaks for yourself, or set an alarm as a reminder. Go for a quick walk, grab a cup of coffee, or just sit and meditate at your desk.

Take a five minute break every hour or two. And make sure that you give yourself ample time for lunch – you won’t produce top quality work if you’re hungry.

Don’t think that your day plan is fixed and immutable. Planning your day allows you to be prepared for emergencies or changes of plan.

Without a time management system you may have to do everything if an emergency arises, and then work late to catch up. With a weekly schedule and daily ‘to do’ plan, you can see immediately where to allocate time, because you know what has to be done with priority and when.

The worst emergency is when a problem turns into a crisis. This is when time management comes into its own. When a crisis comes, you can immediately put work aside or delegate it, knowing you have planned some leeway in your day.

By planning ahead you can make the best use of your time in an emergency. The planner will enable you to see at a glance what needs to be dealt with so you can quickly re plan and delegate it where necessary.