Time Management Help
Time Management tools involve a lot of organizational aspects
that limit and control the flow of resources.
A suggested organizational method you can do to manage your
time and to entail great results is by using Time
Estimates.
First you need to know where your time goes or how you would
like to spend the rest of your day. If you work in an office,
calculate how much time you spend in your office and at home.
Time estimates will give you the idea of your workflow, your
efficiency in doing work, and your time to relax and rest. For
other time estimates, try considering these:
1. Time of Work -
The regular workload for most people is 8 hours, more or less.
You have to maximize your time and energy during this productive
period. Work time should also follow regulation that is created
to sustain a harmonious atmosphere for both employees and
employers.
2. Personal time -
This is the time in which an individual can have personal space
and time for reflection. This can be either a time to
contemplate or rest for a while (during coffee breaks, a prayer,
or cigarette break). Personal time can be short but it is very
meaningful for an individual who is seeking refuge and silence
after a day of hustle and bustle. This is also a moment of
reflecting the time spent on other things like work and other
activities.
3. Interaction moments -
These are times spent talking with colleagues, friends,
relatives, and loved ones about relationships, professional
matters, personal things, or anything that concerns the speaker
and the listener. Usually we become unconscious on the time
spent for this activity but we should be aware of the many
things learned from interaction and socialization.
4. Time for Relaxation and Recreation -
This is the time when you reward yourself after spending so many
hours and days at work. This is a time to feel free and to enjoy
the moments of life.
You can organize your time by creating a daily agenda and by
checking your agenda at the end of each day to track down your
schedule on a daily basis. Other suggestions include:
1. Keep an activity log in which all your activities, either
major or minor, can be written down and later on, be analyzed by
you. You would see that you have a remarkable capacity to do so
many things or, on the opposite side, there are so many things
that you have not done because of tardiness. This would also
help you become more aware of your strengths and your
weaknesses. You can also analyze your period of alertness and
productivity through this activity log.
2. Track-down your idle moments or your periods of tardiness.
For example, know what might have been the cause of the delay of
finishing tasks such as writing a report or going to your
appointment. This way, you would also know your weaknesses when
it comes to motivation and goal setting.
3. Know your personal histories, your family history, and
learning insights from the past. This way, you would recognize
the importance of time and how it has affected your development
as an individual or as part of your family or society.
4. You may also compare your work efficiency with the work style
of others. But this should not frustrate you if you see that
others leave you behind. Contrary to this, you should be
motivated to excel or to improve your condition if you see that
you are not working as fast or as efficient as they are.
Importance of Filing
Some people think that filing is a complete waste of time. The
opposite is true. The benefits of filing far outweigh the
inconveniences of engaging in such task. The importance of
filing lies in the fact that you don't have to wade through lots
of things when you're looking for a particular item. You'll know
exactly where it is located.
Here are some super tactics for organized filing.
1. Get colorful. Buy folders of different colors, each color
representing a specific category. For example: green folder is
for bank accounts, blue folder is for health records, red folder
is for utility receipts, and so on. You may even put labels of
various colors in every folder. Let's say in the bank accounts
folder, you can put a label colored brown for one bank, then
orange for the other bank.
2. Go through all your items and just keep the things you need.
People sometimes keep things that they don't even need or that
they don't find any value in. Give to your relatives or to
charity your old clothes that are now too small for you to wear.
This applies to your other things. Upon checking an item, just
ask yourself, "Will I still find use for this thing in the
future?" If the answer is "No," then give it away or dispose of
it. Then properly organize and file whatever is left.
3. Create a unique folder for each day of the month. This may be
a little time-consuming at first; but once you're done, you have
a very efficient system for organizing and scheduling your
tasks. The way it works: Create a folder for the 1st day of the
month, 2nd day, 3rd day, and so forth. After having 31 folders
(representing the maximum number of days in a given month), you
are now ready to utilize this tactic. Let's say your credit card
bill arrives on the 12th of June, but it won't be due until the
20th. You may put it in the Day 20 folder, or Day 19 (to give
you some leeway). By using this method, it would be hard for you
to miss out on any important date or occasion.
Deduction and Induction
There are ways to organize sets of ideas. Like in a story or a
narrative, one can look for the conclusion in the end or
sometimes, as most flashback stories would narrate, you can go
backward. This is also true in the process of Deductive and
Inductive Logic.
You could either start from Generalization to Specific details
in the process of Deduction. You may create your hypothesis
first like: "Earning more in three years through small business
ventures with close friends is possible if..." and giving
specific details like how to do it or what should be done to
follow the organized pattern towards a successful conclusion.
On the other hand, Inductive Logic may involve specific details
first (like what are the factors that lead to bankruptcy) to
form a general conclusion or an overall analysis. In creating an
organized strategy to manage time, you can also employ the
deductive and inductive way of projecting ideas or concepts. To
further concretize these points here are some situations, which
use both deduction and induction in the process of calculating
time.
Deduction:
* At the grocery, when buying things, you might consider the
needs of your family, your own needs, your budget, or your
general preference in choosing items. It would also be helpful
if you prepare a shopping list. On the other hand, you may also
think of the menu you are about to cook for the whole week and
from this, you can create your shopping list. This way, you are
not only saving time spent in the grocery but you may also
estimate your money for such expenses.
* During business meetings or formal negotiations, the
objectives agreed by both parties should be the guiding
principle in knowing what to discuss and in what order. In
negotiating something, goals or conclusive statements like "a
successful bargaining agreement" would be the necessary end that
will condition the creation of means or moves.
* In writing a book, one would have a general idea of the story
and the flow of the narrative.
* In preparing for a party, one would be wary of the theme or
the desired atmosphere that the organizer had thought of.
Induction:
* In some research work for an unknown knowledge or conclusion,
the researcher has to look for evidences or facts that will give
conclusive results.
* Planning for a grand vacation might have no conclusions yet
but during the preparation or the actual trip, a person may
experience a lot of different moments, which can contribute to a
memorable vacation or a regrettable one.
* To make architectural plans, much specific details should be
considered (though this can also be done using a general theme
or conclusion). The final plan is based on the availability of
the resources, the time frame on which the house or structure
should be built, and other factors that are involved in the
construction.
* In solving some problems, you have to know the different
factors, which might have been the cause of the dilemma. There
are many things to think of in solving difficult situations but
these factors or details would help you create a clear picture
about what might have happened and what can be done to resolve
conflicts and contradictions.
The process of logical reasoning is a good strategy to create
and organize plans and execute preparations that you have made.
There are more ways to create strategies and these two are just
the basic directions that can guide you in finishing your task.
You must be creative and flexible in handling the situation and
you can base the direction you are following on these two
scientifically proven processes. You must intelligently choose
from these directions based on carefully crafted ideas to
succeed in less time and effort.
To learn more, you can visit
http://www.self-help-motivation-source.com/timemanagementplan.htm
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