Have you ever found yourself saying, “There’s just never enough time!
Yeah? Me too!
We live in a time that is full of competing demands from work, family, and friends.
…and there’s that neverending thing called the to-do list.
Sometimes it feels like we’re juggling multiple balls, and the balls are on fire.
Maybe, just maybe you’re ready to give up. Welcome to the club of those who feel overwhelmed with time management.
Before you completely give up, please know that you’re not alone. Every single one of us has felt the pressure of being overwhelmed. We’ve all felt like we were treading water when it comes to managing our schedule. Heck, I imagine that all of us have felt like we’re drowning.
…like there’s more stuff to get done than hours in the day.
Don’t lose heart though! I have good news. With a little strategy, some positive thinking, and a hearty dose of encouragement, we can tame the dreaded monster called time management.
Why does time management even matter?
Allow me to share 7 key reasons that time management matters.
- Intentional Productivity. Far too often I find myself checking things off my to-do list but at the end of the day, I don’t feel as if I’ve accomplished much. The problem is that sometimes we’re engaging in tasks that don’t matter all that much. Intentional productivity focuses on getting the vital tasks done that move us toward accomplishing our dreams. It is not simply doing a task for the sake of earning a checkmark.
- Improved Work-Life Balance. I’ve always thought that the balance is a misguided thing. We’re finite beings and will never get everything perfect so we’re often in tension. However, as we seek to better manage our time, we schedule things in such a way so that when we’re working, we’re working and when we’re at home, we’re at home.
- Stress Reduction. For the longest time, I was a procrastinator. Why study for the test when it’s not for another week? Why write the report when I can do it last minute? I argued that I worked best under pressure. All excuses. Effective time management allows us to structure our time to reduce anxiety and enjoy each day.
- Enhanced Concentration. Have you ever found yourself working on a project while thinking of all the other items you have to get done? I have found that creating a checklist of projects allows me to get everything out of my mind and onto paper so that I am free to focus on the task I am working on.
- Better Decision Making. It’s hard to think clearly when you’re battling the monsters of overwhelm and a lack of clarity. One of the things that helped me was asking the question, “What do I want?” Answering that question helped me identify and prioritize the things that mattered most to me.
- Accountability. Having clarity on the things that matter most provides you with something to measure. If I know I have three essential things to complete by the end of the day, I can reflect and see if I am successful or not. Additionally, accountability helps us be true to our word. It is perhaps keeping a promise to someone else, but more importantly to ourselves.
- Accomplishment. I cannot overstate how things changed for me once I began setting goals. Setting goals brought me greater success, promotions, and a sense of satisfaction. I currently have a list of over 200 goals that I narrowed down to the Magic 25. My list includes places I want to visit and skills I want to develop, among other things. I’ve knocked 30 items off my list over the past 2 years. I manage my time better because I want more time to accomplish the things that matter most.
What about you? Do you battle overwhelm? Is your time management game a little rusty? What would having a better relationship with time management make possible for you? Maybe you’d be able to take more vacation. Maybe you’d have more time with loved ones.
I write about topics related to personal productivity and time management because I believe we all deserve to live the life we dream of.
We all deserve a life of better health, wealth, and peace of mind. We were not meant to live in the rat race. We were meant to live lives of joy-filled purpose.
It’s one of the reasons I often say, “You were created with greatness in mind and greatness is meant to be shared.”
Manage your time!