The words ‘I don’t have enough time’ are uttered by most people on a regular basis. But don't forget, we all have the same amount of hours in a day as Albert Einstein, Elon Musk, and LeBron James! Becoming a master of your own time can be as easy as adopting a few simple habits.
LeBron James has a mandatory eight to nine hours of sleep each night, but it doesn’t stop there. The life of a professional NBA player might just be one of the busiest, just think; hours of basketball training, gym, NBA games, meetings, interviews, and parenthood! Yet, James still swears by taking a two to three-hour nap each day.
Now you may be thinking, ‘how does he do it?’... Time Management!
Managing your time is essential to productivity, you can’t hope to achieve everything you have planned in your day if you don’t dedicate time to carry out specific tasks. If you can manage your time well, you can go above and beyond what you need to achieve and still have spare time to do the things you want!
So, here are our top 3 time management hacks:
1. Stop Multitasking
Multitasking is something that has become popularised by high-performers, but if you can't seem to master the juggle, stop! For some, multitasking can actually be a waste of time. If you find yourself jumping from task to task and never completing anything, then you might be able to achieve more if you go ‘tunnel vision’ and focus on one task at a time.
2. Brain Dump: Non-negotiables vs Negotiables
The first thing you should do before diving into your tasks for the day is engage in a brain dumping session. This is where you jot down everything you need to accomplish for the day, and sort your list into non-negotiables and negotiables. Learn to prioritise what is most important and let go of the rest. Non-negotiables are tasks that need to be completed within a certain timeframe, these are your most important tasks and you need to be clear when this task has to be completed by. This prevents your work from dragging on and eating into the things you want to do!
Negotiables are tasks that are flexible and aren’t pressed for time, these are the tasks that you can leave until last. This allows you to focus on one key task at a time, and is fundamental to manage your daily schedule.
Coffee is a non-negotiable obviously.
3. Block Out Distractions
Figure out what is distracting you while you work, is it social media? Text messages? Phone ringing? Colleagues?
Blocking out distractions is essential when it comes to being productive. Did you know that office workers’ are only able to focus on a single task for roughly three minutes before they become distracted? It is important to identify what your biggest distractions are, so you are able to limit these distractions and let those around you know you're busy.
Make technology work for you. Whilst it may appear as your main distraction, technology could actually be your best friend. Turn off your mobile phone, and if this is just something that can’t be done, turn off your notifications. Limiting the number of distractions on your phone can be your biggest saviour. Turning your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ allows you to block out chunks of time to focus on your non-negotiables. Everyone will manage for a few hours when you go off the grid.
By becoming the master of your own time, not only will you be more productive, but you will also find that you have more time for the things you love.