The Great Balancing Act
Department meetings. Baseball practice. Dinner preparation. Project deadlines. Bill paying. Sleep. Hundreds of tasks at work and at home require your attention each day. And busy people like you are always looking for ways to reduce the stress and make life a little easier.
We might just be able to help. Here are 25 tips that can help you better manage your time (and save your sanity):
With this in mind, consider hiring a lawn maintenance service, a handyman, or a babysitter (but always have a contingency plan in place).
Make all calls to customers at once; food shop once a week.
Learn the tricks and tips associated with the software packages you use most frequently. They can increase your productivity.
Set aside a half-day to prepare sauces, stews, and soups and then freeze them for use later in the week or month.
You'll spend less time running around.
To prevent technology from controlling your time, try these ideas: schedule time to respond to email and voicemail, use rules to filter email, screen calls, and don't answer the phone during dinner.
You'll be surprised how much work you get done when it's quiet (and how much traffic you'll miss).
Physical activity provides an outlet for stress and makes you feel better.
Take five minutes out of every hour to stretch your legs, read a magazine, or eat a healthy snack.
Schedule accordingly.
The time you save can be spent on more important tasks.
Don't underestimate how long a task will take. When you rush, quality suffers and stress soars!
Ask yourself, "What's the best use of my time right now?"
You're not obligated to attend every party or dinner engagement.
Politely let people know by stating, "Now is not a good time to chat. Why don't we talk over lunch?" If this is an especially big problem, consider removing any chairs near your desk!
Use email to send detailed messages and voicemail to pass on quick messages.
It's much less crowded, especially around holidays.
You'll have some extra time to catch up on laundry and prepare yourself for Monday.
Invest in you first!
Don't take everything so seriously, stop trying to be perfect, and learn to laugh!