“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, and Albert Einstein.”

Time management is one the the most crucial but under-utilized tools that is critical to your success. However, most of us aren’t very good at it because we try to multitask and do too many things at once. Trying to catch up on emails, scroll through Instagram, get your kids ready for school, and eat breakfast all at the same time… sound familiar? I’m sure it does, because all too often we are trying to be superheroes and do it all. But the reality is that by learning to manage your time better will allow you to focus on one or two things at a time and make you more productive in the long run. 

Figure Out Where Your Time is Going

Audit yourself to figure out what activities or tasks are taking up the most of your time. By figuring out where your time is actually going, you can calculate if that time is well spent or if you’re spending too much time on something meaningless. For example, maybe you’re spending 2-3 hours checking social media, when that time would be much better spent cooking a healthy dinner or completing a critical task at work. 

Learn to Prioritize

Compile a list of all the things you have to get done each day, and set a time limit for yourself to decide how important each task is. Everyone has tasks that range in their priority level, from things that are important and urgent (AKA your things that you have to get done right away) to things that are urgent but not important (such as tasks that have to be done but have little to no lasting value).

And then there are tasks that are both not urgent and not important, meaning that they just make you “look busy” when in reality you are spending your time on tasks that are unimportant. So while checking your email is definitely important, allocate less time for that than you would for something more pressing, like a work deadline or a medical emergency. By effectively prioritizing, you are figuring out what needs to be accomplished and when.

Plan Ahead

You should never be beginning your work day with no clue about what the important tasks are or what you need to get done. Every day before you leave, you should take a few minutes to clean up your desk and write a list of “to-do’s” for yourself for the next day. When you schedule time in your day to keep organized, not only will you feel more relaxed and centered, but you are preparing yourself for what’s to come. Plus, there is no better feeling than coming into work to a clean workspace.

If you have big important things during the week, make sure you are writing them down to avoid forgetting (your kid’s recital, a big meeting, etc). Plan ahead and schedule around these big tasks so that you aren’t missing the big stuff. 

Do Less

This one is all about working smarter not harder. So don’t fill your daily routine with “empty” tasks, but things that create more value rather than more things that are empty. It’s so easy to get caught up in business that you forget to enjoy life and what you’re doing. Your goal should always be to find meaning and value, and focus your life (as much as is possible) around the things and tasks that you enjoy. 

Ultimately, we all have the same 24 hours in a day, and it’s up to you whether you want to make the most of them or want to spend those hours scrambling trying to do too many things at once.

Love yourself - it’s the best love you will ever have.

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