Time-management: How to Manage Your Time Effectively

I couldn't write my blog yesterday or the day before. I was a bit too busy. This week and the next are going to be really busy for me. So I'll make this quick. Before I go back to work, I want to share my experience of and views on being busy and feeling overwhelmed with you.

1. Whenever I find myself so busy that I'm unable to follow my usual schedule, I take out a piece of paper and do what is called 'prioritizing.' I jot down the tasks that I want to complete on that day. I order them according to priority.

2. Remember, I don't have adequate time for all of those tasks, but I just have to complete them within the stipulated time. So now I write down a time limit beside every task on my list.

3. Now what happens if I have to make these time limits less than enough for the corresponding tasks? It creates a little positive pressure on me. You probably know that famous quote, "Work extends to fill the time available for doing it." So even if my time limit looks less than adequate to me, it is probably just enough!

4. Having done this, I do the tasks in the order in which they appear in my list. And I make it a point not to cross the time limit under any circumstances. The best part of this technique is that, once you've completed your priority list, you don't have to worry about 'having too much on your plate' any more. If you're able to follow this list religiously throughout the day, all your tasks (or at least most of them, which is better than none of them) will be completed in time.

Now how to exert that control on yourself? That is, what do you do if you find you lack the self-control to follow your list to the letter? see my article Exerting Control is not as Difficult as you Think for that, 'cause if I write any more today, I'll be crossing my time limit for writing this article!