If you are determined to improve your productivity this year, then we recommend that you try to adopt Steven Covey’s ‘Time Management Matrix’ in all aspects of your life. From using it in your everyday life like buying bread at the shop, replying to an email at work or even taking the kids to school, using a time management model can benefit you greatly by enabling you to become more efficient and effective.
The key is to focus on the importance and urgency of a task. If it is not either of these things, do not sweat the small stuff. We have all been wired into believing some things in life are much more important than they actually are. For example when our phones buzz, we immediately feel as though we need to respond, however, when we need to go to the gym, we postpone it, even though going to the gym is technically more important than replying to a message about where to go for dinner that night.
To decrease the amount of time you waste doing tasks that are unimportant, here are some tips:
1.Say ‘no’ more often – We’ve said this before and we will say this again – Saying NO is selfless not selfish. (Click here for previous blog post on this)
2.Turn off your phone notifications- even if it is just for a few hours a day. This will ensure you reduce the amount of time you waste being distracted.
3.Write a To-Do list at the beginning of the day and decide what the most urgent and important task is.
4.Focus on one task at a time – allow your brain to focus on one to three things a day, allowing your full attention to be given to each task.
5.Know that it is ok to ignore some tasks until a later date – this is not rude, it will simply make sure you are not wasting your time on tasks that are not vital in getting the things you need to get done, done.
