If you frequently find yourself running out of time to complete your to-do list or it seems like there’s never enough hours in a day, you will most definitely benefit from a little self-reflection on how you spend your time.
Tips and tools for better time management only work when you have solid time management skills already in place, and studies show people are surprisingly inaccurate at evaluating how well they use their time.
Understand that time is a limited resource and think realistically about how you use yours.
These self-reflection questions can help:
- Am I using my time wisely?
- How can I use my time better?
- Am I focused on things I can control?
- Do I start my day early enough?
- What can I do differently in the morning to start my day right?
- Do I prioritize my tasks?
- Do I prefer to tackle difficult tasks first to cross them off my list, or do I like to focus on easier tasks to build momentum?
- Do I use the right calendars or daily planners?
- Do I set and stick to deadlines?
- Do I respect and value time (mine and others)?
- Do I focus on one thing at a time or do I tend to multi-task?
- What do I do to limit distractions?
- Is there more I can do to avoid or eliminate disruptions?
- Do I take breaks frequently enough?
- Do I try to force myself to work even when exhausted?
- Do I set appropriate boundaries for routine tasks?
- How often do I lose track of time?
- What tasks can I delegate to others?
- Who do I trust that I can ask to help me get things done?
- Are the goals I set for myself reasonable?
- Do I use my down time wisely?
- How do I reward myself for completing important tasks?
- Is my desk neat and organized or piled with clutter?
- Do I waste too much time making decisions?
- Do I put too much pressure on myself or others?
- Do I take on tasks I know I shouldn’t because I have a hard time saying no?
- Do I allow negative thought patterns distract me?
- How can I allow more positive, encouraging thoughts in my mind to help me focus on getting things done?
- Am I putting enough effort toward reaching my goals?
- Do I schedule enough downtime to relax or for self-care?
- When and how do I do my best work?
- How are my behaviors helping or hurting me?
- How are my perspectives helping or hurting me?
Once you have an understanding of where you need to focus your time-management efforts, check out more helpful resources on the topic from Better Help: Time Management Advice.
Author Bio:
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.