How to Develop a Routine to Stop Wasting Time
Create a list of your tasks for the day., Order the tasks from highest priority to lowest priority., Group related tasks together., Give yourself less time for each task., Reward yourself once the list is complete.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Create a list of your tasks for the day.
Start by sitting down with a piece of paper and a pen.
Think about the tasks you are planning to get done that day or your commitments for that day and write them all down.
This could be a list such as: “Groceries, laundry, cleaning, homework” or “Status reports for clients, emails, check in meeting, paperwork.”Add as many tasks you can think of to the list, from minor tasks to bigger tasks.
You should try to think of every commitment or task for the day so you can be sure to add it into your list of priorities. -
Step 2: Order the tasks from highest priority to lowest priority.
One way to work smarter is to concentrate on the highest priority first and then move down your list to the lowest priority items.
This is called the 80/20 rule, where activities that lead to the greatest benefit should consume 80% of your time.
The activities that lead to the least benefit should consume 20% of your time.Go through your list and number each task from the highest to the lowest priority.
You should then move them around so they are ordered from highest to lowest in terms of priority and benefit. , Once you have a numbered or ordered list of priorities, you should start to group smaller tasks together to form one process.
For example, you may group together tasks such as responding to emails and phoning clients into one hour-long process called “client communication.” You can then work through each task within the allotted time frame smoothly and easily.You should try to do this for all your tasks so you do not need to switch to different processes and waste time trying to figure out which task to tackle next.
Grouping related tasks together will help you improve your time management and reduce your stress level as you get through your list of priorities. , According to Parkinson’s Law, having less time to complete a task will shorten the amount of time it takes for you to get it done.
Rather than over-budget your time, limit the amount of time you block out for each task so you are forced to get it done faster.
You can do this slowly by shortening the amount of time you allow for each task over time until you reach a sweet spot where you do not feel rushed but you also do not have enough time to procrastinate or waste time.After a certain point, you will develop a good sense of time management, especially if you are forced to only spend a limited amount of time on each task.
This is useful if you tend to have the same routine, or a similar list of tasks, every day. , Once you check off every task on your list, usually at the end of your work day, you should give yourself a small reward.
This could be a nice dinner, a glass of wine, or leisure time to do something fun and relaxing.
Rewarding yourself will ensure you have an incentive to finish all your tasks every day.
You can also determine what your reward will be prior to beginning your day, so that you can use the reward as motivation to complete your tasks.
For example, say you have to study for a test and have dinner plans with friends.
Use your dinner plans as a reason to keep studying and complete the task during the day so you don’t have to miss out on dinner. -
Step 3: Group related tasks together.
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Step 4: Give yourself less time for each task.
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Step 5: Reward yourself once the list is complete.
Detailed Guide
Start by sitting down with a piece of paper and a pen.
Think about the tasks you are planning to get done that day or your commitments for that day and write them all down.
This could be a list such as: “Groceries, laundry, cleaning, homework” or “Status reports for clients, emails, check in meeting, paperwork.”Add as many tasks you can think of to the list, from minor tasks to bigger tasks.
You should try to think of every commitment or task for the day so you can be sure to add it into your list of priorities.
One way to work smarter is to concentrate on the highest priority first and then move down your list to the lowest priority items.
This is called the 80/20 rule, where activities that lead to the greatest benefit should consume 80% of your time.
The activities that lead to the least benefit should consume 20% of your time.Go through your list and number each task from the highest to the lowest priority.
You should then move them around so they are ordered from highest to lowest in terms of priority and benefit. , Once you have a numbered or ordered list of priorities, you should start to group smaller tasks together to form one process.
For example, you may group together tasks such as responding to emails and phoning clients into one hour-long process called “client communication.” You can then work through each task within the allotted time frame smoothly and easily.You should try to do this for all your tasks so you do not need to switch to different processes and waste time trying to figure out which task to tackle next.
Grouping related tasks together will help you improve your time management and reduce your stress level as you get through your list of priorities. , According to Parkinson’s Law, having less time to complete a task will shorten the amount of time it takes for you to get it done.
Rather than over-budget your time, limit the amount of time you block out for each task so you are forced to get it done faster.
You can do this slowly by shortening the amount of time you allow for each task over time until you reach a sweet spot where you do not feel rushed but you also do not have enough time to procrastinate or waste time.After a certain point, you will develop a good sense of time management, especially if you are forced to only spend a limited amount of time on each task.
This is useful if you tend to have the same routine, or a similar list of tasks, every day. , Once you check off every task on your list, usually at the end of your work day, you should give yourself a small reward.
This could be a nice dinner, a glass of wine, or leisure time to do something fun and relaxing.
Rewarding yourself will ensure you have an incentive to finish all your tasks every day.
You can also determine what your reward will be prior to beginning your day, so that you can use the reward as motivation to complete your tasks.
For example, say you have to study for a test and have dinner plans with friends.
Use your dinner plans as a reason to keep studying and complete the task during the day so you don’t have to miss out on dinner.
About the Author
Larry Taylor
Committed to making organization accessible and understandable for everyone.
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