Time Management Part 3. Start Your Day Right.

You are not alone! As our society progresses and the pace of life quickens, time is the most precious and scarce commodity. Whether it is things from work or personal stuffs that needs to be done, all you need is to know how to prioritise and organise yourself to get things done right.

You would be surprised that a few simple tips wll provide you with the tools necessary to accomplish more in less time and of course reduce your stress level at the same time!

In the third part of this series, we will take a look at Starting your day right.

1) At the end of each day, sit down with your planner and note down all the task to be done the next day. The advantage in doing this is that you can maximise your productivity by diving straight into doing the task, versus having to stop and consider what needs to be done. Further more, you have the advantage of preparing for what to expect the next day.

2) De-clutter your desk. A clean desk is a reflection of your thinking. It is good practice to clean up your desk and pack everything back to it's original place. You achieve the effect of starting the next day on a clean slate, feeling refreshed and ready.

3) Swallow a frog! No not literally, thank goodness! It is only a way of describing doing something you detest the most first. So the effect of doing your most hated task, clears the way and everything else would seem a breeze.

4) Be time conscious. Be early, or at least punctual. Being early has the advantage of framing your mind and preparing it for the tasks to be completed for the day. You will have the opportunity to sit down and run through the items before your day begins.

5) Get started on a relaxing and de-stressing ritual in the morning. You could choose to get up an hour or two earlier each day, and do some exercise, eg jogging, meditation or yoga. All these activities recharges your mind and body and prepares it for the day.

6) Have an early night the day before. I know this is obvious, although some would argue that they do not have the luxury of sleeping early due to work. The key is to try to sleep early, or at least get into the habit of sleeping around the same time every night. This would condition your body to behave in a more orderly and healthy pattern of sleeping and waking up the same time everyday.

In the coming issues, I will be discussing other critical areas that you can consider to adopt into your life for more productivity and less stress.