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The essence of Time Management is to get more done in less time, with less stress, and still have more time for the things we want to do in our work and professional lives.

To do something you have been putting off, create in your mind the rewards and pleasure which will result from accomplishing it successfully.

The essence of Time Management is to get more done in less time, with less stress and still have more time for the things we want to do, in our work and professional lives. If only we could recapture a wasted hour here and there and redirect it to a more productive use, we can make a great increase in our daily productivity.

Here are some techniques which will help you to get at least one more hour out of your day of additional productive time.

1. Maintain a balance in different areas of your life. It includes health maintenance, family fostering, sorting out and managing financial matters, intellectual stimulation, socialisation, professional competence, and spiritual upliftment. We do not normally spend an equal amount of time in each area of our life every day. But, in the long run, it is important to plan to spend adequate quantity and quality of time in each area for attaining a balance in our lives. Ignoring any of the above areas can get your life out of balance and potentially sabotage your success. If you do not pay attention to your health you may have to pay for the neglect by suffering from illnesses later on. If you ignore your family, it may cost you your happiness and peace of mind. A lot more time may be required to re-establish relationships.

2. Writing things down helps you to more easily remember all that you have to accomplish or attend to. The details of the work to be done are important. But they are best managed with the help of a pen. If you want to manage it you have to know it and how you will go about it. Writing down the tasks to be done takes the strain off your memory. Get into the habit of writing down things to do. It is ideal to use one tool (a day-timer, pad of paper, palm pilot or a digital diary, etc.) You should use your mind for the big picture, rather than storing small details.

3. Doing daily planning is an excellent habit. Generally people do not plan to fail. But a lot of people fail to plan. Take time out at the end of each day to take control of time. Time is the most precious resource given to each human being. The next twenty-four hours in anybody’s life is the greatest gift of God. Plan your work. Also make sure that you plan each day and for each day. Prepare a To Do list of all you have to do and all you want to do the next day. Without a plan for the day you can easily get distracted from doing the most important things for the day. It is essential to spend your time more productively rather than spending the same on unimportant tasks because somebody is sitting on your head and asking you to spend all the time on it.

4. Prioritise. Your To Do list should include the crucial and not so crucial items. Despite the fact that most people want to be productive when given the choice between crucial and not crucial items, frequently they end up doing routine work and not crucial items. Routine work is generally easier and can be done more quickly than crucial items. Prioritise your To Do list before going to sleep each night. Put Number 1 against the most important item, on your list. Write 2 next to the second-most important item on your list and make your list in descending order. Then attend to the items on your list in the order of their importance. You may not get everything done on your list, but your effort should be to get the most important things done, even if a few items are completed. This is the only way to work smarter and getting more done in lesser time.

5. Controlling procrastination is another way of doing more. The most effective planning is no substitute for doing what should be done. The reason for procrastinating and putting off important things is that most of the time we avoid hard work and pain or trouble or inconvenience, which go with it. Moreover, doing work, especially if it is hard work, is no pleasure.

To do something you have been putting off, create in your mind the rewards and pleasure which will result from accomplishing it successfully. Turn a procrastinated project into a game. Work on one thing at a time. Make sure that other things do not distract you. Practise the concept of out of sight, out of mind. If a job is difficult, break it down to small, manageable pieces. Get started. Take the first step and continue it to completion. This is the only way to succeed and get ahead in life.