How to Get More Done in Less Time

Do you find yourself wishing there were more hours in the day? Our lives are so filled with work, family, and appointments that we often can't seem to fit in everything we need to accomplish in a 24-hour day.

But what if we could accomplish more in less time? If this were actually possible, it would allow us more time with those we care about and more time to focus on ourselves.

The good news is: there are simple strategies you can use to make the most of your days!

These tips will enable you to get more done in less time:

1. Make a list. Write out everything that you need to accomplish, and then joyfully cross off each task as you complete it. As you see your list dwindling, it'll provide the needed motivation to get the rest of the list done, too. 

* Put your list on the refrigerator, in your daily planner, or on the computer. Keep it somewhere handy so you can look at it often and stay focused.

2. Prioritize effectively. Determine which tasks are most important and what can possibly wait until later on in the day, week, or month. If this is something you're having trouble with, you may be trying to squeeze in tasks that can actually be put on hold for a future time. 

* Note the deadlines for your tasks. If your in-laws are coming to visit, then cleaning the guest bathroom takes priority over re-organizing the basement.

3. Avoid procrastinating. Far too many people put things off to the last possible minute. When this happens, we rush frantically to accomplish everything, but we end up doing a cruddy job and get ourselves all worked up for no good reason. There is a better way!

* Use your morning hours wisely and get tasks started early in the day. Chances are you'll finish them in one day rather than having it drag into a second day because you didn't have enough time to get things done. For some, this may mean waking up an hour or two earlier instead of sleeping an hour or two later.

4. Do the unpleasant tasks first. A great time management trick is to get the things you dislike out of the way first. If you keep putting it off, you'll attempt to squeeze it in somewhere, and you'll get the feeling of being overwhelmed.

* Schedule something fun after you finish your to-do list. This will motivate you to complete the list quicker.

5. Multi-task if you can. If you're able to accomplish two things at once, then by all means do it. If you can put dinner on the stove while making a doctor's appointment or wait for a load of laundry to finish while you mend a pair of pants, you can cut your time in half. 

* Don't sacrifice the quality of the tasks you're performing. If you burn dinner because you were looking at the calendar to make an appointment, this only wastes more of your time in the long run.

Unfortunately, there are days where it seems like we don't have enough of the precious gift of time. Thankfully, we can improve our time management skills so we're able to accomplish more in any given day.

Improving these skills will reduce your stress level and give you more time to do the things that make you happy, leading to a more peaceful and fulfilling life.