Not everybody is good at managing their time, especially when there are many projects to be accomplished. Many of us have a lot of problems in managing our time effectively.
Sometimes we know what we have to do, but we just don't know how to get ourselves doing what needs to be done.
Since we all have the same number of hours in a day, the real issue isn't a question of time management, but it is a question of self management.
Time management advice doesn't work for everybody, because not every person gets motivated the same way. Some people are energized by working under the pressure of deadlines. These are the people who will dawdle on an assignment for weeks, and then start putting in heavy hours just a few days before the final deadline.
If you are facing a pile of assignments, how do you choose which ones should get the most of your time, and which ones should get very little attention?
Should you do the most difficult assignments first, or should you tackle the easiest instead?
There are several schools of thought on this issue. Some people think you should tackle the most difficult assignment first, and get that out of the way. Others think you should start with the smaller, easier projects first so that you can develop some confidence and a track record of success.
So, which is the better way to do it? Should you tackle the easy projects first, or start right away on the hard ones?
You need to know how your mind works. If you are the kind of person who can easily jump in to a tough assignment, then that is probably what will work best for you.
If you have a tendency to feel intimidated by big projects, then divide the project up into smaller chunks with deadlines for accomplishing each piece. If you need added motivation, give yourself rewards for finishing each part of the project.
If the main reason you procrastinate is because you lack confidence, then it's most important that you just get started. You don't need to start with the toughest assignments if those are the ones that intimidate you most. Start with the easier projects if you are a person who needs to build confidence in yourself.
One tip I picked up while taking a time management course many years ago was that if you have a problem with procrastination, you should save the projects you really enjoy doing for the end, and you should start with projects you don't enjoy doing very much.
The reason this is important is that it becomes very easy to dawdle and get fascinated with the things you like doing, until you suddenly run out of time to do the things that you have been putting off.
For me, this has probably been the most important time management tip I have ever heard.
If you're a person who finds it tough to stay motivated, I can sympathize. I have that problem too. Here is one way that works for a lot of people to help them stay on track. I use this system myself.
First, break down your project into a series of smaller chunks and give each portion of the project a deadline for completion. Work out a series of rewards to give yourself as an incentive to keep working, and as a reward for a job well done.
These rewards should be special treats that are particularly meaningful to you, and they should be implemented very soon after the completion of each section of your project. For example, take yourself to a movie you really want to see within a day or two of achieving one of your goals.
Then, be sure to have a really good reward for the completion of the entire project.
I don't recommend the use of food for a reward, because you can start overdoing it with unnecessary treats.
Keep experimenting to see which time management techniques work best for you.
