When the Clock's Ticking...

By Editorial Staff

Do you feel as if your life is just a ticking clock, day after day, with never enough minutes to get everything done. You're definitely not alone, but you can separate yourself from the "others" struggling to manage their time by taking these time-saving, sanity-preserving tips to heart:

  • Two birds, one stone: The No. 1 rule when it comes to time management is a simple one: whenever possible, package your tasks / responsibilities in ways that let you accomplish multiple things with minimal effort. If your To-Do List includes dropping off the kids at practice and picking them up two hours later, what else can you get done in the general vicinity, rather than go home and then drive all the way back to the practice fields a short while later? Run errands, shop for groceries or work out; it all adds up to more overall time to do what you want to do during the day, not what you have to do.

  • Don't sweat the small stuff: Poor time managers also tend to overstress because they never get "enough" done. Oftentimes, that's because they fill their To-Do Lists with copious amounts of tasks and then worry if they don't cross off every one by day's end. The solution is twofold: don't overstuff your list, particularly with things that don't particularly need to be completely immediately; and don't have a nervous breakdown if you don't get a more important item done. Put it first on tomorrow's list and move on.

  • clock ticking - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Keep it simple: The easiest way to maintain your sanity when you've got a lot on your plate is to avoid complicating things. That means keeping it simple whenever possible. For example, going back to our practice example, if you try to squeeze too many things into your two-hour window between start and end of practice, you'll cross off more items from your To-Do List, but may end up feeling more stressed, not less, because you never had any down time.

  • Schedule some you time: Speaking of down time, if you never think you get any, why not build some into your To-Do List? Much like setting an alarm to get up from your desk at work every 45 minutes or take a 20-minute walk twice a day, you need to build in time for you, whether that's visiting a friend, exercising, taking a warm bath, reading a good book or just putting your list aside for a few moments to enjoy the world around you.

When the clocks ticking ... slow it down and tune it out with these time-saving strategies. If you need help managing stress, talk to your doctor before stress gets the best of you, mentally and physically.



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