Does it seem like you are always playing catch up? Obligations multifold. You are overworked, overtired and unable to unwind. “Work hard, play hard” is a common maxim that is not literally true often used by those who may be looking to excuse excessive use of alcohol, eating, or staying out late with friends.
Time management is an essential ingredient for stress management. If you are budgeting time appropriately, you will not fall behind in your work. This leaves chunks of your calendar open to enjoy true leisure time, where you are not checking emails, reading reports, or worrying about what is still unfinished at the office. If you manage your life efficiently and effectively, you will have plenty of room for your to-do list and your favorite activities.
To better manage time and control stress consider the following:
- Assess
To hit that perfect balance, start by taking a hard look at your typical schedule. Where do you spend your time? What tasks do you think are important? You might see some of these activities or chores are not serving you. If that half-hour you spend surfing the web midday for news turns into a half hour mindlessly surfing your Facebook feed, it goes.
- Plan
Before bed each night, jot down your tasks for the next day in a journal or to-do list to schedule out your time; knowing what you need to accomplish will keep you focused. As expert Brian Tracy writes in his book, How to Master Your Time, the simple act of writing a list helps you organize your thoughts and may increase your efficiency by two times.
- Rotate
You can have it all, just not all at once and not all in one week, as time is limited. Focus quality time on one priority each week to ensure you are addressing all the needs in your life. To make sure you are addressing all needs in your life, try rotating your “quality time” priorities each week. Make your family the primary focus of one week, work the focus the next week, your significant other the following week, and so on. That way, no aspect of a well-rounded and happy life goes unmaintained. Rotating the focus on priorities helps to maintain a well rounded and happy life.
If you need extra help balancing and budgeting your time, Brian Tracy’s 21 Great Ways to Manage Your Time and Double Your Productivity is a nice resource for developing these skills. Remember that time and stress are intricately linked; the more effectively you use your time, the less stressed you’ll feel all the time.