Being disorganized is one of the common causes of stress. Time management is the key to organizing your work at home and at the workplace, thus lessening the stress you may feel. Prioritizing the most important job and writing down your duties and activities everyday is one of the best ways of managing you time.
Keeping a diary or journal, where you can jot down your objectives, can help you assess which duty must be done first as well as the estimated time you can accomplish each activity. Having a schedule to show your boss can also justify what you can and can’t accomplish when asked to perform new activities.
Scheduling And Listing
If you feel you are going to have another busy day either at home or at work, always write down your tasks. Will you do the grocery shopping first? What time will you pick up your kid? Sometimes, giving a time even to tiniest task for the day can provide you with a time allowance to perform your other tasks. Learning to prioritize is one successful way to beat stress.
Everyday pick the most important task you need to complete and finish it. If you are new in making lists, never put more than five things on your list. That way, you are more likely to finish all your tasks for the day, which will give you a feeling of accomplishment and greater sense of control. Then, after completing all five tasks on your list, move on to making your second five-item list.
Learn to delegate to lessen your own work-load. Sometimes, there are days where you think you have too many things to do in so little time. During these days, make a list of the things that you can delegate to family members or co-workers. By delegating, you can keep stress from building up.
In the workplace, learn to say no when you find yourself in the situation where you cannot handle anymore tasks than you already have. People who cannot fully assert themselves and working within their own capabilities, end up being more stressed out than others who know their limitations.
People who can’t say no also often end up having even more things to do. If you are having the trouble saying no, starting small is always the best choice. In events when you have so many things to do and your boss asks you to perform even more tasks, show your boss what is on your agenda already and ask him or her what order you should complete each task. You may need to tell your boss that you cannot perform any new tasks without giving up your task at hand or another on your list.
Other Time Management Tips
People who are perfectionists often cannot help feeling stressed at the end of the day. If you are a perfectionist, prioritize your most complicated activity first and always accomplish the items in your first list first before moving on to the second. This way you can avoid jumping from one list to another.
Everyday, remember that you need time to rest and relax for a while. Include in the list your work breaks and as much as possible, to things that would physically and mentally take you away from you work. Lastly, try not to make major decisions when you feel overworked or anxious.
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