Work less, achieve more, right after reading this article!

Have you ever wanted thirty-six hours a day because twenty-four isn’t enough? Deadlines for given tasks and projects seem too close that you can’t finish on time. The worst and unbalanced lifestyle increases stress which makes you unhappy and makes you lose the beauty of your life. You’re not the only person with twenty-four hours a day though, the busiest people with the busiest schedules on this planet have exactly the same amount of time. They are good at time management because they know how good time management improves your life.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you finish your project or homework early, so you can rest or have a cup of coffee? When you manage your time wisely, you’ll have more free time for yourself. More than that, you won’t be overly stressed again because you know exactly what’s coming next (most of the time). The best part is that you will have a better work-life balance, giving you plenty of time to spend with loved ones or pursue a hobby.

If I convinced you, let’s take a look at how to effectively manage our precious time with these four proven techniques.

The first and most effective technique is to plan your day in advance. Think about what you are going to do tomorrow from today and write it down. Of course, there are various methods with which you can plan your day. For example, keep a journal; Many successful people keep a journal, journals are already made for planning purposes, so it’s easy to plan your day with a journal. In fact, after I started journaling, my life changed a lot. For me, journaling does more than plan ‘tomorrow’ because it helps me keep track of the whole year. That means keeping a journal will give you the most accurate analysis of the year and you’ll be able to see your development as well as correct your mistakes for the coming year.

Another way to plan your day ahead is to have a to-do list. It’s simple, easy and can be done in a very short time, just write down what to do during the day. Task lists can be in your journal however you like. To make a to-do list effectively, you need to put your tasks into blocks of time. Think of any task you need to do; write an essay, go to the gym or prepare for final exams. Whatever your task, set specific time periods for specific tasks. For example, study for an hour, by doing this you force yourself to finish your study in an hour, as a result, you avoid distractions.

But wait, how do you guess an estimated time for a particular task or activity? If you’re not sure how much time you should set for a task, just give it a try. Set your timer (you have it on your phone if you’re not on the internet) and stop it when you’re done, now you know how long that specific task lasts. While you are doing that, you should avoid any distractions like social media or phone calls, remember that you have limited time to finish your task.

Second, since time management is all about making the most of your time, the key is to prioritize. “If your job is to eat a frog, you better do it first thing in the morning. And if your job is to eat two frogs, you better eat the biggest one first,” said Mark Twain. Do your most important tasks first, which is usually in the morning. Once you’re done, do less relevant tasks. By doing this, your workflow becomes more organized and helps you to be more sufficient.

Third, take your time, take regular breaks. Without enough rest, you can’t be productive. You can organize your breaks with the Pomodoro technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo. Basically, you work for a twenty-five minute block and have a five minute break. However, I modified this technique for myself and you can do the same because it’s like a template that you can use.

You can use this amazing template in two ways, this is what I did, first, I changed the time blocks, for me it’s forty five minutes on and five minutes off. On the other hand, when I write, I make the outline first, after I’m done with the outline, I take a break for ten minutes, and then I start writing. As you can see, you can change the time blocks or you can tailor it yourself as task-based breaks. Because in particular tasks, for me it’s writing, you focus a lot and you’re in the flow, so you don’t want to stop. After completing four cycles like these, take a longer break of twenty minutes. Again, use it however suits you best.

The last one, have a morning routine and wake up early. How do you start your day? Do you check your smartphone and check social media or make your bed? If you are on your phone then you are wasting your time. Here’s what happens: I tracked how much time I spend on social media in the mornings and it was about thirty minutes. Instead of spending thirty minutes on social media, I started using that time for myself, the improvement was amazing. If you don’t believe me, try it yourself!