24 hours. Haven't you sometimes felt that this was not enough? Haven't you sometimes wished that a day had more than just 24 hours? Well all of us have most often than not wished that we had enough time to finish all our pending tasks. But what we happily overlook is the fact that most of our tasks are quite doable in a day or two. It's the way we prioritize and plan that matters the most. Effectively managing time is an art, which when mastered can prove to be quite a blessing because in today's fiercely competitive world it can cost you much if you lag behind. And to accomplish anything of real worth it does not help to be having too many irons in the fire, because by doing things here, there and everywhere you can never really be able to finish even one task at a preset time. So if you're looking to meet your deadlines without fretting too much about it it's about time you kept in mind at least the basics of managing time.

Set goals

Everyone has targets; even organisations and only when the targets are met will the end result be as desired. The same applies here to, as it is always better to set targets and stick to them diligently to avoid future distress. When you know what is expected of you it is easier to decide how to go about getting there and setting goals will facilitate the process of achieving what you want. Most of the time people neglect the process since it can be quite time consuming and fail to notice that only with a predetermined end result can you effectively plan the order in which to accomplish it and also prioritise your work more efficiently.

Deciding the order of precedence

Settling on what should take precedence and in what order should a task be accomplished can productively bring down the time that you spend on each task. Everyone jots down a list of things that has to be completed but without proper prioritisation the list is as obsolete as a menu card without proper categorisation; because unless you know where to start or what to do first there's nothing much that you can achieve. Now let's assume that you've made a list of the jobs that you have to complete. How do you intend to finish everything on time and not be stressed out in the future if you have no idea where to start? Should you begin ticking off top to bottom or bottom to top, easy to hard or hard to easy. Well, it's actually very simple, if you know what to do. Just make a list of the tasks based on the order of importance and make sure you stick to it because this way you will not feel over stretched to meet a deadline. Completing a task of high importance way in advance will always ensure that it is accomplished well and will also save you a lot of headaches by reducing the stress as the deadline approaches.

Interruptions and disturbances

Very rarely can you get away without being disturbed. Prioritising and setting goals can smoothen the process of completing tasks on time but what cannot be conclusively tracked and jotted down are interruptions, even though they are always expected. So how do you work with minimum interruptions? Well, certain positions and designations come with interruptions from all quarters and in all forms but as you start multi-tasking you will always learn the art of maneuvering and outmaneuvering without neglecting whatever your job entails.

Maybe Later

Putting off tasks for later can be quite tempting but when it's done on a regular basis you'll be surprised that no amount of time spent can ease the burden of piled up tasks. When you procrastinate and then get back to doing a task you will certainly end up working at a more sedentary pace not really realising how long it might take. Over time any task will become insurmountable if they have been getting piled up over a long period of time and if not checked it can prove to be quite daunting. If you start procrastinating stop right there and do a reality check. Yes there are a lot of tasks that can become boring when they are done repeatedly but pushing it over for later cannot relieve you of the responsibility. So whenever you start to postpone just remember that at the end of the day or better still when a deadline is approaching you will have to get back to completing it and there will not be anyone else you can hand it over to and wriggle out of the assignment.

Scheduling

How you manage to complete the tasks assigned to you always boils down to how well you schedule your time. Effective scheduling will not just make sure that you complete the task but also prevent a lot of stress when a deadline approaches. When you're aware what your priorities are then just ensure that you schedule your time accordingly and stick to it. Also make sure that you have enough time allotted for contingencies and interruptions that always arise and wreak havoc when you least expect it. By creating a schedule that ensures that there is enough time to juggle different tasks can always relieve a lot of stress and act as a good balance between your priorities and your other personal aspirations. 
Time management is an essential expertise, which if handled appropriately can help not just to alleviate stress but lso keep you in better shape to move ahead and accept more responsibilities, which in turn can propel you career to greater heights. So if you hope to work smarter just make sure you prepare a smarter, workable schedule that matches your priorities.

Source: www.clickjobs.com