Top Ten Time Management Tips To Begin 2012

2012 is well underway and most of us have some specific goals we want to attain this year. The number one reason I hear people say they can’t or didn’t reach their goals is they just didn’t have the time. Yet, we all have the same amount of hours in the day. In fact we have all been given enough time to do ALL that God wants and created us to do. So, here is my list of Top Ten Time Management Tips for 2012:

#10 – Set a specific time (and a limit) to check emails and social networks. If not you will spend time needed to be productive doing email and browsing your social networks.

#9 – When you do check your emails, do something with them. I am amazed at how many people keep emails in their in-box and then end up reading through them multiply times. Read them and respond, file or throw away. If you say you don’t have time at that moment to deal with them then you probably need to go back and read #10 again!

#8 - Realize you are not as good at multi – tasking as you think. Everyone thinks they can multi-task! Guess what, it shows up in your productivity and the quality of your work. You will get a lot more done and reach more of your goals when you set aside focused time to do your work.

#7 – If you are a person who does “To Do” list, make sure it is a priority list. Many times people take what was not accomplished today and put it at the very top of tomorrow’s list. A good “To Do” list should be made by priorities not by what didn’t get done today.

#6 – Delegate, delegate, delegate. If a task can be done by someone else and they can do it 80% as well as you can – delegate it!

#5 – Decide when not to be a perfectionist. Some things don’t require all the effort we put into them. Give your best time and greatest effort toward your top priorities.

#4 – Write things down. A big mistake when it comes to time management is to think that you can remember things without either writing them down or putting them in your Smartphone with an alert.

#3 – Invest time in planning. You’ve heard it before but it is so true: failing to plan is planning to fail. If you do not spend time planning toward your goals and priorities, something will come along and steal all your time!

#2 – Learn to say “NO”. This one simple two letter word will add more value toward time management than any thing else. Say it out loud right now. Practice: No, No, No!!!

#1 – Live by your priorities. This is the number one thing bar none when it come to time management. In fact your life will radically change as you begin to live by priorities. You will have more time, be more productive and fulfilled than ever. If you have never prayerfully considered your top priorities for your life – for 2012 – for the coming week – this is where you begin.

Benjamin Franklin said, “Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff that life is made of.” Don’t squander 2012. Don’t make excuses, you have been given this incredible gift of time by God to do and be all that He created you to do and be. Be a good and faithful steward. When you hear yourself saying you don’t have time to do the things you really want or you wish you had more hours in the day – you are probably doing some things that God does not want you to do because He has given you all the time you need to do all that He created you to do.

Happy New Year!!!