The first step in learning how to effectively make use of your time is to do a personal analysis on how you are using your time. Then take the information and see how much of your time actually contributes to meeting specific goals you have. These goals should be in both your professional and personal life There is no doubt that it is very hard to find a balance between your professional life and your personal time. If you can incorporate your own values and the goals you have set for yourself, you can define the amount of energy and time you want to spend in each area.
Take your analysis and identify your most important priorities at work and in your personal life outside of work. Make a list of all activities that are important and urgent versus those that are important but not urgent. Then make a list of things that you have wasted time on and not achieved any goals. When you put this down on a piece of paper the results may surprise you. You will also be able to note areas where you are consistent and areas where you are not consistent.
After you have done your self analysis, create a professional and personal action plan on using your time wisely. This plan should mirror your personal values and goals you have set for yourself. Make time for those items on your list that are important and urgent first. This is the starting point of planning your time and getting it under control. The least important items should be at the bottom of your list. This is just a guideline because things are always changing. If things change so should your professional and personal action plan.
The biggest time wasting activities are due to lack of your own personal organization. Good organizational skills rely on having clearly defined priorities. Time management also requires the use of self discipline. Self discipline is recognizing your limits and knowing when to say no and not feel bad about it. Remember your priorities need to come first and not worry about pleasing everyone in your professional and personal life.
Stress can interfere at any time with time management. If you are having a high dose of stress in either you professional or personal life, or sometimes in both areas, look for what the source of the stress is and come up with a plan to reduce the stress. If you do not get the stress to at least a manageable level, your time management strategies will fall apart. If you can develop goals, perform a personal time analysis, make a list of priorities in both your personal and professional life, and eliminate time wasting activities, you can learn to develop and manage the time management strategies you have identified for yourself.