Many women who come to see me for help with stress tell me that there are just not enough hours in the day. They feel like they are juggling too many balls – children, husband, work, parents, friends, the list goes on. 
Time is very democratic. We all get the same number of minutes every day but if you use them well it can feel like you have more and you can achieve more. Here are my Top Time Management Tips
1. Create a To Do list for the next day before you go to bed. Make sure that the list is achievable to avoid discouragement. Ticking items off of the list elicits the release of dopamine and a good feeling. Having a list will also stop you worrying before you go to sleep about whether you will remember everything you need to do.
2. Keep a diary for appointments, calls, and tasks. This provides structure and a framework for the day, week, and month. It can be an electronic or paper version. Allow time for interruptions and unexpected tasks.
3. Prioritise tasks. This can help you avoid wasting time on things you want to do rather than what you need to do. Use 4 categories:
a. Urgent and important: Do it now and give it as long as it needs
b. Urgent but not Important – Do it now but don’t spend too long on it
c. Important but not urgent – Make a start. Put some time in your diary to complete it
d. Neither urgent nor important – Do you need to do this at all? Can it be delegated? If you need to do it, can you allocate some time in your diary for it?
Make important decisions and do important tasks at the beginning of the day while your brain is still fresh and energised. Lots of small decisions exhaust your brain and make bigger decisions harder to make.
Concentrate on one task at a time. The benefits of multi-tasking are a myth. You will be faster and get more done if you do one thing at a time.
Who knows, if you implement these tasks you may be able to have some ‘Me Time!’
For more help with stress contact pat@patduckworth.com
