Saturday, April 07, 2007

Time Management = Stress Management

How do you say that Time Management = Stress Management?

Though stress can be of different origins, the most common stressing factor by far is time, or the lack of it. Looming deadlines, unfinished tasks by the end of the week, projects approaching completion, mounting work, all these contribute to stress in the workplace.

Though time management isn’t that unheard of, it surely is one of the implementations many find very hard to follow. I find time management real pain to follow, especially if I see a mile long list and I’m still checking the uppermost part. That’s why I make my plans of time management in a non conforming way.

Really, the real root of the problem of compliance lies in the disheartening arrangement, as all lists of “to do” is always regarded a chore. But there are ways to make time management less upsetting and more positive. Here are some of my recommendations for a Time Management = Stress Management plan:

The Action List
The action list is always indispensable to any sort of planning. Even lawyers jot down their time, and for me they are the least kind of persons that need time management = stress management. The only thing is that, making a list you seem to avoid later won’t do any help to you. And trust me, after you finish writing that action list of two pages, you will feel like avoiding it.

It doesn’t have to be a list. For me, stickies function as my action list. No more seeing what goes next; I won’t be bothered by the next subject until I finish what’s on top. You can do it this way too. Write each entry on one Post-It pad, arrange it according to the level of necessitate. Bind them together with a clip.

So what’s the merit of this? You won’t be constantly reminded of how many tasks you need to do.

The Routine
One of the more enjoyable techniques of time management is the setting of routine. Arrange something on your head, say you wake up at 7am, shower and breakfast until 7:30am, and enjoy your news until 8am. You leave the door at 8am and take a brisk walk to the office. This works for everyone, and yes once you get a system running, it’s hard to deviate on what you get used to.

It is really Time Management = Stress Management, the only obstacle is enforcing your lifestyle to follow a routine, and follow your stickies.

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