How Superheroes Work

Time is a very precious commodity and most people are usually running short of it. But, when someone manages to accomplish a seemingly impossible amount within the confines of twenty-four hours and still have a smile on their face, they definitely represent what superheroes are made of. And they know how to manage their time! Yes, it requires a lot of regulation in their lives to pack in dozens of chores into a single day along with work as well as taking care of the family. Here’s how you too can be a superhero and never again complain about the lack of time:

1. De-clutter your Life

Have you ever felt that you could never find something when you needed it and that has resulted in a huge loss of time as well as effort? If that is the case, then here’s where you start your time management. Because, when you can’t find what you need to get a job done, everything grinds to a halt. So, take a hard look at your office and your home and attack problem areas filled with clutter. Clear out the mess since this will not only help you find long-lost things but also open up storage space. A few tips to get you going:
  • Throw things out or give things away.
  • Go through your closets and get rid of clothes that don’t fit or are no longer worn.
  • Keep you work desk neat and as clear as possible.
  • Organize all your papers in files and color-code them.
  • Clear off unnecessary junk from counters and shelves.
  • Reorganize furniture to get more personal space.

2. Organize Tasks

If you are beginning to feel that your “to-do” list just keeps getting longer while nothing concrete is accomplished, then you need to think about prioritizing. This is when you re-evaluate what chore is really important and what isn’t.
  • Don’t put yourself out for others and let your own tasks suffer in the process. Tackle requests at a more convenient time.
  • Delegate tasks at work and at home by giving out clear instructions so that everything is done just the way you want it to be.
  • Try and get an early start so that you can accomplish more in a shorter time.

3. Keep Technology in its Place

Are you checking emails and returning calls at all hours of the day, wasting a lot of precious time? Well, managing this time is crucial. So, designate specific times during the day to see e-mail as well as your voice mail. Then give yourself about 30-40 minutes to quickly review the messages and respond to the ‘important’ ones. Another useful tip here is to maintain multiple e-mail accounts. This will help you to control how often you check certain material and where that material actually goes.

4. Strike a Balance between your Personal and Professional Life

One of the most important aspects of time management is balance. You have to strike the right balance between your official and personal commitments. So, don’t feel guilty if your home is getting messy when there is a project to be submitted in the office or conversely, when you have to rush home to make dinner instead of cleaning up your workstation. While this is difficult, it isn’t impossible if you follow these tips:
  • Set yourself a timetable for the day and also ascertain goals.
  • Then measure your progress in implementing that timetable and achieving your goals.
  • Try and see what works and what went wrong.
  • Finally, put the successful components into practice.

5. Lessen your Idle Time

If you spend a lot of time commuting to and fro from work, traveling or even waiting, then find little but productive tasks that you can accomplish during this time. For instance, read up on books or articles you have been wanting to. Or catch your favorite show that you had taped but could not watch. And most importantly, plan your work so that you are able to accomplish all your chores with efficiency.

These are very small changes that you can make in your everyday life. If you are persistent with them, you will realise that the results are worth it and you will become that superhero you always wanted to!