We are all guilty of it, sitting in our living room as a family yet individually glued to our phones, sacrificing our personal time in order to watch the next funny animal video or political meme. Exhausted by our day of earning, ordering takeaway and mindlessly scrolling is often the only thing we have the energy left to do.
We have also all seen people who seem to be able to juggle their time seamlessly. The health mother jogging with her pram whilst sipping her super-green smoothie, then returning home to get ready for a day in the office. Or the banking executive, suited and booted with gym bag in hand, returning home to watch Netflix and cook a meal with his beloved.
On the other hand, some of us are running to work whilst coffee simultaneously spills down our freshly washed shirt, repeatedly checking each ticking hand of our clock as to not miss the next rushed meeting, hoping above all else we can cram enough time in the day to do what we actually enjoy. Life is often an endless rush which goes hand in hand with that horrible feeling of existential dread. A lot of us look at those who can effectively and calmly manage their time and think, how?
I wondered whether managing time is really just a case of becoming a better multi-tasker, or whether effective time management is reliant solely on individual experience. In reality, it is the latter. Time management is within your control and remains a manageable responsibility. It can be very easy when correct strategies are in place and feelings of being overwhelmed are limited. Here are three effective methods that will allow you to not only understand where your time is going, but to experience the present fully.
Create a time audit and schedule. This will involve recording the amount of time you spend doing certain tasks over a period of a week. This activity really enables people to see how much time they waste doing certain things, and record which moments feel particularly tight and stressful. The truth will often set you free. When we do finally realise how much pointless time we are spending doing things that do not truly benefit us, we are compelled to change these aspects and replace them with meetings or leisure activities that will be of benefit to us.
Learn to single-task. We should begin to see multi-tasking for what it really is, a psychological response to poor time management. Multi-tasking is obviously crucial in certain day to day aspects of our life. Low key tasks such as making dinner whilst having a phone call are not essentially problematic. However, multi-tasking can lead to overwhelming pressure and stress on an individual to achieve everything all at once, particularly in a work environment. Whilst multi-tasking, we are not focused on accomplishing one task well, but achieving an endless stream of tasks tolerably. It’s clear that if we give our full attention to one task at a time, the result is of higher quality. If the result is of higher quality, we are less likely to spend more time on it in the future. Most people also cite multi-tasking as the main culprit for losing belongings, which leads to further excessive feelings of stress.
Practice mindfulness. Constant distractions throughout our day ensures our time is repeatedly wasted. Mindfulness is a basic human ability to be fully present of where we are and what we are doing. The concept of mindfulness itself is not obscure, unattainable or exotic, but a powerful tool that can be practiced by anybody, in any situation. Companies are finding it reduces stress, develops better leaders, increases productivity, and generates more creative workplaces. It also enhances cognitive thinking skills and triggers more imaginative solutions. [1] Scheduling and single-tasking are certainly important in time management. However, mindfulness is integral in attaining happiness, calmness and clear thinking in our present situation. This ensures a greater efficiency in life, and time.
[1] https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/why-we-need-mindfulness-in-the-workplace-20160911-grdlte.html