The Key to Balance: Time Management, your way!

We have a set of 24 hours a day. If we were to know that these were our last 24 hours of the day, then we wouldn't waste a single second of it. Just like that, every single day that we have is extremely precious, and one of the ways to make sure that we can have an adequate amount of time for everything that we love to do is by using time management. It is very important to remember that time management looks different for everyone, because everybody has different responsibilities, lifestyles, mental capacities, and more. Thus, you must find which way of segmenting your time works best for you, not for everyone else. There are numerous time management strategies and methods that have been used by people throughout history. Namely, the Pareto Analysis, which is more commonly known as the “ 80/20” rule, the Pomodoro Technique, the Eisenhower Matrix, and so on. Each of these techniques allows you to manage your time in such a way that whatever task you are currently doing you can focus on it and do it to the best of your ability. Just as importantly they all emphasize the importance of rest in one's day along with being productive.

We often feel like we have so much work to do and the overwhelming stress can cause us to procrastinate. However, having a set routine that allows us to slowly get our work done by tackling some of the harder tasks first can allow us to ease our minds and also leave time to rest and rejuvenate our minds and body. The Pareto Analysis focus is on prioritizing tasks that would be most appropriate for solving problems. meaning that you accomplish the tasks that will allow you to ease your mind and dominate the problem at hand. The steps of this method include listing the problems that you may be facing and then identifying what is the major root cause of these problems. Next, you assign a number to each problem with the more critical problems having greater numbers. For example, if done on a scale from one to ten, ten would be the most urgent situation that requires attention. Following this you would group the problems by a root cause and obtain the sum of the numbers that you had assigned to each problem in its respective group. The group which receives the highest sum is the one that you should divert your attention to first. This type of time management is especially helpful for those who like to take action and quickly relieve themselves of the overhanging burden that problems may cause in their life.

The Pomodoro Technique is rather famous and is often showcased on social media. In this technique, your daily tasks are broken down into separate intervals. For example, you'll focus on a certain task at hand for about 25 minutes and then take a short break for about 3 to 5 minutes in which you allow your brain to rejuvenate and refresh itself. You then repeat this process until you have accomplished the work at hand. This is especially helpful for those who suffer from having short attention spans or often feel like they are missing out on something else if they have long stretches of work to do, and is especially good for those who are tired or burnt out from other activities occurring in their life.

Last but certainly not least, another very popular time management skill is known as the Eisenhower Matrix, famously named after US president Dwight Eisenhower. For this technique, you organize your tasks into separate quadrants based on how important and urgent these tasks are at that moment in time. This will allow you to visually see which tasks need to get done as soon as possible and require your attention first, compared to those which can be put aside for a later date. This is a good tool for those who feel like they have a lot of responsibilities in a variety of areas, and often have trouble deciding which one they should manage first. This technique is pictured below

(Image sourced from University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences https://www.usa.edu/blog/time-management-techniques/)

Oftentimes we worry too much about the future, and one of the best ways to combat worry and stress is by taking action. Having a time management plan that works for you can allow you to take action on numerous aspects of your life, and thus decrease your stress levels leading to a healthier version of yourself, which in turn will allow for better performance. In addition, having a set time management plan, or routine, will allow you to achieve numerous of your life goals, while also taking care of your responsibilities. There is no minimum or maximum age at which someone can discover what way of managing their time works best for them.

Another amazing time management skill is setting SMART goals. These are goals that are specific, they are measurable, achievable , relevant, and time-bound. By creating these types of goals, you will not feel overwhelmed by thinking that you have such a large task to accomplish in a short amount of time. By breaking down these larger girls into smaller smart goals you will have a clearer direction on how to reach that final goal which will allow you to enhance your performance each step of the way.

Furthermore, it is very important to remember that what may have worked for you in the past, whether it be a couple of months ago or years ago, does not mean that the same technique will work for who you are today. We are constantly growing and evolving and our lives are constantly changing, whether it be in terms of family responsibilities, outside work, school work, sports, or more it is important to reflect on your current schedule and your team and see how you can adjust it to fit your current state. It is imperative to reflect on the work that you were able to accomplish and ponder whether there were any challenges or interferences that occurred that ended with you performing at any level other than your best.

These small adaptations or changes in your teen life can allow you to become exponentially more efficient and also help ground and center you when it feels like your surroundings may be constantly changing. As important as it is to be productive, it is also crucial that you take time to work on your mental health and physical health. We often think being productive only means making money or studying, when in reality one of the most productive things you can do for yourself is going and exercising or making a nourishing meal that allows your body and mind to perform at its best.