The Procrastinator: How Time Management Can Help You to Start Living a Better Life Today

If human resource books could talk, they would probably ask you these questions:

Do you want to…

• Get more things done in less time?
•  Leave a great impression by being punctual in your professional meetings 
• Have a consistent motivation to always do your best
• Start achieving your goals today
• Minimize the risk of uncertainty in your career or academic life
• Reduce stress caused by deadlines that you just can’t seem to meet?
• Accomplish tasks that are really important?

If these questions resonate with your deepest desires then you are most likely suffering from procrastination. And your problem clearly stems from the lack of ability to manage your time well.

The ability to manage one’s daily life sums up the concept of time management. This productivity principle is characterized by a person’s capacity to set goals, put in place an appropriate action plan and carries them through to accomplishment. Being able to set realistic expectations and to firmly say “no” to things or circumstances that are not top priority should be done with time management. It is also important to keep a vibrant perspective on both short-term and long-term time horizons to be able to fully synchronize the achievements of today to the success of tomorrow.

But how can you jump into this track after being derailed by years of procrastinating on every single thing?

Here are 5 simple adjustments that you can do to break the ice. Integrate these steps to the way you live to get the better life you deserve.

1. Rest up and take care of your body. Time management is all about you. It’s all about your priorities, tasks, goals and dreams. Give these priorities the attention and energy they deserve from you by paying attention to yourself first. Remember that you are the prime mover of your plans.





2. Block distractions. Social networking sites, mobile phones and other unrelated tasks can compete really well with your attention if you allow them to. While working or performing an important task, turn them off until you’re finished with what you have to do. Allotting a specific time of your day to check your phone, email, update your FB status or post a tweet can work wonders. Just make sure to commit to these given times and don’t enjoy too much so you can get back to work.
3. Do one task at a time. This is very much related to the second adjustment that I’m recommending. Sneaking through your social accounts while working or studying will certainly not produce the best results for you. That’s because instead of giving a task your 100% focus, doing two at a time only gives each one of them 50% attention. You can do the math from there.
4. Take advantage of technology: automate when possible. Make use of the internet or other automated procedures like voicemails to organize your life. This will allow you to easier manage the various aspects of your life and blend them together seamlessly. Start paying your bills online, create an auto email responder and record a good voice mail message today to save your precious time.
5. Learn to say noIf you don’t like it, don’t do it. It’s simple as that. Though it would need much practice to perfect, you can do it. You just have to commit to saying no to anything or anyone that don’t matter as much.

Are you ready to change your life? Let me know how time management worked for you by writing it down below. Comments, suggestions and stories are also very much welcome.