Effective Time Management May Help Relieve Stress

Here are some steps to help you manage your time more effectively and relieve some of the day to day stress we all deal with.

1. Get organized and prepared to manage your time more effectively.
2. Know how your time is being spent. Chart your work and free time (usually about 60 of the 168 hours each week).
3. Schedule your time realistically by fitting the task to the time available (don’t start a detailed report 20 minutes before lunch).
4. Compare what you did to what you planned and make necessary adjustments.
5. Schedule flexibly (leave at least a 6 hour reserve each week for those unexpected things that inevitably arise).
6. Specify EXACTLY what will be done in a time period, e.g. read chapters 3 through 5, clean-out the hall closet and make business phone calls.
7. Plan for YOU: A Balanced View of Life Management

• Physical (exercise, sleep, nutrition)
• Social (hobbies, friends and family)
• Academic (reading, learning, mental challenge)
• Spiritual (meditation, prayer, community service)

8. Schedule time in writing.