Have you watched the MasterChef series? It’s a popular reality show on Star World and many people’s favorite, mine too. Contestants are required to not only make tasty food, but they are required to make tasty food quickly.
There is a time limit for every challenge – even if the food is tasty, they might be out of the game if they do not complete the challenge on time. A chef would be out of business if he does not prepare food for customers on time, right? People don’t like to be kept waiting when they are hungry.
Not just in the restaurant business, time management is important for any task you deliver. Be it writing, designing, software development, fashion etc, timely delivery of work is of utmost importance. So, how do you effectively manage time?
Here is a check list. Things you must ensure in order to make the best use of the time you have.
- Prepare a To-Do list
- Prioritize tasks and schedule them
- Manage distractions
Prepare a To-Do list
Preparing a to-do list with the bigger picture in mind gives you direction. There is an easy way to prepare this To-Do list. Do not start from Step 1. Instead try to trace back the steps necessary from the end result. Write down the end objective of the task. Then it would be easier for you to jot down the steps necessary in order to achieve that end.
Prioritize tasks and schedule them
You have the end objective ready and a list of things to do in order to achieve this objective. Now you have to determine how important each task is and how long it will take for you to complete each of them. This is where multitasking comes into the picture. Depending on the time each task takes, you can see if you can do two tasks simultaneously. Chop vegetables when the water is boiling. This kind of multitasking is possible when you plan your tasks and prioritize them in advance.
Manage distractions
It is very easy to get distracted by a million things when you are trying to focus on something – but the trick is to stay focused! Try to anticipate in advance, the things that might possibly distract you. The phone? Switch it off till you complete the task. The door? Have a DND message out if possible. There might be things that you do not anticipate, you cannot help that but what you can do is avoid things that you can help.
Once you prepare a to-do list, are clear about the end objective and priority of tasks, most of your time management in place. How do you manage time? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
