Do you have a lot of things to do and not enough hours in the day to do them? Time management is something that everyone has indented into their lives. Some are good at it and some, not so much. Some use it as an excuse for missing the daily Salah or doing Dhikr. Time Management 101 is to make a to-do list. But does it end there? Or is that just the beginning?
Having a to-do list gives you something to
look at which reduces the stress from remembering everything you
want/need to get done. It gives you a visual of where you are headed.
Once you have a list down is when the real time management begins. The
following steps will take you from writing your to-do list to getting it all done.
The human mind has 70,000 thoughts per day and
a good portion of this number represents the ideas that one gets. The
initial step is to keep a record of these ideas, then gradually taking
the steps to act upon them.
1. Write down ideas:
Brainstorm things that
you want to do, such as a new business idea or the surprise party you
want to throw for a friend. This list can also include the things you need to get done for work or school such as finishing a project by a certain date. Example:
2. Prioritize the ideas and tasks:
Break the previous list down into four parts:
- want to get done immediately,
- want to get done in the far future,
- need to get done immediately, and
- need to get done in the far future.
Labeling tasks will give you a mind-set
for all the actions that need to get done. Separate the things you want
to do and the things you need to do. Write down all the things you want.
These can be things you want to do immediately (i.e. buy a nice pair of
shoes), or in the far future (i.e. go to Paris).
This step also includes writing down what
you need to do immediately like fulfilling a work order, or in the far
future i.e. completing the annual assessment. Separating the things you
want from the things you need is essential because it organizes your
list. What you need to get done is not necessarily more important than
what you want to get done and vice versa.
You can classify this list is a variety of ways.
- Use a T-Chart
- A concept map, or
- Just a simple doodle
Do this step in whichever way you think
you will be able to visually read it the fastest. Keep this breakdown of
the things in a place where you often reach; such as your daily journal
or a phone app. Having this will put it all together and structure your
list.
3. Set deadlines:
Now that you have
everything you need to do in writing, it is good to define some limits
to your list. This step of following through your to-do list is to place
a cap on it. It is up to you to decide where your cap goes. Only you
know what your limits are. Try the following process:
Level 1 would be to place the cap on the
“Need to get done immediately” list. This means that you will do these
things right away and not worry about the other things on the list
because you already have them written down somewhere. These are the
things you need to get done the same day. Level 2 would be to place it
on top of what you want and need to do immediately. Putting your far
future to a rest will help you be more efficient sooner.
To set a deadline on things you need to
get done only may be very harsh on yourself because you are ignoring the
things you want. It is actually good to do the things you want (such as
painting, reading, etc.) alongside the tasks you have to do because it
will balance your actions. This step will help you create a new list
which divides and shortens the chart into manageable tasks.
4. Use colour to show urgency:
You need to decide on a
period of time that you need to do the things on your new list. This
step is to set the timer for yourself. If you placed the cap on the
things you need to get done immediately, then you need to give yourself a
time frame for completing it. Giving yourself deadlines keeps you
motivated to keep working hard. Even your far future deserves a deadline
(ex. I will go to Paris after I turn 40 but before I turn 65). There
may be things you need to do within the next hour and things you need to
do before the next year, you must decide on the deadlines according to
your personal responsibilities and expectations.
- Use red for the things you want to get done immediately
- Use any other colors to highlight the things that may be done in the near and far future.
5. Reward yourself with that little checkmark:
The little checkmark you put
beside a task on your To-Do list may just be one of your biggest
achievements. So, do not under-estimate the power of To-Do lists.
There are tons of resources out there
for organization and making to – do lists, you can use whatever suits
you the best.
You
may find whichever way you find best in completing the things on your
to-do list, but remember the most important thing is to act on it and
the most cliché one, do not leave it for tomorrow! Have fun!
P.S. Don’t forget the five most important steps to adding Barakah in your day are the obligatory prayers.
from site www.roductivemuslim.com
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