Too much to do, not enough time

Most of us have probably struggled with managing our time. Have you felt stressed as you attempt to achieve all goals and tasks on your ‘to do’ list? Frustration and dissatisfaction can be experienced when thinking about the things that didn’t get completed.

Being very productive can cause stress which can lead to tiredness and ill health. Your head may be telling you that you can do it but your body may be reading a very different script. With work, deadlines, people, things and what you want to do all competing for our time, the question is how do we squeeze it all in and stay healthy? The honest answer is, we can’t. So, if you’ve decided that your timetable needs to change here is some guidance on how get kick start the process.

Review your time

Before you can look at how you can change your timetable, it is sensible to have a good think about how you currently spend your time, and on what. Think carefully about how much time you spend on things such as working, caring for others, housework, cooking, television, telephone, social media and reading etc. The time we actually spend on certain activities rarely matches what we believe it is.

Lists and prioritise

Some people find keeping lists of goals and tasks helpful. When these things are written down you have the advantage of not having to carry them in your head which can be stress-inducing, especially if you forget something. Prioritise your tasks as much as you feel you can which helps with time management. Life often changes so review your priorities regularly.

Accept you cannot do everything

It helps to have an awareness of your personal boundaries. Think about what you will and won’t commit to. You could also ask yourself:

• What things do I need to do?
• What things do I want to do?
• What things will I make time to do?

 Letting go

Being time efficient can be a positive thing for many people for a variety of reasons but it is worth bearing in mind that it can also be destructive. The key is finding the right balance and to be prepared to let go of things.

Your time management needs to include time for you. Gifting yourself time is important to allow you to relax, recover and regain physical and emotional energy.