Learning how to manage your time effectively has become extremely popular. Unfortunately, lots of people still have old notions and make mistakes. A lot of the methods we think up to save ourselves time backfire, and wind up costing us a lot more time. The purpose of this article is to cover a few of the most common time management blunders so you can avoid making them.

Multitasking is usually a major mistake if you overdo it. The idea of multitasking became well known a few years ago, when it was viewed as a way to improve your efficiency. Common sense would lead you to believe that you can get more done if you have a number of projects in the works at the same time. The problem is, multitasking typically takes away from your ability to give every single task the attention it deserves. It tends to make us careless, and we then commit costly mistakes. It usually ends up making us less efficient, because we then must go back and correct the slips we made. Now dont get me wrong. Were not recommending that you never ever multitask. If youre able to ensure that each task you are multitasking will be given the quality attention it deserves then, of course, include multitasking in your time management techniques.

Another dear time management gaffe is to overextend yourself. This takes place when we underestimate how long tasks are likely to take and the unexpected delays that always seem to arise. When somebody asks your help with something, do you frequently say yes? This is normal since at times we feel guilty saying no. Its rarely a great idea to book yourself solid, leaving no extra time for mishaps or emergencies. Whenever you review your list, and its packed full of things you must do, you can feel pressured. This makes it difficult to concentrate on any one project because you are worrying about all the other tasks you have to finish. Give some thought to each task or event that you are thinking about including in your list. In addition, spend some time to really consider a new commitment. Dont feel like you must answer right then and there. One of the most difficult time management bad habits to break is overextending ourselves. We just dont feel comfortable, usually, telling another person no.

If you tend to jump directly into things without much thought or planning, youre making a potentially harmful time management blunder. Its rarely wise to do something with no an outline or plan in mind, or ideally written down. Can you picture an architect endeavoring to build a house without lists of materials, schematics, and all the plans he needs? Or a baker trying to make a fancy wedding cake without having a recipe? So it should be plain by now that its all too easy to leave out a step, or ingredient, when you begin a new task with no clearly defined list or plan. So as to follow in the footsteps of folks who have learned to manage their time properly, you need to delay the beginning of any type of work until you have a clear, and concise, system outlined of whats involved. The time it takes to plan thoroughly will end up saving you time in the long run, so dont ignore this step.

Mistakes that are made in the name of time management are numerous, and the ones weve outlined here are only a few of the main ones to watch out for. One more thing to remember: often, if you try to speed through a project or task, you make more slips and, ultimately, spend more time than if you had relaxed and done a more thorough job planning the task. One of the biggest advantages of learning how to manage your time more efficiently is that you will be more relaxed as you approach your tasks daily, and you will no longer have the pressure of being rushed.

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Author: MeanGrasty273

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