Home working has many advantages, but requires some self discipline! Here are some time management tips which will help you get done what you need to do.

First know what it is you want to achieve – these are the “big things” which need to be planned for first. Everything else needs to fit around these.

Spend a little time on a Sunday evening to plan the following weeks. Start by putting in any family time which you need to work around. Then add in blocks of time for your “big things”. Then add in any appointments which you have. Everything has to fit around these.

Run a to do list, and review it first thing each day. Focus on the “big things”. Jot down other tasks as they come into your head, and then schedule them when you come to review your daily to do list.

Have a morning routine – get up, sort out the kids and then be at your desk on time and ready to work (and less stressed).

Create Work Hours – and stick to them! This is REALLY important if you work from home, so establish your work hours and make sure you stick to them. And that means work, not housework, having a coffee or watching day time TV. But putting on the laundry and dishwasher are fine.

Have a dedicated work space – ideally out of the house, or at least in a room you can shut off from the rest of the house. If you haven’t a room, then designate a space, preferably one that can be shut away. Don’t let work spill over into your home and vice versa. This also helps with getting you in the right mindset for work.

Excellent time management means working at the best time for you. Larks function best in the morning and early afternoon, while owls are late morning and afternoon people, and often into the evenings. This is time that you should reserve for the “big things”. Less productive times can be used for lower importance tasks.

If you are focusing on something important, then switch off all distractions – the phone, and most importantly the email. A top time management tip is to deal with e mails only a couple of times a day.

Recognise your time wasters – and be ruthless in managing them. If need be give yourself planned coffee/lunch breaks and set a timer – then you can let go, surf the internet or play your favourite game.

Don’t try and combine work and childcare. If you’re serious about work, then you need childcare arrangement. Don’t try and cram work in when the kids are in bed – your sanity and other relationships will suffer.

If others are also in the house, make sure they understand that you have working hours, and that doesn’t mean you can be interrupted all the time

Make sure you leave work at the end of your working hours. Switch off the computer, tidy away and focus on homelife.

Delegate tasks that you don’t like or that are repetitive – can the school run be shared? Should you have a virtual PA to answer your phone or do your typing? Outsource Where Possible. Specialist tasks such as tax returns are best left to experts, so find a good accountant.

Think about when you can fit in errands – on the way to meetings or appointments perhaps? While the kids are in football practice? Group similar activities together, or things in similar locations – for example library and shops together.

Make a weekly menu plan for the family – and buy it online.

Perhaps most important of all is to plan for pleasure. All work and no play is not good for your mental health, so make sure you don’t spend all your time working.

With a little planning and practice, time management becomes simple and your productivity will grow enormously. Good luck.

If you are you interested in more ways to manage your time, check out http://time-management-made-easy.com. Subscribe to my free mini series and newsletter to help you get the most out of every day.

Author: Caron Kincaid
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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