How to make the most of your time

The summer holidays are upon us – a time to relax, make memories with the children, spend lazy sunny evenings chilling out…and work, keep the house tidy, go to the gym, cook, clean…the list goes on! Just because school stops, doesn’t mean everything else does, and finding time to unwind can be exhausting! We get it!  

Even those who are relatively good at managing their workloads can find juggling life tricky occasionally, and that’s why we’ve put together a few practical tips to help manage your time more effectively. 

It started with a list – At Effcom Towers, we love a list! Trying to remember all of your commitments can make your brain a bit fuzzy, so write it down. Then, prioritise. What needs doing right now and what can wait? If you have multiple urgent tasks, tackle the one that will use the most energy first. For those things that can wait, schedule them for a set time so you know they will get done and can plan accordingly.  

Audit your hours – Some may find it helpful to analyse how they currently spend their time. Make a note of everything you do during the day and how long it has taken, or use a tracking app. What took too long? What could have been done differently? What was unnecessary?   

Stop procrastinating! Noun: the action of delaying or postponing something. We’re all guilty of it. Perhaps your procrastination penchant is scrolling social networks, reading news feeds, playing online games or talking to people around you. It’s mindless activity stopping us doing the things we actually need to be doing. It could help to leave your devices out of reach or tell people that you’re working on something and will catch up with them on your break.  

Walk it off – Sometimes, when we have a lot going on, it can feel overwhelming. When this happens, it’s important to take time out. Step back, go for a walk, get some fresh air, and come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle your to do list with renewed energy. 

Focus – sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But when we have an ever-growing to do list, it can be tempting to try and do more than one thing at a time. This, however, can be counterproductive and it’s best to focus on one thing and do it well.  

Delegate – For perfectionists and those who like things done a certain way, passing work to others can be arduous. Sometimes though, it’s the ideal solution to lessen your workload and ensure you can focus on activities that truly need your attention.  

Make every second count – If you find yourself in a queue or know you’ll be sat on the train, think ahead and plan an activity. It could be as simple as writing your shopping list, brainstorming for a work project or drafting emails.  

Routine – The pandemic threw our usual routine out the window and, for many, that change is ongoing. The upsurge of working from home has seen a demise of the daily commute, online meeting platforms have meant we don’t need to travel to meetings or classes, and we may have found out that we actually prefer spending a quiet evening at home rather than going out to a crowded pub. Whatever your new normal is, get into a regular routine, so you know what you are doing each day and can plan your activities accordingly.  Make sure you build in relaxation time before bed so you get a good night sleep and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the next day. 

And ended with a list – We told you we love a list! Before bed, write down what you want to accomplish tomorrow and how you’re going to do that. Then relax!