Time management is one of those things that you might think will never apply to you, because it’s not something that most people think about in their everyday lives. But time management can be a great tool for both personal productivity and stress reduction.

It also helps you accomplish your goals faster and easier than before! In this article, we will look at some basic principles of time management and how they can help you get more done at work or home—and make you happier while doing so.

Dos of time management:

Do make time for breaks.

Taking breaks is an important part of time management. Breaks can help you stay focused on your work, avoid burnout and even make you more productive in the long run.

Take a break when you need it. If you feel like taking a short break when writing an essay or researching for an exam, go ahead!

But don’t let yourself get too distracted by checking social media updates every 30 minutes or chatting with friends over messenger – sometimes it’s better to leave those things until later so that they don’t interrupt what needs to get done right away (and end up making it harder for yourself).

Do use a calendar and schedule to better manage your time.

Use a calendar and schedule to better manage your time. A calendar is a great way to keep track of meetings, appointments and other tasks that need to be completed at specific times.

If you have trouble remembering when things are scheduled or when it’s time to do something new, try creating reminders in your calendar for tasks or appointments.

You can also use calendars for events like birthdays and anniversaries so you don’t forget important dates with friends and family members.

Using the calendar app on your phone should be enough for most people; however if you’re working on multiple projects at once (or want more flexibility than what comes with an app), consider using Google Calendar as well—it integrates well with Gmail’s interface so it’ll feel familiar if you’ve been using Gmail for work emails all along!

Do Set Goals

Setting goals is an incredibly important part of time management. Goals give you a way to measure your progress, and they provide motivation for you to do the things that will help you achieve them.

For example, let’s say your goal is to become more organized at work. Your first step in achieving this goal would be to write down everything on your desk—all the papers, pens, sticky notes and other odds and ends—and then figure out what needs to be filed away or tossed out because it’s just taking up space.

This can seem like an overwhelming task at first glance (or even second or third), but once you get started clearing off your desk and putting things where they belong…wow!

It feels so good! And now every time you look at your neat-and-tidy desk, it reminds you that life doesn’t have to feel cluttered all the time.

That makes it easier for us not just keep our workspace clean but also maintain other areas of our lives too: our closets look better when we spend less time searching through piles of clothes; our wallets don’t get stuffed with expired coupons because we’ve learned how many meals we really need per week before planning accordingly; etcetera ad infinitum (though perhaps not quite yet).

Do reward yourself

Rewarding yourself is an effective way to motivate yourself. You’ll accomplish more if you have a goal in mind, and setting aside time to reward yourself for getting there will help you stay on track.

Setting small, measurable goals is important because it’s easy to achieve them and gives you immediate gratification (which feels good). Setting larger goals that take longer to achieve can be discouraging if they don’t work out right away, so try breaking them down into smaller pieces as much as possible.

When all else fails—and even when things go according to plan—you should still reward yourself for doing something good for yourself. It doesn’t matter how big or small the accomplishment may be; it could be anything from going out with friends this weekend instead of sitting at home alone watching TV all day long or finally taking care of some chores around the house that have been bothering you for weeks now

Do organize

You can’t manage time if you don’t know where it is. So the first step toward good time management is to make sure that you have a system for organizing your paperwork and belongings. If you keep track of things, it will be much easier to get rid of unnecessary items and keep track of what’s important.

For example, do regular cleanings: clear off your desk at least once a week, throw away any trash or papers that no longer need keeping (and don’t even think about putting them in some drawer or box), put books back on the shelf where they belong, etc.

If possible, set aside one evening per week when you can sort through all these things; this way they won’t pile up until they start weighing down on your mind!

Also remember to use technology: use an organizer like Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar; back up important files digitally (this way if something gets lost/stolen/damaged); make sure all passwords are memorized; etc.

Do Use time management as a tool , not a stick to beat yourself with.

Time management is not a stick to beat yourself with. It’s a tool to help you get things done.

It can be used as a healthy way to manage your time, or it can be used as an unhealthy way to feel like you are constantly failing at life. If you are using time management as an excuse for not getting things done, it’s not helping anyone.

Instead, you need to look at the reasons why your time management isn’t working. Are you using the wrong system? Do you have too many distractions in your life?

Are there certain tasks that are taking up too much of your time? Once you figure out what needs to be changed, then implement those changes into your daily routine.

Don’ts of time management:

Do not have only one to-do list.

You should not have a single to-do list.

To-do lists are one of the most useful tools for staying organized and setting priorities, but having only one to-do list can backfire if it’s too long or has too many items on it.

Instead, try creating a different kind of list for each aspect of your life: work projects, personal errands and chores, family responsibilities like birthday parties and doctor appointments, etc.

Or keep separate lists for each day of the week—that way you can focus on what needs doing right now without being overwhelmed by everything else that’s coming up later in the week. You could even create digital lists using an app like Wunderlist or Google Keep if you’re comfortable with tech!

Do not take on too much at once.

This is the number one rule of time management. Don’t take on too much at once. If you’re trying to run a business, make it your full-time job, and also write a novel while running a marathon every day, you’re going to get burned out quickly.

It’s better to focus on one thing at a time—for example, work for eight hours each day and do nothing else during that time frame.

This goes hand-in-hand with overcommitting yourself; if you take on more things than are reasonable for any given day/week/month/year then it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks (i.e., “I’ll do it tomorrow”).

Do not procrastinate

If you have a task to complete, get started on it right away. Don’t wait until later in the day or until another day when you feel more motivated or inspired. Getting into the habit of starting early will make it easier for you to maintain a good work schedule in the long term.

If your task is big and seems daunting, break it down into smaller tasks that are easier to manage (e.g., if your assignment is an essay, divide up the writing process into sections such as brainstorming ideas, researching sources and so forth).

Then work on one section of your assignment at a time until all sections are completed—this way you won’t be tempted to put off getting started until later on when things get stressful!

Do not waste time on unnecessary tasks

• Don’t be afraid to say no. It’s easy to get bogged down with unnecessary tasks that you don’t need to do, but you have to be willing to say no in order to focus on what’s important.
• Don’t be afraid of delegation—if one person can do something faster and better than another person, delegate it!
• Don’t feel awkward about letting go of things that aren’t important or interesting for you; if something isn’t a good fit, then just let it go! This will free up extra time for the things that matter most.

Do not ignore your instinct when it comes to self-care.

When it comes to self-care, you know when you need a break. You know when you need to stop working. You know when you need to take a break from work.

You know when you need to take a nap. You also know when the best time of day is for getting those creative juices flowing—and if that time is 4 AM, then so be it!

The point here is that everyone has different needs and rhythms, which means that everyone needs different things at different times (and often at the same time).

Self-care should never feel like an obligation; it’s something we do because we want to feel good about ourselves and our lives—not just because we think we should or because someone told us that taking care of ourselves is important enough for them not tell us how much but not quite important enough for them actually come up with any useful tips on doing so themselves

Do not use random things as reminders anymore.

When you have a million things on your to-do list, it can be difficult to remember what you need to do next. You might use random things as reminders, such as buying groceries or wearing blue jeans on Monday (which is actually quite common).

But if you don’t put the time or energy into organizing your day, it’ll never get done.

Instead of setting reminders for yourself via random objects and events, use a calendar or to-do list app. This way you’ll know exactly when something needs attention and how long until it’s due.

If an item isn’t due today but will be soon (like laundry), then add it on your task list so that it’s not forgotten in the future! To make sure nothing slips through the cracks again, keep a planner nearby at all times—even if only jotting down notes during meetings so they’re easier to find later rather than having them floating around in different places without any context whatsoever

Don’t sacrifice sleep.

Sleep is the time when the brain processes information, consolidates memories and builds new neural pathways. When you don’t get enough sleep, your mental performance suffers: You can’t focus as well and your memory is impaired. A lack of sleep can also make you more prone to errors or accidents at work or on the road.

In addition to improving your work performance and reducing stress levels, getting enough sleep will help with weight loss by encouraging better metabolism and hormonal balance.

Sleep deprivation has been linked to diabetes risk factors such as higher blood sugar levels, insulin resistance (a precursor for Type 2 diabetes), greater appetite in general (including increased cravings for carbohydrates), slower metabolism after meals (which makes it harder for your body to burn fat) plus an increase in abdominal fat deposits (which are dangerous because they’re associated with heart disease).

Time management has many benefits, but it’s best approached in the right way

Time management is a skill that can be learned, but it’s important to understand the basics before you begin. First and foremost, time management requires knowing your goals and priorities. Before you can manage your time, you need to know what it is that you want to accomplish.

Secondly, it’s helpful to know how much time each task will take so that you can plan accordingly. For example: If I want to make four batches of cookies for my daughter’s birthday party but I only have two hours available on Saturday morning, then it makes sense not to start working on them until later in the day when our schedule isn’t as busy.

Finally—and just as important—is knowing how much free time we have available so that we don’t overbook ourselves with commitments or obligations during those precious moments when they could be spent relaxing with family members instead!

Conclusion

The key to time management is in the right mindset. Time management is not a stick to beat yourself with; it’s a tool. You should use your time wisely, but don’t let it consume you so much that it becomes an obsession or interferes with other aspects of your life.

If you keep these things in mind, then you’ll be able to manage your time much better than before!