How to Manage Time Effectively

There is no such thing as “no time”. Everybody in the in the history of the world has been given the same amount of hours in a day. Just imagine if Bruce Lee had that same “no time” mentality. He would’ve never studied Wing Chun, never created Jeet Kune Do, never had the time to do 800 jumps on a jump rope daily, run, lift weights, and made his movies. He only lived until he was 32, but he accomplished all of these amazing things.

What we don’t realize is, that we actually have 2 types of time. The time we spend doing what we want, and the time we spend doing what we should really do. Most of us, plagued by tardiness and the wanting to relax, spend most of our time doing nothing. When this happens, time flies, and it reduces opportunities for us to do what we really should be doing. If you really want to be productive, the formula is easy. Spend more time doing what’s important, and lessen the time doing nothing. If you don’t know where to start then I suggest that you read some of my tips on how to manage time effectively.

Create a Schedule

Cliché, I know, but let’s change it up a bit by creating one in your mind. Studies have shown that having a mental schedule and accomplishing them throughout the day  doesn’t just help you manage your time more effectively, it actually increases your IQ. So, when you wake up, create a mental schedule for your day, include everything even the simplest of tasks. Check them off when it’s done and pat yourself on the back for completing it. You saved time and increased your IQ in the process.

Study Your Actions and Conversations

There are a lot of theories why Bruce Lee created Jeet Kune Do. The best known reason is that Bruce Lee thinks that Wing Chun (his original style) is not suited for heavier western martial artists. Wing chun, in Lee’s opinion, wasted a lot of time and had excessive movements. Jeet Kune Do is streamlined, which saves time and unnecessary actions, thus making it more practical for real-life combat situations. We can also apply it to our actions and conversations. If we take a look at our activities, then we can come up with better ways on achieving our tasks by streamlining and refining some of our habits.

Put a Don’t Disturb Sign

Having an open door policy is great, but when you need to get something done, a don’t disturb sign can be a miracle solution. But don’t use this often, only on times where you really need to.

Erase the “no time” mentality in your head. Plus, time can be created. You have the power to make room to your schedule because everything is just a matter of priority. Remember, time exists in your head, so you have the power to use it to your advantage.