Wouldn’t you love to have more hours in the day for your projects? I know I would. It’s all about following some tried and tested time management tips to make it seem like there are more hours in the day.

I’ve recently improved my time management skills. I’ve cut out the wasted minutes, and started focusing on being productive every minute of the working day. That doesn’t mean writing. Just being productive for work.

Here are my time management tips to get more hours in the day to write.

Plan Your Writing Ahead

I spend an hour at the end of the week to plan my posts for the next week. I already have 90% of my posts all planned out for this week, which has cut the planning time down considerably. Now all I have to do is look at the plan and start writing.

I’ll also copy any links that I need for research. It cuts down the time for research once I’ve already planned out a post.

There are a lot of sites that I write on, so it took me an hour to get everything done. For some people it will take just a few minutes of their time at the end of the week. Some people will prefer just to plan the next day the night before. Do whatever works for you.

Make Your To-Do List

My biggest of all time management tips is to make a to-do list. Write down everything you need to get done in a day, and any appointments that you have to make.

Not only does this prevent you from missing something, it gives you the ability to plan your day better. You’ll also feel more motivated as you get to cross things off your list or delete them out of the online note.

Try not to add too much into your day. And don’t worry if you don’t get everything done. Put it on the list for tomorrow.

I plan my whole diary out for the week, usually at the end of each week. Sometimes I’ll plan a schedule of posts for a whole month, but I don’t like doing that in case I get a last minute order that I’m willing to do. Here’s a copy of this week’s to-do list. Please excuse the messy handwriting!

Plan for Interruptions, but Limit Them as Much as Possible

Don’t fill your diary to the brim. It looks like mine is filled, but I know how long it takes me to write a post.

If you fill your diary to the brim and leave no wiggle room, you’ll struggle when it comes to interruptions. There are certain days that I know I can work without interruptions, like Tuesdays and Thursdays when my daughter is at nursery and my husband at work. Those days I don’t mind filling the diary to the brim, but other days I have to make wiggle room for my daughter wanting attention and playtime and my husband not really getting the idea that I don’t have time to chat politics with him.

Of course, it is important to limit the interruptions as much as possible. This is one of the time management tips that is still in progress in this house! Here are some great tips to get you started on limiting interruptions.

Have Breaks Now and Then

It seems counter-productive at first, but setting breaks is important for time management. You’ll work better when your body has had the chance to step away from the computer and the desk.

Your break doesn’t have to be for long. I’ll spend five minutes just walking around the house to stretch my legs every hour or so. If I need a longer break, I’ll spend 15 minutes getting some of the housework done.

There are times you’ll need longer breaks, and will want to get outside. Go for a 30 minute walk or get some exercise in. It will do your whole body and mind some good. And you’ll feel like working when you come back to the desk.

Use the Mobile Devices

My smartphone and tablet have really helped with time management. If I’m at the doctors, I can answer the emails that have been piling up while I wait for my appointment. I can do this because I have data connection with the mobile plan I got from Circles Life Australia. When I’m waiting for my daughter to finish her breakfast on a morning, I’ll use the tablet to do some studying (since I study part-time), and will use that time for getting the first draft of posts written out once my studies come to an end at the end of May.

The apps on my mobile devices also help with time management. I can update social media while I’m away, so I don’t have to worry about it when I’m at the desk. It’s possible to update some blogs if I need to, or search for ideas when I’m out and about. There are also apps to help with productivity while in the house. Moreover, if you are using a Qnap TS-109 Pro II and want to explore compatible hard disk drive options, check out this Qnap TS-109 Pro II Hard Disk Drive Compatibility List insights on selecting the right storage for your NAS device.

Time management tips are everywhere on the internet, and many have been tried, tested and proved successful. It’s time to use them to your advantage. While there aren’t more hours in the day, it will certainly feel like it.

Image from Pixabay, modified by Alexandria Ingham with PicMonkey.

Content copyright Alexandria Ingham, 2014. All rights reserved.