Time Management Stress - How to Reduce Stress With a Smarter Approach to Time Management

Written by Our Expert Stress and Time Management Author: Elisabeth Kuhn

---

Are you stressed?  If you have more to do than time to do it in, chances are the answer is yes.  And what you're dealing with is time management stress. Read on for a way to help you out of your dilemma.

Time management stress creates the ultimate catch-22.  The more you're stuck in your fear of not being able to complete your to-do list, the more you're stressed. And the more you're stressed, the less effective you are.  And the less effective you are, the more time it will take to complete your tasks.  And of course this means that the more stressed you are, the less you actually get done.

You probably knew that.  And it doesn't make you feel any better, does it?  Because you still don't know what to do.  Well, here are five steps that will help you reduce your time management stress.

1) Face reality

First, you need to face reality.  If you can't do everything on your list, you need to acknowledge that. It will give you some relief right there.

2) Negotiate

Figure out which of the things on your plate are absolute must-do-right-nows and which ones have deadlines that can be made a bit more flexible.  Then negotiate

3) Eliminate

Figure out if there are any things on your plate that you can actually drop, at least for the time being.  Yes, we have all read about the importance of sharpening the saw and doing the things that may not be urgent but are really important. 

Yet if you're deaing with a state of emergency, the saw will have to wait a bit.  And maybe so will your blog posting, your correspondence, and a few other things you don't really want to give up, but that won't cause big problems if you postpone them for a day or two.  Sometimes, it's just hunker-down-and-get-it-done time.

4) Get support

You can get a variety of support.  You can get (or hire) people to help you. And you can use tools that help you work more effectively.  Whether you pick self-hypnosis, or subliminal or paraliminal audios that help you focus better or give you that second wind when you're exhausted, be sure to remember to use them.  Oh, and you can go get some hugs -- and pray for strength.

5) Accept that you're human

You have only so much energy.  Sure, there might be time left in the day, but if you're so exhausted you can't function, there's no point in pushing on.  Take a nap.  Better yet, get a good night's sleep. You will find you'll be far more effective in the morning.

So let's recap:

Sometimes you need to go against your intuitive tendencies to beat time management stress. Remember to face up to reality, negotiate, eliminate, get support and accept that you're human. While you may not find "sleep more" in the typical time management course, it may be the smartest thing you can do.

Brought to you by Elisabeth Kuhn, Ph.D. and her free stress tips report.

Rate this article:

Comments on this article: