How to manage everything at work and at home: how to organize activities and learn planning, advice from a psychologist

Greetings, friends!

The modern rhythm of life becomes faster and faster every year, and the question constantly sounds in my head: how to manage everything? And not just keep up, but also find time for relaxation, personal life and travel? It is possible to achieve this, and today we will work on it. However, before we begin, let's clear up one simple question:

Why is it so difficult to keep up with everything?

There are many reasons, and here are the main ones:

Multitasking. A modern person simply needs to manage too much - go to work or study; raise children, visit doctors, go shopping for groceries or clothes, play sports... To combine all this and have time to rest, you need to try hard.
Useless activities. Such activities include: watching TV, series; scrolling through the news feed on your smartphone; spending many hours on social networks. Anyone who wants to start getting things done will have to reduce these activities to a minimum.
Laziness. This feeling is common to 90% of people, and there is nothing wrong with having it sometimes. However, if laziness has begun to greatly complicate your life, it’s time to take serious measures.
Inefficiency. In other words, low labor productivity. It happens that some task can be completed in an hour, and some manage to stretch it out over the whole day. Of course, with such labor productivity it will not be easy to keep up with everything and you also need to work on this.
Low energy level. The cause of low energy can be a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition.

We've sorted out the reasons, now let's move on to actions.

Our program consists of 3 parts:

Creating healthy habits;
Planning and prioritization;
Increased efficiency;

Each stage contains 5 simple and understandable rules that will teach you how to do everything. If you are ready, then we begin!

How to organize your working day

If you don’t have a tactical plan for every day and a strategic plan for the month, get ready for blockages at work. When endless fatigue and nervousness have become constant partners, try changing your approach to the distribution of working time.

10 main principles of planning

Take 10 minutes to plan daily. Successful people do this every evening, so their day goes by without fuss and psychosis.
Plan based on your actual capabilities. Don't overload your day or week, the point is to distribute tasks evenly and work without stress.
Choose suitable work and rest cycles. For example:
90 min. work and 15 min. break.

Scientists have found that short breaks from work allow the brain to restore its ability to concentrate. By the way, we already wrote an article about why you get tired at work. A prerequisite for a “reboot” is physical activity and a change in activity.

IMPORTANT! Step away from the computer, don’t use social networks on your smartphone, it’s better to walk around the office and stretch your muscles.

There is no point in lumping everything together. Write down urgent, important, similar, long-term, short-term tasks in separate columns. It is more convenient to immediately plan for a week or month.
Plan the most difficult tasks that require a lot of concentration for the first half of the day so that you can complete them while you are fresh and full of energy. Break a large task into parts, maintaining the execution logic. If by the middle of the day you are overwhelmed with new work, include it in your existing plan, taking into account what is more important to do first, what can be postponed until another day.
If possible, free yourself from multitasking. Recent research has shown that multitasking is a highly inefficient way of working that drains your mental and intellectual resources.
Be flexible and adjust your plan throughout the day as needed, otherwise you risk falling off course and not being able to get back on track.
Learn to say no to people. Don't let them steal your time and be distracted by insignificant discussions, complaints and gossip.
Make an optimal plan for the day, but leave small time intervals for adjustments.
BY THE WAY! Following a rigid schedule can lead to stress if you don't listen to your condition.
Small tasks - a phone call, paying a bill - are best completed right away so that you can continue to concentrate on important tasks without interference.

These tips will help if you are not getting anything done at work. Try to plan things so that you finish before the deadline. This will lead you to career growth.

About goals

Goals set direction and provide energy, so it makes sense to consider these tools in the context of moving towards your plans. Even if a person has one global goal, it consists of smaller ones that can change and be supplemented. Therefore, it makes sense to adjust your routine to different periods of life.

To move in some areas you need to set goals. In others, it is enough to perform routine tasks to maintain wealth. For example, in order to develop and grow, you need to constantly learn something new, and to be healthy, you need to brush your teeth, do simple exercises, eat well and regularly, and so on.

Learn to plan for a week, a month in advance

It's time to talk about how to organize your work to get everything done. Planning is at the forefront.

You will have to decide what planning media you will use.

Electronic The good thing is that you can edit, rearrange, cross out and add tasks many times, see the entire week or month on the screen, and use data from any gadget.
ADVICE! Using fills of different colors, you will immediately see urgent tasks, project deadlines, and the busyness of each day of the week. The choice of electronic planners is huge, and there are also free ones.
Paper diaries are good because they are available in any situation - during flights, in the absence of the Internet, laptop, etc.

It is optimal to have both. Synchronize your data whenever possible so you don't miss anything.

Plan points that are too general and too detailed are ineffective: the former do not provide all the information, the latter are confusing. Follow a few rules for long-term planning:

when scheduling a business call with a partner, write down the full name, position, phone number, so that you don’t waste time searching for information later;
immediately enter appointments, conferences, meetings into the planner; at the same time, in a separate column, indicate which documents are necessary or advisable to take with you, write down contact details, addresses and other necessary information;
during the week, distribute tasks so that by Thursday the most important thing is done - as you know, fatigue accumulates, so it is better to leave simple tasks at the end of the week; clearly formulate tasks and subtasks;
think through long-term projects in detail and distribute your working time so that you get everything done and the project is completed a couple of days before the deadline; if this is not possible, again leave the simplest for last.

BY THE WAY! If you develop the habit of immediately adding tasks to your calendar and allocating time to complete them, you will never have problems with deadlines.

The main thing you need to know about time management

There is no universal way to organize a working day in order to get everything done!

We checked, really. Firstly, because all people are different, and not everyone likes to plan and do tasks according to a list. Secondly, because the working days of the same employee are also different. Sometimes you need to conduct two brainstorming sessions, three meetings, submit a very important project in 8 hours, and sometimes, without stopping to talk, you need to do a hundred small things that require high concentration. There's no way to get away with this. To better understand how to plan your day, it is useful to know many different tools and principles and learn how to use them in time.

What to do when you are stuck at work?

For starters, don't panic. Instead of repeating: “I don’t have time to do my work,” start taking action.

Step-by-step guide to clearing debris:

Sort your tasks. Separate lists – documents, accounts, negotiations, meetings.
Highlight in green those tasks whose completion depends only on you.
Highlight in yellow the tasks you perform as a team.
Highlight urgent tasks in red.
Bring to the meeting those marked in yellow and red, and discuss with your colleagues the methods and deadlines for implementation. Immediately add it to your weekly plan and check how feasible the tasks are on time. If necessary, adjust and coordinate with others.
Start completing tasks from the green-red list; distribute tasks from the green list evenly across the days of the week and complete them strictly according to plan, without waiting for them to “turn red.”
When the tasks are sorted, it will no longer be difficult to create an effective plan that is realistic in terms of completion.
Contact management if co-workers are constantly delaying your work. If you are a leader, take action.

IMPORTANT! Often, blockages form because you waste your working time chatting on social networks and instant messengers. Put your phone away from your eyes, block social networks on your work computer and start working!

When a lot of work accumulates, you do not have time to complete it. And only effective planning will save you from rush jobs and missed deadlines.

If problems arise due to incorrect organization of the work process in principle, contact the manual. When management fails to organize, try to find another job. Living in constant stress leads to health problems and darkens your entire life.

Theory

At that time, I did not yet know about the now fashionable GTD and other methods of personal effectiveness, but I came across information about the areas of human life. It’s great when you manage to do everything, for example, at work, but all these successes do not bring satisfaction and do not make much sense if you do not have any progress in other areas.

Usually people think that in life everything happens by itself, money falls from the sky or is given by a rich uncle, health does not go anywhere, good relationships build on their own, success chooses a random person and falls on him, and so on. This is a child’s vision of reality, we need to gradually get rid of it. A little more about this in the article on cause-and-effect relationships.

According to psychologists, there are eight main areas of human life: family, relationships, health, finances, career, growth and development, spirituality, recreation. It cannot be said that any of the areas is more important than the other. They are all pieces that make up a harmonious and interesting life.

Spheres of life

I will explain what is included in each area:

Family : children, parents, relatives, close friends.
Relationships : loved one, partner.
Health : energy, well-being, healthy lifestyle.
Finance : salary, expenses, income and so on.
Career : profession, skills, colleagues, place of work and career growth.
Growth, development : learning, reading, personal achievements, realization of creative potential.
Spirituality : state of mind, emotions, joy of life, relationship with the Universe (God).
Recreation : hobbies, travel, entertainment.

You need to direct your energy into all these areas, movement must occur in each of them, otherwise distortions and problems in life begin. This means that in order to maintain balance, you need to create a list of tasks and goals for each area.

List of tasks by area

But life is such a thing in which something is constantly happening and this balance is very often upset. Moreover, your head is always filled with different thoughts, current work tasks and information garbage, and it is simply impossible to remember everything and feel calm. As a result, you begin to understand that almost all problems in life happen due to the inability to manage your mind and your time.

How to find time to do household chores?

Does your home routine terrify you? Let's talk about how to cope with things without stress.

Cooking food

If you don't have time to cook after work, listen to our recommendations.

Make sure to stock your refrigerator for the entire week. It is irrational to waste time in queues after work.
Choose one day a week to go to the supermarket. Make a sample menu for the week and buy all the necessary products according to the list. If you don't have a car, buy a bag with wheels.
If you prefer not to eat processed foods, make homemade preparations - meat and vegetable cutlets, dumplings - in case you feel unwell or arrive home late. Otherwise, you won't have time to do anything around the house after work.
Save complicated meals for the weekend if you like to cook. Daily meal preparation should not take more than 40-60 minutes.
Buy all the necessary time-saving devices - multicookers, large pots and pans. Prepare for several days.

Cleaning

If you don’t have time to clean up after work, then the best way is to keep it clean and tidy every day.

Immediately put clothes in the closet or laundry basket, put all items back in their place after use, and do not accumulate dirty dishes.
Rational owners immediately wipe down the stove, wash the plumbing in between, and sweep the floor after cooking.
Consider purchasing a dishwasher and a robot vacuum cleaner; with such helpers, your life will become easier and more enjoyable.

Try to follow these rules. Then there will no longer be a need to spend hours cleaning the apartment on weekends and carry out general cleaning once every six months.

ADVICE! Train your children to help you around the house. Organize a competition to see who can wipe off the dust the fastest, polish the mirrors until they shine, or wash the shoes. A small prize will be a great incentive.

When you do household chores together, you not only get the job done faster, but also unite the family and teach your children to take care of others.

Part 3: Efficiency

Focus on 1 thing

There is a certain illusion that by doing several things at the same time, you can get more done. However, our brain cannot concentrate on efficiently performing several tasks at the same time, and as a result, it takes more time to do this than to complete each of these tasks separately.

Make it a rule to work exclusively on one thing at a time , completely eliminating distractions. This way you will not only have time to do more, but you will also do everything efficiently and save more energy.

Remember to rest

As surprising as it may sound, quality rest is an important step towards getting everything done. I have been convinced of this more than once. In particular, sometimes I set myself a very large number of tasks, working early in the morning, in the evening after work, and on weekends. Of course, at first I walked at an excellent pace, but at one point I “burned out” and my productivity decreased many times over. During the time it took me to regain my strength, I was already well behind schedule.

In order not to repeat my mistakes, learn to distribute your forces so that you always have time to rest. Don't plan too many things on the weekend - give yourself at least one day when you can fully relax. Just remember that sitting in front of a monitor is not relaxation. Better get out into nature, get a good night's sleep and spend time talking with friends, exercising, or reading.

Eliminate distractions

I used to like to work with the TV on in the room (in this case, I mean working on the website and writing articles). It seemed to me that this made the work process more enjoyable and not so tedious. However, over time, I noticed that when the TV was on, my productivity decreased by 2-3 times!

This led me to believe that distractions should be eliminated 100%. Turn off the TV, put your smartphone away, and concentrate only on the task at hand.

Time yourself

Many well-known researchers in the field of time management claim: in order to cope with any task faster and more efficiently, you need to set a time for its completion , and try to meet the deadline. In addition, scientists have proven that time limits help the brain work more efficiently.

This principle can be applied to absolutely everything, and the result will be the same - you will work faster. You just need to time it thoughtfully – not too little and not too much. Make it a habit to use a stopwatch when you start any task, and this will be another important step towards being on time.

Reward yourself

Remember that motivation is important in any business. And as soon as your motivation disappears, you suddenly feel that the desire to work and achieve goals has disappeared. To prevent this from happening, you need to constantly motivate yourself. A great way to do this is to reward yourself for your achievements.

If you set a big goal for yourself and were able to achieve it, do something nice for yourself. For example, treat yourself to a delicious dish, buy a desired item, or relax while watching your favorite TV series. The main thing is that you have a stable understanding in your head that achieving a goal is followed by a reward. This will help you always stay motivated, never stop moving towards your goals, and of course, succeed in everything.

Psychologist's advice

Psychologists tell us how to learn to manage everything at work and at home. Here are the main recommendations.

Get enough sleep. This is one of your main tasks. 7-8 hours of sleep is necessary for good health and well-being.
IMPORTANT! The ability to focus and spend less time on complex tasks is directly related to the duration and quality of sleep.
Don't skip breakfast. A cup of coffee will help you cheer up, but will not fill you up. Brain activity is stimulated by nutrients, do not starve your brain.
Give yourself a good mood in the morning. Don't read the news or watch TV before work. Pleasant music, light exercises, and a delicious breakfast will set you up for a productive day. In the morning you can even exercise without compromising your service.
Social networks absorb your energy in huge quantities. As a result, the ability to focus on what is important and think creatively decreases. Give up social media for a few days and you will be surprised how much your work productivity increases. By

Books and courses on time management

Keep a list of useful books that will definitely come in handy:

Staffan Neteberg “Time management by pomodoro. How to concentrate on one thing for at least 25 minutes”
Dan Kennedy “Tight Time Management. Take control of your life"
David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
Brian Tracy Eat the Frog! 21 ways to learn to keep up”
Yana Frank “365 days of a very creative person”
Gleb Arkhangelsky “Time Drive. How to have time to live and work”

You can find other books on the topic and descriptions for them in our selection of the best books on time management.

Here are some interesting courses that will help you keep up with everything:

Time management from Skillbox;
Time management: simple ways to manage time from Netology;
How to manage your time and relieve your life from the Udemy platform;
Time management: time management from 4brain.

I also recommend reading the article with many other paid and free courses on time management and training programs on motivation.

Useful video

I suggest you watch an interesting video on the topic of how to manage everything not only at work, but also in life:

You've probably found the answer to the question of why you don't have time at work. Learn to be productive and focused, use your time wisely. Then you will get more freedom and will be able to solve problems many times faster. You will have time for family, communication, hobbies, walks and relaxation.

Neglecting planning means voluntarily agreeing to a deterioration in the quality of life. Organize your time, forget about stress and enjoy life.

Why is there not enough time?

Before we begin the practical part, I suggest you take a look at what is preventing us from using our time effectively:

Multitasking. It is quite logical that an adult needs to manage too much - take care of children, go to work, go shopping, go to the clinic, do household chores, etc. In constant time pressure, it can be very difficult to allocate time for hobbies, sports, reading books and other useful things. activity.
Laziness. Psychologists assure that laziness is neither a feeling nor a character trait. The roots of the condition we call laziness actually lie deeper. We get lazy because we are not motivated enough or we are simply tired.
Useless activities. This includes watching feeds on social networks, sitting for many hours in front of the TV, computer games, etc. It is difficult to imagine how much free time we can get by getting rid of such bad habits.
Procrastination. For those who don't know, it is the tendency to constantly put things off until later. When you have an important and quite urgent matter, but you are invariably distracted by everyday trifles or entertainment. Thus, a job that would have taken two hours to complete is extended over half a day.
Energy deficiency. In a sense, this is a continuation of the point about laziness. When we are tired, we lack the strength to even do basic things. This may indicate overwork, lack of sleep, frequent stress, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, etc.

Playing sports is an additional motivation

There is no need to perceive sports as a waste of time. In fact, this is a great way to relieve stress and take a break from mental work.

Adjusted physical activity will allow you to get a boost of energy, so necessary for quality work.

For classes you can choose anything from dancing to martial arts or fitness. The main thing is that it must be interesting so that sporting events have the desired effect. Then you will no longer have to suffer from fatigue.

Appreciate your youth, don’t sleep through your younger years, it’s time to cope with laziness

Your young years are the best years of your life. And if you spend them lying on the couch in front of the TV screen, then you are not living. You become a vegetable.

Appreciate your young body, the potential strength that you can develop if you work on yourself.

You can find a lot of hobbies - there is always a lot of room for your growth .

Only a fool knows everything. A wise person realizes how little he knows and how much new he still has to learn.

There are a lot of areas and vectors in which you can develop and succeed. Find them, decide, and then you can stop being lazy and start working.

Don't waste away at home. Use your potential, given by nature to everyone without exception.