How to become Zen in your time management?
by Christelle Marchetti | on March 20 2024 |
Time management is a subject that affects everyone, without exception. Learning to better manage time and priorities in your day-to-day life means giving yourself a gift, by feeling more effective in achieving your goals. fixed.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a professional or even a student…. it’s a major challenge!
Our schedules are increasingly overloaded, and work often continues at home with all our connected devices.
So how can you make the most of your day-to-day life, while at the same time progressing serenely in your work? Here are 10 tips!
Here are 10 tips inspired by the Zen to Done method…
10 tips for a more ZEN everyday life!
Habit 1: Collect, write down
Use a notebook to write down all your tasks, ideas, projects or any other information that’s on your mind. It’s important to get them out of your mind, unfiltered, and onto paper. Out of this can come great projects and dreams to be realized… or tasks not to be missed 😊
Then look them over in your head to see what you can do with them, and incorporate them into your list!
It relieves your creativity to write down all the ideas that come to mind. Some of them may mature later. And it takes the pressure off your mind!
Habit 2: Process, don’t procrastinate…
Process your inboxes, letters and lists at least once a day. Don’t let things pile up. Make quick decisions about what needs attention and take concrete action, such as :
- Act on it if it takes less than 2 minutes,
- Discard, delete information,
- Delegate,
- File,
- Plan.
It relieves your mind to act on it, rather than it coming back into your head, your thoughts continually!
Habit 3: Plan and prioritize
Plan by the day, week and month.
By day, prepare the day before your day ends so that you’re ready to tackle the new day the next day!
Each day, carry out 1 to 3 important tasks and prioritize them during the day to take the pressure off. Then do lighter tasks for the rest of the day.
Each week, it’s important to list the important tasks you want to accomplish and plan them realistically. Prioritize emergencies!
In your planning, don’t forget to think about yourself, your mind, your body and your emotions. Give yourself breaks: sports, relaxation, reading, music to keep you fit, well and energetic! The time you spend taking microbreaks is energy and efficiency you gain! Your engine is your brain, so don’t exhaust it!
Habit 4: Action, monotasking and concentration
Do one thing at a time. Choose one task and concentrate on it alone.
Start by eliminating anything that might slow you down or break your rhythm: closing your e-mail inbox, putting your phone on silent, tidying up your desk.
Then focus on the task in hand, avoiding multitasking.
By doing so, you ease your mind. You’ll be more aware that you’re making progress on your projects. Don’t hesitate to write down what you’ve accomplished during the day, and be proud of it!
Did you know that seeing the progress you’ve made with your projects keeps you motivated? Look at what you’ve achieved at the end of each week, at what you’ve done each month and at what you’ve done each year!
Habit 5: Keep it simple
Act and work simply. Tools, processes, simple implementation… To do this, change what you find too complex, and you’ll gain in efficiency and serenity.
If your concentration and motivation aren’t up to scratch, go for a breath of fresh air, talk to a colleague or friend, do a few minutes’ exercise or a self-massage before putting your energy into the task in hand. You’ll be more efficient. Or do another task before this one. Don’t force your mind if it can’t stay focused on the subject.
Habit 6: Tidy up, clean up, focus
A place for everything and everything in its place. Working on an open work surface also clears the air for your mind and ideas. Do this meticulously, consciously, in the present moment and with pleasure. Your concentration will be even more effective afterwards.
If your brain goes off in all directions, do a breathing or meditation exercise, or color a mandala for a few minutes to regain your balance and focus!
Habit 7: Revise, make your schedule flexible
Everything is flexible. Nothing is set in stone. Don’t force yourself to follow a rhythm, a logic that isn’t ultimately the best one. Review your objectives, your projects and your organization every week to note your progress, what’s blocking you and define the actions to be taken the following week.
Look at your achievements and successes every month to keep up your pace and stay motivated! You can do it!
Habit 8: Simplify and breathe
Reduce your objectives, tasks and days to the essentials. Don’t overload your schedule, or you’ll feel you’ve made no progress. Always leave yourself extra time to take a breather or react to last-minute emergencies!
Don’t get overwhelmed by all the things you have to do. Set priorities according to the importance of the tasks at hand and what’s possible. Always simplify your tasks and projects (delegate, find new solutions, simplify tools and processes, ask for advice…).
Habit 9: Routines
Establish routines and a rhythm that suits you! YOUR ROUTINES.
If you work best in the afternoon, put more complex files on during this part of the day.
Create a balanced routine between work, breaks, meals, relaxation and fun. Don’t multitask between these times:
- Mealtime is a time to energize the body and take a break.
- Relaxation is a time for oxygenating, freeing the mind and taking a break.
- The moment of amusement, of discussions with colleagues or friends, is a time to savor the moment and detach oneself from the daily grind.
- The moment you wake up should be a moment to gain energy, not to worry about your day. Put your feet up and say to yourself: IT’S GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY, A PRODUCTIVE AND ENJOYABLE DAY.
- The evening should be a time to slow down and rest, not to check e-mail. Free your mind with a quiet activity you enjoy, before you begin the restorative sleep!
Habit 10: Find your passion, your passions
It’s a very good thing to get organized to manage daily tasks and avoid procrastination. But if you’re passionate about your work, procrastination will be absent. If you bring your passion to life during the day, the motivation is there. The habit we need to put in place here is to constantly seek out what we’re passionate about and see how we can integrate it into our daily lives. In your job, in your life! That way, your to-do list will look almost like a list of rewards!
Try sophrology, adopt it and practice it with ease. Individual or group sessions!
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DO YOU KNOW?
Sophrology is an excellent ally for mental preparation: it offers mental and muscular relaxation practices, combined with positive programming techniques:it helps you to manage your day-to-day life more effectively, so you don’t have to face the day with anxiety and fear of failure!
