Live healthier with good time management

Background: This is why time management is often difficult for us

Too much planned: You plan to clear out the basement all day on Saturday. But you forget that you actually have to clean the bathroom and that friends have invited you to dinner. And already restlessness and stress sets in: How am I supposed to manage all this today?

Too much postponed: Procrastination is also a frequent reason for time pressure. We humans tend to put off tasks that are not worthwhile in the present - but will only bring us something in the future. We often don't see the long-term goal and therefore leave things as they are. At the end you often think: "If only I had started earlier..."

Get active: 5 tips for better time management

In order to reduce stress and time pressure and to find a healthy work-life balance, you need the following qualities: Good time managers are not very perfectionistic and are used to prioritizing things. They have learned to distance themselves in order to work undisturbed (monotasking versus multitasking). Good time management also means delegating and finding the best information channel. There is no browsing through countless websites or communication tools. These 5 strategies will help you learn better time management.

1. Plan in time buffers with the help of to-do lists. Before you tackle something, pause for a moment and imagine what could come up in your planning. This helps you to classify private or professional tasks more realistically. Create a monthly, a weekly and a daily to-do list so you can see everything at once.
2. Break down large tasks. Break laborious and time-consuming projects into several small “chunks”. You don't have to do the big presentation in one day if you plan well. For example, first work out the rough framework. Then think about text and pictures. At the end comes the relaxed finishing touches.
3. Make concrete statements. Formulate your tasks in as much detail as possible. Instead of "I'll create the presentation," say, "Today from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. I'll take care of the high-level content and create the framework for the presentation."
4. Create interference-free zones. Calls, chats, questions from colleagues, a quick click on social media platforms and much more. Try to avoid these little distractions as much as possible, for example by turning off the notification function on your digital devices for emails, chats and social media. Also block your calendar for phases that require a high level of concentration or write a “Do not disturb” note that signals those around you: “Not now!”
5. Keep calm under time pressure. Sometimes even the best time management doesn't help. There is a last minute project. Or you have to change a plan because of a change in circumstances. The most important thing in such moments is: just relax! Isolate yourself as much as possible, say no to other tasks and get an overview of what needs to be prioritised. Make quick decisions and ask for support when needed. Always take notes in the same place, avoid handing out pieces of paper.