You may have a dubious distinction of being a chronic late-comer. Friends and family always make reference to the fact that you never keep time. In as much as they joke about it, you are aware that they do not like it. And, quite honestly, neither do you.
But, no matter how much you try, there never seems to be enough time in the day. It is always a rush, trying to catch up. Now, here is what you may not know. Improper time management can impact mental health.
The fact that you can’t enjoy a meet-up with friends because you came late is stressful. It gets worse because you can sense some resentment from those who are not willing to accept your shortcomings.
Add that to the fact that your mind is running like crazy. It is already thinking about how much there is to do, and not enough time remaining in the day. So, what should be a pleasurable day becomes stressful.
Understanding Time Management
There is no hidden or complicated meaning to time management. It simply refers to how well you manage your time.
Think about it this way. Within a day, there are 24 hours. Now, if you were a good student, you know that 8 hours should be for sleeping. That leaves 16 hours for work, leisure, studies, or anything else you need to be doing.
Effective time management means the ability to accomplish what needs, well, accomplishing, within those 16 hours. But, wait. Allow us to qualify this a little bit more.
It is about prioritizing what is important and allowing yourself some breathing space. That means developing both short-term and long-term plans on how best to manage time.
But, is it that easy? Absolutely not. If you struggle with time management, you may want to consider getting professional help.
Take a look at Acuity Training programs on time management. There is a lot to learn under topics like:
- Overcoming procrastination
- Email inbox management
- Planning, prioritization, and organization
- Complete time management, and so much more.
Investing in time management training can change your life. A study on effective time management training shows some interesting results. Out of a sample size of 114, 58 underwent 12 training sessions over 6 months and 56 were in the control group.
Self-rating scales for anxiety and depression were lower in the experimental group. They had better sleep quality and time management dispositions. The result for those who took the training was less anxiety and depression.
Impact of Ineffective Time Management on Mental Health
What happens when you find yourself running late for a meeting? There is instant anxiety and stress. You find yourself honking or shouting at the driver in front of you to go faster.
Once in the building, you repeatedly jab the elevator button. It is as if the action will make the elevator come any faster.
You rush to the meeting room, all flustered and bothered. It will, indeed, be a terrible beginning to what should be a productive meeting.
Ineffective time management leads to stress and anxiety. Your mind goes into overdrive, thinking about all the things you have to do. The longer it goes on, the more health conditions you may have to deal with.
Blood pressure, heart disease, insomnia, weight loss, or weight gain may follow. People may also start to form the opinion that you are a scatterbrain. With the mind permanently on overdrive, it can become hard to focus. So what will you need to do?
Steps to Effective Time Management
As we said, time management can be difficult. We lead busy lives, and everything can seem like a priority. But there are effective steps that can help achieve a healthy balance.
1. Step Back For a Minute
To make any changes, you must have clarity on what is not working. So, start by taking a step back for a minute. What are you struggling with when it comes to time management? Is it something you could be doing wrong?
You have heard about that early bird that catches the worm, right? If you start the day early, you could achieve a lot more. How do you handle tasks? Consider using to-do lists to prioritize. Stop pushing things to the back burner until time runs out.
Not everyone operates well under pressure. Procrastination can cause you to implode, due to timelines that you must meet. See what could be contributing to your ineffective time management and see what you need to change.
2. Seek Professional Help
Seek help in managing your time better. We have already touched on time management training. But, there are other professionals you can talk to as well.
Talk to a therapist about areas you could be struggling with. Sometimes, unresolved issues could be hindering your efforts.
Feelings of inadequacy could, for example, contribute to taking on too much to prove you can do it. It may be time to let go of some things and concentrate on what is important.
3. Have Boundaries and Live by Them
Are you that friend who never says no? Does the urge to please people have you taking on roles that take up too much of your time? It may surprise you what people think. They may not see you as helpful. Rather, you come across as a doormat that anyone can walk over.
Learn to say no, without feeling any guilt about your decisions. Put aside some time to enjoy life by yourself or with those that matter.
Remember, you owe no one an explanation in the pursuit of your happiness. As long as you don’t hurt anyone or let go of what is important, then you are on the right path. Everything will fall into place and you will have more time to actually start living.
Final Thoughts
If you don’t manage time well, life will overwhelm you. Anxiety and stress will build as you try to catch up with everything. And, your mental health will suffer.
Take the right steps to take the reins back in your life. That means learning proper time management,investing in some training, setting boundaries, and prioritizing what is important.