Everyone is given 24 hours everyday to work, to eat, to sleep, and to do the things they want to do. We all have the same amount of time to live as we please and to get our work done, but why is it that there are people who are more productive than us? Why is it that they can complete projects earlier than we do? This article will help you understand why.

Efficiency is about doing things quickly and still producing the same excellent results. It is about maximizing productivity without sacrificing quality. In task management, this is necessary in order for you to complete your work the soonest time possible so you can then focus on other tasks.

Guidelines in Managing Tasks Efficiently

Becoming efficient takes time, effort on your part, and some experience; it does not happen overnight. It requires consistency and lots of trial-and-error. You do something over and over again until you get it right, and until you can create a system that will help you do things faster.

Below are some of the guidelines that we use so that we can be more efficient in managing our tasks.

First of all, you need to always list down your day to day activities. This helps you plan ahead for the week and even for the entire month. When you know what your activities are, it is easy to forecast and budget your time.

Secondly, learn to say NO to those that are not necessary in completing your tasks. This is very difficult for a lot of people because human nature tells us to always try and help others out; however, you need to be firm about this if you want to be efficient at the things that do matter. If there are things that get in the way of your priorities, decline them.

Thirdly, delegate. You can be capable of accomplishing more if you get help from others. If you can delegate some tasks to people who are competent and able to do the job, then do so.

Tips to Manage Tasks Efficiently

Apart from knowing the guidelines to become more efficient at managing tasks, there are also tips that you can use. Here are some of them:

• Keep a clean working environment. This includes arranging your workstation and organizing your files. When everything is spic and span, your motivation to work will be improved. This also helps clear your mind of clutter.

• Take a break. When your mind is all stressed out, it is difficult to be efficient. You need to be clear headed when doing your work otherwise you might miss out on important stuff. The break you need would depend on the level of stress and effort you are exerting for a particular task. You can take a short 15-minute break or even an entire day off. Once you get back, you will feel more refreshed and eager to continue your work.

• Stay away from distractions. Unnecessary interruptions will not do any good in terms of managing your task so steer clear of these as much as possible. Set aside a time for them and when that is over, be firm in your resolution to get the job done first before anything else.

• Keep the lights on. When you are in a properly lit working environment, you will be more focused and will be alert. Productivity is increased when you are in a well-lighted room.

Efficiency Using the Pareto Principle

You must have heard of the Pareto Principle, otherwise referred to as the 80-20 rule. It states that 80% of the results are produced by 20% of the effort. The bottom line of this concept is that you should do only the things that matter, or the things that are important. When you follow the Pareto Principle, not only will you be effective in doing your tasks, but you will also be efficient. You will get more work done in lesser time than usual.

In managing your tasks efficiently, it is recommended that you take note of the points being emphasized here. If you can use these every time without fail, you should have no problem successfully finishing your tasks in the least amount of time.