Some are lucky enough to have natural organization skills; others have to work at managing their time in order to work quickly and efficiently.
In general, organization will help manage your time, and it will also ease the stress of having deadlines. Having a clear-cut plan with driven direction will help conquer any and all deadlines thrown your way.
Prioritizing is Key
Larger projects that have a quicker deadline should be the ones you’re working on first.
Many people want to put off larger projects because they seem intimidating. Make a plan to break down the larger projects into smaller ones and accomplish one at a time.
Conquering smaller projects at a time will seem less intimidating and less stressful. Sometimes you might be working diligently on a project and — in the middle of it — get thrown a project that has a quicker deadline. Dropping the current project can be hard to do but is necessary for meeting deadlines.
Identify Your Productive Time and Use It
If you’re a morning person and motivated with a cup of coffee to start your day, use the morning to accomplish those intimidating tasks.
Or if you’re more motivated in the afternoon, then use that time. Working within your productive time will help keep you on track and get important tasks accomplished. In the less productive times, concentrate on checking emails and doing research — the things that ease your brain.
Another key to factor into your productive time is making sure that time is uninterrupted. Set aside time that you know will be quiet to work on things, and make sure that time is within your productive time of the day. Fewer interruptions will help keep your focus streamlined.
Embrace the Lists
The largest benefit to writing your lists on paper is the gratification of checking things off.
Once an item is checked off as complete, your brain realizes that it doesn’t need to think about that anymore. This can relieve the stress of feeling like your to-do list is never-ending. Writing it down shows you that there is an end to the list and will keep you focused on what’s important.
Keeping these things in mind will create an efficient and stress-free atmosphere when working on projects and meeting important deadlines. If organization is not your cup of tea, working with someone who is organized can help balance your routine.