You’re trying your best, but there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. The clock marches on, but your to-do list only grows longer. You know that your unfinished tasks are causing unnecessary stress, but you aren’t sure how to fix the problem.
If this situation sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many people who seek treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns at Raleigh Oaks Behavioral Health in Garner, North Carolina, find time management to be a constant struggle. As part of our comprehensive treatment services, we work with our clients to explore practical strategies to regain control and find peace amidst the chaos. Let’s look at some of the most helpful.
Start With the Two-Minute Rule
If a task will take less than two minutes to complete, do it right away. This applies to things like answering a quick email, making your bed, or putting away the dishes after cooking dinner.
By tackling these tiny tasks immediately, you prevent them from piling up. It’s amazing how much mental clutter you can clear by adopting this habit. Plus, each completed task gives you a small sense of accomplishment.
Organize Your To-Do List With the Eisenhower Matrix
The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple tool to help you sort tasks based on their urgency and importance.
Imagine a square divided into four quadrants:
- Urgent and important (Do)
- Important but not urgent (Schedule)
- Urgent but not important (Delegate)
- Neither urgent nor important (Delete)
By categorizing your tasks this way, you focus your energy on what truly matters. This method helps prevent the anxiety of constantly putting out fires while neglecting important long-term goals.
Visit the Asana website to learn more about how the Eisenhower Matrix can help you manage your time more effectively.
Try Time Blocking
Have you ever noticed how time seems to slip away when you’re not paying attention? Time blocking helps you stay mindful of your priorities.
Here’s how it works: Instead of a vague to-do list, you schedule specific blocks of time for different tasks or types of work. For example, you might block out 9-11 AM for focused work on a project, 11-12 for answering emails, and so on.
This method has several benefits:
- It helps you stay focused on one task at a time.
- It gives you a realistic view of how much you can accomplish in a day.
- It reduces decision fatigue by pre-planning your activities.
Don’t forget to schedule breaks and self-care time too. Your mental health deserves its own time block!
Use the Pomodoro Technique to Schedule Regular Breaks
Named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer—pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato—this method breaks work into manageable 25-minute chunks that are followed by short breaks.
Here’s how to use it:
- Choose a task to work on.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Work on the task until the timer rings.
- Take a 5-minute break.
- After four “pomodoros,” take a longer 15-30 minute break. (Heading outdoors can be a great reward for completing difficult tasks.)
This technique makes daunting tasks feel more approachable and uses the timer to create a sense of urgency. Regular breaks prevent burnout and help keep your mind fresh.
While you can certainly choose to purchase an old-fashioned kitchen timer to use with the Pomodoro technique, there are a number of apps for your phone that are designed for this method of time tracking. Learn about some of the best on the Zapier website.
Manage Your Screen Time
Digital distractions like browsing social media sites can be a major time-suck. Taking control of your screen time can free up hours in your day and reduce anxiety.
Here are some tips to try:
- Use app blockers during work hours.
- Set specific times to check email and social media.
- Turn off non-essential notifications.
- Avoid screens before bedtime.
Embrace Imperfection
Perfectionism often goes hand-in-hand with poor time management and increased stress. Learning to embrace “good enough” can be liberating.
This doesn’t mean lowering your standards. Instead, it’s about recognizing when additional effort yields diminishing returns. Ask yourself: “Will spending more time on this significantly improve the outcome?”
By letting go of the need for perfection, you free up time and mental energy. You’ll likely find that most of the time, your “good enough” is actually pretty great.
Rely on Routines
When certain activities become automatic, they require less mental energy. Start by creating a morning and evening routine. This might include things like:
- A consistent wake-up time
- A short meditation or journaling session
- Planning your day’s priorities
- A relaxing pre-bed ritual
As these routines become habits, they create a sense of structure and control in your day. This stability can give you the breathing room you need to focus on supporting your mental health.
Learn to Say No
Every time you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else. Oftentimes, you’re agreeing to please others at the expense of meeting your own needs.
By saying no to things that drain your time and energy, you say yes to what truly matters to you. It’s okay to turn down invitations, requests, or opportunities that don’t align with your priorities or current mental health needs.
Seek Support to Manage Your Mental Health
While time management strategies can certainly help you tackle your to-list more efficiently, ongoing struggles with time management, focus, or motivation can sometimes be symptoms of underlying mental health issues. If you find yourself consistently overwhelmed, it might be time to seek professional help.At Raleigh Oaks Behavioral Health, our team of compassionate experts can provide you with personalized strategies and support to help you thrive. Contact us today.
