Effective Time Management using the Pareto Principle

Are You Willing to Put Into Action What Works? A Step By Step Example

effective_time_managment Want effective time management? Use the Pareto Principle.

What is the Pareto Principle? The Wikipedia explains, "The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule, the law of the vital few, and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes or effort.

Steps Towards Effective Time Managment:

1. Take advantage of the 80/20 rule.

Start by devoting one hour each day to your important goals. Eventually work your way up to 20 percent of your non working hours. For example, let us say you work eight hours in a twenty-four hour day. This leaves you sixteen hours per day in which you must sleep and handle your responsibilities. If you take twenty percent of this time, you have 3.2 hours of time you want to strive to use in the pursue of your goals.

Note: This is only one strategy you can use to determine the amount of time you will dedicate to your goals. (Remember, the more time you can devote, the faster you can achieve your goals). Additionally, there will always be a correlation between effort spend and the amount of need in which a goal is accomplished.

2. Find the time you need.

If 3.2 hours a day can transform your life, this effective time management tip suggests you search your day for pockets of time that add up to 3.2 hours. Let's say you ride in a car pool to work each day and the ride is forty-five minutes each way. Then you potentially have 1.5 hours to work with. This leaves only 1.7 more hours to find. If you can, try to identify pockets of time in fifteen minute intervals. Remember, the purpose of this exercise is to plan your strategy. You should also find it possible to find the time that you need.

3. Once you find the time, put first things first. It is a known fact that effective people manage their time well.

4. Complete tasks associated to your goals as quickly as possible.

Do not procrastinate. As soon as you find those pockets of time, work your goals until you reach your maximum time effort for the day. When your daily time commitment is up, give yourself a small reward.

5. Be mindful of tasks that are not urgent, but important to others.

Also avoid tasks that are not urgent and not important. Do not place unimportant tasks ahead of tasks that will help you accomplish your goals.