Time Management to Reduce Stress

Good Time Management Will Help Reduce Stress and Bring a Better Quality of Life

Time management is one of those things that can have a profound effect on your daily life. If time is managed well, you end up feeling organized, productive, effective, accomplished but on the other hand, if time is poorly managed, you end up feeling the opposite. Time management skills are especially important if you have a lot to do and want to do it well without stress or the risk of "burn-out". By effectively managing your time through better planning, you'll not only be able to accomplish your desired tasks, but you end your day feeilng productive and satisfied with yourself.

Poor time management can lead to a build-up of stress which gives way to anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and complete burn-out. It can contribute to poor sleeping habits, poor eating, and even have a negative effect on your relationships with your family and friends, even your boss at work. It can leave you feeling defeated, overwhelmed and just wanting to give up altogether.

When you master the time you have each day through prioritizing and planning, you will not only increase your quality of life but your overall satisfaction with your accomplishments.




Time Management Tips, Techniques & Strategies


  • Plan A Daily Schedule - Plan a daily schedule that is realistic and be reasonable with your workload. Always think to include time for time for you - to exercise, to eat well, to have time for those you love and time to de-stress before getting a good night sleep.

  • Plan Ahead - As you think about your schedule, plan ahead for any stops you'll need to make. It takes time to travel, time to stop and get gas in your vehicle, time to check-in at the doctors office, and all the other little stuff inbetween.

  • Prioritize - Decide ahead of time which demands are more important to you and put them in proper order. We may have a lot we want to accomplish in a day and in order to reduce stress, you'll want to do the most important things first. The last thing you need is to get distracted by something insignificant and have it get in the way of something that really needed to get done.

  • Don't Put Things Off - Procrastination is a sure way to create more stress and even increase anxiety. When things are put off until the last minute, pressure builds, and tension becomes a reality. The goal here is "DO IT NOW" as soon as the thought presents itself. Ever heard of the 5 second rule? Once the thought hits your mind to do something, get up before the count to 5 and just "DO IT". If you give yourself time to stew, time to brush it off while being distracted by something else, you may never even do it at all. You have heard the saying, "Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today".

  • Allow for things to "Pop-Up" - Allow for things to pop-up, because in real life, they do! Unforseen circumstances do occur, so, accept it and then refocus your time management plan as needed. Don't stay stressed and anxious about it.

  • Baby Steps lead to Leaps and Bounds - Another time management skill that can help reduce stress is to plan baby steps to achieve your goals. Sometimes, what is planned to do is BIG and often cannot be accomplished all in one day. So, you plan baby steps to get there when applicable. Decide ahead of time how to break these big things up into smaller steps that can be managened day by day. Slow and steady wins the race in this case!

  • Reschedule and Rearrange - Have you heard the saying "Don't bite off more than you can chew"? No matter how well we try to plan, sometimes, we have too much to do. If you notice your schedule is too full, give yourself a break. It's okay to reschedule certain appointments or to rearrange your schedule to make something work better.

  • It's OK to say NO! - You don't always have to say "YES" to everyone all the time. Many times we overload ourselves because we just try to be everything and do everything for everyone else. This is when we need to remember that getting through our day doesn't have to mean just making it all fit in. When we crowd our days with too much, the quality of what we do starts to diminish. A rushed product is never as good as a product that was given enough time. More is not always better in this case.

  • Estimate the time it takes - When you are planning your days, estimate how long things take to accomplish on average, then add about 10-15-20 minutes onto that time depending on what it is. Having extra time reduces stress and gives you a sense of control over your day.

  • Limit Distractions - If you have a busy day, limit unecessary distractions. Things like watching TV, using your smartphone for social media, or playing video games just get in the way of you being productive. Provide an atmosphere of success by putting these things off until the very end of your day or during and allowed, scheduled break-time.

  • Too much Time on Your hands?


    Just as having too much to do can contribute to stress, so can not having enough to do. Sometimes, in life, there are situations where there are no real plans, no demands, or regular routine to be kept. Maybe you live alone, don't work anymore, or maybe you don't have many friends or extended family members. Whatever your situation, it is stressful to have too much time, just as it is to not have enough.

    As stressful this can be, there are some things you can do to make your days feel accomplished and satisfying. You can begin by making a list of things you'd like to do and begin to do them. Even if your imagination isn't all that helpful at first, you can begin with planning daily exercises. Planning meals. Planning Day Trips. Get involved in a group, church or club that specializes in what you believe in, enjoy. Doing these things will open up the door to new opportunities for growth and of course, things to manage in your time. Don't sit by with too much time and too little to do - there is always something we can do that will reduce stress, and bring joy.

    How busy is too busy?


    The pros and cons of being busy are impossible to deny. As we know, being busy and using our time management effectively brings good feelings of accomplishment. However, there is such thing as being too busy. When overloaded schedules and chronic and you don't balance things out, you put yourself at risk for anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and even complete burn-out. These things can cause your life to come to a screaching halt as unwanted body symptoms result. It is just not worth power-housing everyday of your life without taking the proper time for yourself to do things. Always, use your time management skills with consideration to your stress levels. You deserve to live a balanced life without the complications of a mental health struggle. If you are experiencing symptoms of burn-out, there is a great, free webinar called Find Your Way Back From Burnout where Lisa W. Coyne, PhD, provides tips on how to detect early signs of burnout, offers ways to lower our daily stressors, and answers audience questions about how to fight back from feeling burned out. Even if you don't suffer from burn-out, the information may just help you avoid it in the future.

    Additional Resources on Time Management


  • Why Choose LifeExtention - Frequently Asked Questions. A company dedicated to scientific research and quality!

  • The Power of Discipline: How to Use Self Control and Mental Toughness to Achieve Your Goals by Daniel Walter (Author)

  • 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students, and 239 Entrepreneurs by Kevin Kruse (Author)

  • Return from Time Management to Reduce Stress to Effective Stress Management Strategies
    Sound-Mind.Org Homepage

    Guided Steps to Recovery

    Natural Supplements

    Want to recover without using medication? There are many different kinds of supplements that are available and very effective in helping people combat the physical symptoms of anxiety.

    Best Sellers

    Effective Natural Medicine