We all have 24 hours to fulfill our commitments and take care of other things in our lives that are important to us. But how do you get it all under one roof? Here are 7 tips.

Tip no. 1 – It doesn’t work without a plan

Our brain is good at tinkering, but it is not so good at memorizing (unless you are a memory artist …). Only those who have a plan know what still needs to be done and can concentrate on these tasks without having to worry about forgetting important things. Whether the plan is created on the smartphone or on paper is less important, the main thing is that you have one. Make sure to group similar tasks together so that the to-do list doesn’t get too long and confusing. When a task is done, it is ticked off. Do important things first!

Tip # 2 – the salami tactic

What if the mountain of to-dos just seems too big, insurmountable? Then try the salami tactic. You don’t eat a salami all at once, but slice by slice until it is eaten after a few days. Break down large chunks of work into small milestones and tick off the checklist one by one. This is how you get closer to your goal step by step.

Tip # 3 – rules for the email inbox

Keep your post office tidy. Certain e-mails, newsletters, etc. can be automatically moved to the appropriate folder in many e-mail programs using so-called rules. Otherwise: edit and delete yourself as quickly as possible or – if the mail has to be kept – move it by hand. Deferring may also be a solution here and there.

Tip # 4 – be conscientious

If you are conscientious, it is also important to you to appear on time for appointments and to do your work conscientiously. The wise King Solomon already knew from ancient times: “Lazy people want a lot and get little, but whoever is hardworking will be fine and satisfied” (according to Proverbs chapter 13.4). Hard work will pay off sooner or later, regardless of whether you are employed or self-employed.

Tip No. 5 – Say no sometimes

Sometimes you have to say no to invitations from friends, to the television or the like, if the work is not finished yet. This is not easy. But a true friend will understand if you explain the reasons to him.

Tip no. 6 – plan enough rest periods

Sleep must not be neglected. Sometimes it makes more sense to go to bed earlier and approach the matter with renewed vigor the next day than to work until you drop and then not deliver good quality. Taking care of your health – and, by the way, of your own biorhythm (i.e. doing important things when you are most productive) – is part of good time management!

Tip # 7 – Don’t get distracted

Don’t allow push notifications, don’t constantly check emails or WhatsApp messages or whatever. Other people in your household should know if you want to concentrate on something for a while. This will save stress for everyone involved.

With this in mind, I wish you every success in managing your time and of course a lot of free time for the really nice things in life.