In a word - Organization!
I work 60 hours a week on average, am going to school (on line) this semester, and volunteer 2–3X a week as a tutor and I enjoy it all so I make it happen. Here is what works for me.
Credit
At a high level I use my MBOs (Management By Objectives) or goals for the year to guide me. These should be looked at weekly to guide you in what you should be allocating your time at work to. Mine are reviewed quarterly by my manager which helps me to stay on track.
Create a To-Do-List for the day or week. Be realistic about what you can accomplish in that time, and it’s OK to put smaller or simple things on there like “Call Mike about meeting”. The goal is to keep you focused. No better feeling than crossing something off a list!
Organize your work space. Easy. Nothing wastes more time than looking like mad for a file.
It’s OK to say no to people or to commit to another day or time. Don’t get distracted from what you need to accomplish.
Back to the To-Do-List. Create one for home. For example I have one for weekends. If I know I have to do some work, and laundry too but need soap and also happen to need tissues, my list is in order and has work in the morning, then the store (tissues, laundry soap) and then the laundromat.
I keep Post-It notes handy. Everywhere. When something I need to do pops into my head I have something to write it down on (I’m old school and should really use my phone app but I’m a visual person..) and then it goes on the To-Do list.
When I have too much going on I make a promise to myself that if I get something important crossed off the list, I can do something else that’s fun. We all need a break but knowing that I will enjoy that movie so much more if I already finished the reading
I needed to do for work, it’s that much nicer!
The goal is to prioritize based on deadlines and manage your responsibilities better with planning and realistic scheduling, and your time management will improve. It has helped me tremendously. Good luck!
