Use Your Time Effectively to Get More Out of Your Day

Contact: Janet LaFon, family financial education specialist
Tel: (417) 358-2158
E-mail: lafonj@missouri.edu

CARTHAGE, Mo. – In our hurry up world, where every family seems to have schedules crammed with responsibilities, many people wonder how to get more done in the time available.

“Instead of focusing on doing more, you may want to consider six basic strategies for managing your projects and using your time more effectively,” said Janet LaFon, a family financial education specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

The six basic strategies are as follows:

• Assume ownership. “Don’t allow others to make commitments of your time without your permission. You’d be surprised if someone helped themselves to money in your wallet. Is it really any different when others help themselves to your time?” said LaFon.

• Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. “Check yourself continuously to see that you are working on the things that are most important to you,” said LaFon.

• Work on overcoming procrastination. “Conquer time-wasting habits. When you see that you are procrastinating, make it a point to take the first step toward completing the task,” said LaFon.

• Break down large jobs. “One of the sources of procrastination is that some tasks seem too overwhelming to begin. Learn to break these down into smaller, more manageable pieces. Often the most challenging step is the first one to take,” said LaFon.

• Set up a simple filing system. “At home, as well as at work, you need a filing system so that you can find important papers when you need them,” said LaFon.

• Reward yourself. “Take time to celebrate the completion of major tasks or when major challenges have been met,” said LaFon.

These basic strategies are expanded on in the University of Missouri Extension publication, “Time Effectiveness, Prioritizing Your Time,” GH6653 available online at http://extension.missouri.edu.

For more information on issues related to home finances, contact either of the MU Extension family financial education specialists in southwest Missouri: Janet LaFon, Jasper County Extension Center, (417) 358-2158, lafonj@missouri.edu or Nellie Lamers, Taney County Extension Center, (417) 546-4431, lamersn@missouri.edu.