Do you have a hard time keeping up?
Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, but everyone has exactly the same amount of time available each day. Despite this, it can feel completely impossible to get everything done, especially during a working day. There can also be extra stress when it seems that “everyone else” has time for their work tasks, to be with the family, exercise and sleep. This is where planning comes in, you get an overview of your time and what you spend it on and it becomes easier to prioritize.
The calendar is your best friend!
It may sound boring, but the fact is that the calendar is your best friend. Don’t just use it to schedule meetings, be sure to block time for when you actually have to do some of your work tasks. Add automatic reminders and color-code tasks so you can easily get an overview. Automatic reminders mean that you don’t have to keep tasks in your head, but are reminded when it’s time.
But don’t stop there!
Plan your training and block time for family and recovery.
When time is blocked, appointments can’t show up at times you know you need to work out or pick up kids.
And as a bonus, if you’ve blocked out a weekend for recovery, you can always reevaluate this if something fun comes up, but you give yourself the chance to think before you say yes.
Respond to emails and messages at certain times
Be sure to set aside a time when you answer emails and call people back. This allows you to be efficient when responding and then focus on other tasks for the rest of the day. Put filters on your e-mail so that you have e-mails sorted into folders that you can prioritize differently. You rarely need to receive a newsletter in your inbox but can choose to read when there is time, but if it ends up in the inbox it takes both time and energy to sort it out.
Switch off and take breaks
This tip works both at work and in private contexts. It’s important to take breaks from technology, from others, and from boring chores every now and then. You don’t have to be reachable all the time, it’s perfectly okay to turn off the sound on your mobile and breathe for 5 minutes. Does it feel stressful? In fact, when you take your break, you become more efficient and can focus better on getting the task done.
English 
Swedish