The time spent in our twenties might just be the most influential in regard to our futures. But what do we know? We're only in our twenties, right? Regardless, this is undoubtedly the time to establish a lifestyle that will carry into our later years. We need to use this time to kick the bad habits we've managed to accrue until this point and replace them with more beneficial ones.
It’s that time in your life when you need to start making adjustments and recognizing what works for you and what does not. Chances are you are dabbling in different jobs, so this is the perfect time to figure these things out. When you finally do reach your dream career, you will have all the characteristics and traits necessary to succeed in whatever industry you choose.
Managing your time in your 20s is a difficult task, as it really is at any age. There never seem to be enough hours in the day, but if you learn how to properly manage the hours you do have, the results may astonish you.
Let’s take a look at the 20 best ways to manage your time in your 20s:
1. Block all social media during the work day, limit using it as much as possible
There’s no better way to procrastinate than by browsing social media. One minute you are stalking your ex and the next you’re on their college roommate's sister's best friend’s Facebook page. Social media sites know no limits and you can literally get sucked in for hours and not even realize it. So limit your usage of social media in general. Not only is it a huge time killer, but when you think about it, what do you ever really get out of it? Can you think of one great social media experience that you had that is considered unforgettable? Of course not, looking back on it, you realize how it is just one big blur. The time spent on social media is time you never get back.
2. Create a schedule/routine
By creating a schedule, you can better prepare yourself for the weeks ahead. It allows you to put all your commitments in front of you so that you may realize the time you can dedicate to each obligation. It also helps to prioritize, as you are picking and choosing what you have time for. When there is a routine in front of you, you are mentally committed to get things done rather than comprising your day with one-off actions that you just do when you feel like it. Substitute those arbitrary actions with an actual system and you will find yourself functioning better.
3. Don’t waste your weekends being hungover
Going out is great and a ton of fun, I’d be lying if I said otherwise. Try and pace yourself so that when you wake up in the morning, you don’t have an excessively pounding headache. Nothing prevents productivity quite like a hangover does. Your weekends are when you typically have your most free time, so try and capitalize on it instead of coddling your head while in the fetal position.
4. Don’t over promise and under deliver
It’s far too easy to say yes to an idea that sounds great in theory. It’s a whole different ball game, however, if you are just agreeing to agree without any intention of following through. The person you are committing to believes that you are going to follow through on your promise, so try not to be selfish and waste another person’s time. Commit to plans you only intend on keeping and save yourself the stress. Don't commit to things that you truly don't feel like being a part of; make sure you're not just doing these things because of politics.
5. Reserve time for yourself
Preserve your mental health by recognizing when it’s time to take a break and separate yourself from the anxieties life brings. Get your Netflix on, go to the beach or take some naps. It’s beyond beneficial to spend some time alone and reflect on the choices and decisions you have been making as of late. Decide if that’s the person you want to be or if changes need to be made.
6. Prioritize your sh*t
Don’t waste time on things that are of little importance to you. Compare the items on your to-do list and start checking things off in order of their relevance. If something is more time sensitive than something else, then it is best to work on that task first. Re-upping your birth control might be more important than that "Pretty Little Liars" marathon you were planning. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Priorities are everything and until you recognize which ones are most important in your life then you will be wasting your time.
7. Set daily goals/tasks
When you wake up in the morning, whether or not you feel like P.Diddy, it's extremely productive to know what you want to set out and accomplish that day. This will help to prepare your schedule and allow you to make adjustments in real time. The more you consistently conquer, the better it will feel when you set new and tougher goals for yourself.
8. Make deadlines
By creating deadlines for yourself, you can hope to avoid the trap of procrastination. By making yourself aware of when tasks need to be completed, you can make a schedule that coincides with your daily tasks in order to complete it on time and to the best of your ability.
9. Don’t go out every night
While going out is a great way to relieve stress, going out seven days a week isn’t good for your health, no matter how old you are (or no matter how cool it looks on your Instagram). Your sleep cycle will become disrupted and let me tell you firsthand, no one wants to hear your raspy voice that drinking brings on.
10. Get good rest
Sleep is one of the most important things you need in order to maintain good mental health. You need at least 7 hours to function throughout the day. Nothing is harder than trying to concentrate when you got fewer than 5 hours of sleep the night before. It's not healthy to substitute 3-5 cups of coffee you are most likely downing to make up for the lack of sleep.
11. Get a planner
Whether this is a physical notebook or an application for your phone, writing things down helps to get them done. By creating a visual of the tasks you need to complete, you can plan out a constructive schedule. It also helps you to remember to do things if you write them down.
12. Don’t procrastinate
Procrastination leads to rushing and rushing leads to mistakes. Give yourself ample time to complete a task so that it is done to the best of its ability. When you wait until the last minute, you have to cut corners as you don’t have time to work in a meticulous fashion. Save yourself the stress and anxiety of rushing and plan out your projects.
13. Delegate / outsource
To make the most of working in an office, try and delegate responsibility to the appropriate parties. Do not make the mistake of taking on everyone’s responsibility when the work can be appropriately divided. This saves everyone time and allows work to be completed in the most efficient manner possible.
14. Focus on one thing at a time before moving on
When you try to accomplish more than one task at a time, you detract from your focus and distract yourself. By having your attention needed in more than one place, you may end up making careless mistakes. Try and fully immerse yourself in one task before moving on to the next.
15. Learn to say no
Stop saying yes to every single opportunity! All you are going to do is stress yourself over the anxiety of a multitude of plans. Learn when to say no, it’s okay to have other (more pressing) obligations, people won’t hold it against you.
16. Don’t commit to more than one TV show
Netflix addiction is actually a problem. I mean they just have every single season of essentially every great show ever made available at the tips of your fingers. There’s no more waiting weeks at a time to find out if your favorite character died or got dumped. Try not to have more than one show going for you at a time because hours can pass without you even realizing it.
17. Work out
Exercising helps to keep your mind at ease while keeping you focused. It reinforces the importance of establishing a routine, something that can be applied to multiple aspects of a person’s life. You want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, so try your hardest to get some sort of physical activity involved during the week. It also doesn't hurt to look good.
18. Get up early
If you don’t think you can get to everything you need to during the day, you may need to wake up earlier. At first this will be difficult, but with anything in life, there is an adjustment period. By waking up earlier, you can get to more tasks. This may mean reducing the amount of partying you do, but in the long run, it’ll be worth it.
19. Don’t date a high maintenance person
The worst situation you could ever get yourself in is to date someone who is basically out of his or her mind. Dating a high maintenance person can be emotionally taxing and draining and basically leave you without energy for anything else. You will constantly find yourself distracted and unable to focus on anything besides the problems in your relationship. Do yourself a favor and lose the baggage.
20. No unnecessary drama
Do not waste your time dealing with people who only bring negativity into your life. You need to surround yourself with people who are constantly pushing themselves for the better. If you are consistently surrounding yourself with negative people, it will hinder your progression in life. Why choose to spend time with people that are holding you back when you can surround yourself with people who can elevate you? Think back to all the drama you have dealt with in your life and think about if it really has any affect on your life now. The answer to that question is usually no and the time put into that drama is just not worth it.
Top Photo Courtesy: Tumblr
