10 answers
Kimbriel
Student
Miami Gardens, Florida
9
Questions
Asked
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What's a good way to balance everything out?
When I have to much things going on at one time, I can't balance everything out. I'm focused on one thing and forgetting about the other. #life #advice
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10 answers
Taylor Girard
17
Answers
Long Beach, California
Updated
Taylor’s Answer
Something that works great for me is getting a planner. Prioritize your to-do list and block out times for the most important items. Don't forget to block out time for things like self-care and spending time with friends/family. You don't want to work too hard and burn yourself out. If it's not working out for whatever reason, readjust your priorities and write out your schedule accordingly.
Thomas Sutherland
Associate Continuity and Recovery Specialist, CBCP
207
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
Hi Kimbriel,
You are not alone with this issue. There are so many things going on it can be hard to keep them all straight. I have learned a few tips and tricks over the years that might be helpful for you.
1) Write things down. I use a weekly planner to keep list out key activities and dates.
2) I use my phone to set reminders and events in the calendar.
3) Do the most important tasks first, not the quickest or easiest. Here is a good video that explains this idea: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/put-the-big-rocks-in-first-video/
You are not alone with this issue. There are so many things going on it can be hard to keep them all straight. I have learned a few tips and tricks over the years that might be helpful for you.
1) Write things down. I use a weekly planner to keep list out key activities and dates.
2) I use my phone to set reminders and events in the calendar.
3) Do the most important tasks first, not the quickest or easiest. Here is a good video that explains this idea: https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/put-the-big-rocks-in-first-video/
Nice summary from Thomas. I would add that even with tools in place to help, we can sometimes get overwhelmed or stressed about priorities. Be kind to yourself. After a busy time, take a step back to review what happened and how you would adjust for the next time. Sometimes sharing ideas about how your organizing your time can also provide new insights. It's a journey, for sure
Teresa Brzozowski
Howard Christiansen
Professor
48
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Howard’s Answer
When I have so many things to do, I write them down and then put things in order from most important to least important. I then work on those items that are the most important first. I also try to understand what items give me the greatest benefit and work on them as a priority. I like to use this decision making model as listed below.
What is the problem?
What are the facts?
Develop a number of solutions to the problem based on the facts
Choose the best alternative solution that will benefit me the most. Benefit others that are most important to me.
Act on the chosen problem and evaluate my results. If the decision was a good one, then keep it in my repertoire for future use. If I encounter a bad solution then I will reevaluate my problem and choose another alternative.
Hope this helps Kimbriel.
What is the problem?
What are the facts?
Develop a number of solutions to the problem based on the facts
Choose the best alternative solution that will benefit me the most. Benefit others that are most important to me.
Act on the chosen problem and evaluate my results. If the decision was a good one, then keep it in my repertoire for future use. If I encounter a bad solution then I will reevaluate my problem and choose another alternative.
Hope this helps Kimbriel.
Thank you !
Kimbriel
Jason Criddle
Sales Manager
63
Answers
Boise, Idaho
Updated
Jason’s Answer
Hi Kimbriel,
Establishing a healthy balance in life is a challenge especially as the demands are constantly changing. The key to being successful in this is area is being able to prioritize your time and obligations. As a manager over a very busy team who have more tasks to do than there is time to complete them I teach them to follow what is often times called the Covey matrix. This methodology comes from Stephen Covey who wrote "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". The matrix breaks tasks down into four quadrants on cross spectrum of urgency vs importance. What that looks like is:
Quadrant 1: Important and Urgent (Do it now)
It is quite necessary to have some flexibility here, as it can cover crisis events that simply cannot be planned for and can be extremely time-sensitive (often technical issues such as servers or systems falling over can necessitate a lot of your time ending up in this quadrant on occasion).
Quadrant 2: Important and Not Urgent (Do later)
This is the quadrant where you should ideally be spending most of your time. The goal is to work on important tasks before they become urgent and cause an imbalance in your overall time schedule.
Quadrant 3: Not Important and Urgent (Delegate)
In a business setting, work that is urgent but not actually important (to you at least) will often include problems that are brought to you from your staff. This is often referred to as ‘staff imposed’ time and you need to reduce it as much as possible.
Quadrant 4: Not Important and Not Urgent (Don’t do/Avoid)
You could consider tasks in this quadrant as wasteful – unnecessary meetings or phone calls, for example.
Learning to use this methodology can help balance things out in life and appropriately prioritize your time. two quick notes/hints:
1. You will find that others will try to make demands on your time based on their estimation of importance/urgency and not yours. Learning to say no and establishing healthy boundaries with those who would monopolize your time will help.
2. Similar to #1 You get to establish your own level of importance to your time and tasks. For example, if heath is truly a priority than getting exercise may mean displacing other potential demands on your time. If something is important to you, do it. Determine what is most important and move forward. Don't waste time feeling guilty because you cant do everything all the time - neither can anyone else. There will always be more to do than there is time to do it. Just don't let the important things displace the essential ones - and only you can judge what those are for you.
Best of luck to you!
(https://www.bytestart.co.uk/coveys-matrix-time-management)
Establishing a healthy balance in life is a challenge especially as the demands are constantly changing. The key to being successful in this is area is being able to prioritize your time and obligations. As a manager over a very busy team who have more tasks to do than there is time to complete them I teach them to follow what is often times called the Covey matrix. This methodology comes from Stephen Covey who wrote "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". The matrix breaks tasks down into four quadrants on cross spectrum of urgency vs importance. What that looks like is:
Quadrant 1: Important and Urgent (Do it now)
It is quite necessary to have some flexibility here, as it can cover crisis events that simply cannot be planned for and can be extremely time-sensitive (often technical issues such as servers or systems falling over can necessitate a lot of your time ending up in this quadrant on occasion).
Quadrant 2: Important and Not Urgent (Do later)
This is the quadrant where you should ideally be spending most of your time. The goal is to work on important tasks before they become urgent and cause an imbalance in your overall time schedule.
Quadrant 3: Not Important and Urgent (Delegate)
In a business setting, work that is urgent but not actually important (to you at least) will often include problems that are brought to you from your staff. This is often referred to as ‘staff imposed’ time and you need to reduce it as much as possible.
Quadrant 4: Not Important and Not Urgent (Don’t do/Avoid)
You could consider tasks in this quadrant as wasteful – unnecessary meetings or phone calls, for example.
Learning to use this methodology can help balance things out in life and appropriately prioritize your time. two quick notes/hints:
1. You will find that others will try to make demands on your time based on their estimation of importance/urgency and not yours. Learning to say no and establishing healthy boundaries with those who would monopolize your time will help.
2. Similar to #1 You get to establish your own level of importance to your time and tasks. For example, if heath is truly a priority than getting exercise may mean displacing other potential demands on your time. If something is important to you, do it. Determine what is most important and move forward. Don't waste time feeling guilty because you cant do everything all the time - neither can anyone else. There will always be more to do than there is time to do it. Just don't let the important things displace the essential ones - and only you can judge what those are for you.
Best of luck to you!
(https://www.bytestart.co.uk/coveys-matrix-time-management)
Thank you !
Kimbriel
Shahbaz Farooq
Chartered Accountant | Management Consultant
6
Answers
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Updated
Shahbaz’s Answer
This is infact a good habit that you can focus on one thing with dedication. What I understood from your statement that you face challenge to manage multiple tasks especially when you focus on one thing it's difficult for you to be mindful of other tasks in your TDL.
In my first response to this, I believe this is a good habit that you can focus on the task in hand as people normally struggle these days due to our changing lifestyles especially the use of social media and the amount of notifications we receive daily which makes it quite harder to focus on a single tasks.
However, to address your concern, your TDL should be very clean and short. You don't need to be worried about many items / tasks. First, you should eliminate the tasks from your TDL which are not worth of your time. Second, you should plan time for the tasks which qualifies for your TDL sheet. Once you have the allocated time for each task then you can work on it for the allocated time without being worried about any other task in hand. Also, don't need to plan anything which takes less than 15m of your time as scheduling small tasks will take more time then executing them. Hope this would help.
In my first response to this, I believe this is a good habit that you can focus on the task in hand as people normally struggle these days due to our changing lifestyles especially the use of social media and the amount of notifications we receive daily which makes it quite harder to focus on a single tasks.
However, to address your concern, your TDL should be very clean and short. You don't need to be worried about many items / tasks. First, you should eliminate the tasks from your TDL which are not worth of your time. Second, you should plan time for the tasks which qualifies for your TDL sheet. Once you have the allocated time for each task then you can work on it for the allocated time without being worried about any other task in hand. Also, don't need to plan anything which takes less than 15m of your time as scheduling small tasks will take more time then executing them. Hope this would help.
Sophia Nguyen
3
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Sophia’s Answer
Hi Kimbriel!
Just from looking at your question, I am not too sure on what you're precisely struggling with balancing! Perhaps the issue may be coming from that there is a lot that you have going on with your life. In that case, it could be that you are metaphorically trying to handle a lot at once. First, consider: Are you handling a lot of extra-curricular interests at once? Though you are having trouble balancing all of the activities, you definitely sound like a dedicated individual! In this case, being organized is key. For example, map out dates, make a list of what you're currently committing to! Try taking a step back and see if fully committing to your interests is something that you can fully handle. If not, that's okay! The key to handling a lot of commitments/extra-curricular activities at one time is doing your best and putting the most of your time into what activities are most important to you. You are after all, only human and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I wish you the best with your future endeavors!
Just from looking at your question, I am not too sure on what you're precisely struggling with balancing! Perhaps the issue may be coming from that there is a lot that you have going on with your life. In that case, it could be that you are metaphorically trying to handle a lot at once. First, consider: Are you handling a lot of extra-curricular interests at once? Though you are having trouble balancing all of the activities, you definitely sound like a dedicated individual! In this case, being organized is key. For example, map out dates, make a list of what you're currently committing to! Try taking a step back and see if fully committing to your interests is something that you can fully handle. If not, that's okay! The key to handling a lot of commitments/extra-curricular activities at one time is doing your best and putting the most of your time into what activities are most important to you. You are after all, only human and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I wish you the best with your future endeavors!
Whitney Rubega
Senior Associate
26
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Whitney’s Answer
Hi Kimbriel! One of the best ways to balance competing priorities is to make a to-do list. This will help ensure you don't forget any of the tasks that you need to complete. Once you have a list of everything that you need to accomplish, you should look at the entire list to prioritize them, you can even number them if you'd prefer. Sometimes it helps to do a few small tasks at the beginning so that you can feel a sense of accomplishment and stay motivated for the bigger tasks. Other times, deadlines may be the most important factor in prioritizing your work, and the harder projects must get done before the easier ones. Either way, each item you cross off will help you visualize your progress!
Krishna Chaitanya Tumuluru
Supervisor - Data Management and reporting
25
Answers
Updated
Krishna Chaitanya’s Answer
I try to keep track of everything I have on my plate using an excel spread sheet. I priorotize the tasks and work on them in that order. We just need to acknowledge the fact that it is okay to miss doing some of the things we need to do. We can improve this by being organized and focused. One thing that really keeps me focused is the sense of satisfaction I get when I complete somthing. Try completeting one thing at a time in the order of priority and see the result.
Gerda Zala Zaloksne
6
Answers
London, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Gerda’s Answer
Follow These Six Tips To Bring More Balance Into Your Life
1. Acknowledge and accept that you cannot do everything all the time.
2. You only have so many resources: time, energy, money, etc. ...
3. Manage yourself, not time. ...
4. “Add and subtract.” ...
5. Just say “No” ...
6. Schedule time for yourself. ...Live with purpose!
1. Acknowledge and accept that you cannot do everything all the time.
2. You only have so many resources: time, energy, money, etc. ...
3. Manage yourself, not time. ...
4. “Add and subtract.” ...
5. Just say “No” ...
6. Schedule time for yourself. ...Live with purpose!
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity.
3727
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hey there Kimbriel,
Life can sometimes feel like a juggling act, with all sorts of responsibilities and commitments vying for our attention. But don't worry, there are plenty of strategies and tips that can help us find that sweet spot of balance. Here are some key steps to consider:
1. Make priorities and set clear goals: The first step to balance is knowing what's important. Identify your key goals and tasks, both immediate and long-term. This will help you channel your time and energy into what truly counts. Techniques like time blocking or making to-do lists can be super helpful in organizing your tasks and setting aside dedicated time for each one.
2. Master your time: Good time management is a game-changer for maintaining balance. It's all about dividing your time smartly among different activities, whether it's work, personal stuff, fun, or self-care. One cool trick is the Pomodoro Technique, where you work in focused 25-minute bursts with short breaks in between. It's a great way to boost productivity without burning out.
3. Learn to say no: It's easy to get swamped by saying yes to everything. Knowing your limits and saying no when needed is key to balance. Think carefully about each new request or opportunity, checking if it fits with your priorities and if you can handle it without neglecting other important parts of your life.
4. Set boundaries: Clear boundaries are a must for balance. This means drawing a line between work and personal life, and setting limits on how much time and energy you give to different activities. Make sure to communicate these boundaries to others, so they understand and respect your need for balance.
5. Look after yourself: Self-care is vital for balance and avoiding burnout. Prioritize activities that boost your physical, mental, and emotional health. This could be regular exercise, enough sleep, eating healthily, doing things you love, and spending quality time with loved ones.
6. Ask for help: It's tough to balance everything alone. Don't be shy to ask for help when you need it. This could mean sharing tasks with colleagues or family, asking for advice from mentors, or reaching out to support groups or online communities for a boost.
7. And one last tip from my own experience: In my sixties, I started reminding myself, "Slow down, life's not a race!"
Remember, finding balance is a journey, not a destination. Regularly check in with your priorities, reassess your commitments, and tweak things as needed to make sure you're living a balanced and fulfilling life.
Top 3 Reference Sources Used:
1. Harvard Business Review - www.hbr.org
2. Mayo Clinic - www.mayoclinic.org
3. Psychology Today - www.psychologytoday.com
Life can sometimes feel like a juggling act, with all sorts of responsibilities and commitments vying for our attention. But don't worry, there are plenty of strategies and tips that can help us find that sweet spot of balance. Here are some key steps to consider:
1. Make priorities and set clear goals: The first step to balance is knowing what's important. Identify your key goals and tasks, both immediate and long-term. This will help you channel your time and energy into what truly counts. Techniques like time blocking or making to-do lists can be super helpful in organizing your tasks and setting aside dedicated time for each one.
2. Master your time: Good time management is a game-changer for maintaining balance. It's all about dividing your time smartly among different activities, whether it's work, personal stuff, fun, or self-care. One cool trick is the Pomodoro Technique, where you work in focused 25-minute bursts with short breaks in between. It's a great way to boost productivity without burning out.
3. Learn to say no: It's easy to get swamped by saying yes to everything. Knowing your limits and saying no when needed is key to balance. Think carefully about each new request or opportunity, checking if it fits with your priorities and if you can handle it without neglecting other important parts of your life.
4. Set boundaries: Clear boundaries are a must for balance. This means drawing a line between work and personal life, and setting limits on how much time and energy you give to different activities. Make sure to communicate these boundaries to others, so they understand and respect your need for balance.
5. Look after yourself: Self-care is vital for balance and avoiding burnout. Prioritize activities that boost your physical, mental, and emotional health. This could be regular exercise, enough sleep, eating healthily, doing things you love, and spending quality time with loved ones.
6. Ask for help: It's tough to balance everything alone. Don't be shy to ask for help when you need it. This could mean sharing tasks with colleagues or family, asking for advice from mentors, or reaching out to support groups or online communities for a boost.
7. And one last tip from my own experience: In my sixties, I started reminding myself, "Slow down, life's not a race!"
Remember, finding balance is a journey, not a destination. Regularly check in with your priorities, reassess your commitments, and tweak things as needed to make sure you're living a balanced and fulfilling life.
Top 3 Reference Sources Used:
1. Harvard Business Review - www.hbr.org
2. Mayo Clinic - www.mayoclinic.org
3. Psychology Today - www.psychologytoday.com