How you spend your twenties will directly determine how successful you will be later on in life.
Whether you choose this time for growth or for stagnation, each day you plant the seeds for your thirties and beyond.
Below is a list of time management tips that everyone should learn in their twenties.
They may seem simple, but they pack a powerful punch.
Much of your twenties is spent finding the balance; creating the right mix of fun and achievement. Furthermore, by improving your time management skills you can get more out of each day by better utilizing your time.
Use the tips below to better manage your time, become more productive, and achieve your goals.
1. You may not have money, but you do have time
Time is your most valuable and abundant resource. It is something that you can invest today for your future self tomorrow.
As someone in your twenties, recognize how much time you actually have.
You have a massive amount of time ahead of you and you can accomplish so much. Success does not happen overnight.
Take your time, take small steps, and eventually it will result in a long and winding road towards greatness.
2. Respect your time and make it respected
Teach others to respect your time and act accordingly.
It’s normal to have impromptu discussions with your boss, colleagues, and friends. It’s also just as easy for them to fully consume your time if you let them.
Learn to value your time.
Don’t easily give it away and always have a plan for it.
Once you learn how to value and respect your time, your ability to know what to do and what to avoid will drastically improve.
3. “Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games” ~ Babe Ruth
Success can be disruptive if you allow yourself to slack off afterward. Nobody succeeds with just one win.
Becoming successful is a culmination of multiple victories.
Yes, you definitely should take breaks and reward yourself from time to time. But, use those breaks as time to re-energize and get excited about your next step.
Related Reading: Get Motivated! How To Be Productive When You Don’t Want To
4. Don’t trust your brain to remember everything
People are forgetful. We don’t always remember the things that we need to remember.
There are a lot of amazing productivity apps out there though, so lean on them to be more focused and productive.
Doing so will allow you to get more done without having to worry about missing something important.
5. Get past procrastination
Reflect on why you procrastinate:
- Is the problem too hard?
- Are you unchallenged?
- Or do you have some bad habits preventing you from getting the right stuff done?
Become aware of why you are procrastinating and assess how those reasons make you feel.
With a little perspective, you can understand your thought processes and come up with new systems for getting work done.
6. Not all of your friends are your friends
When you’re young it’s normal to have a lot of friends. It feels good to be surrounded by fun people and to “belong” to a certain group.
However, as you grow older, you will learn that not all of your friends are actually friends.
Remove toxic relationships that don’t add value to your life. It will save you a lot of time down the road.
Think of it as a way to create more time that you can then spend working on something important or with someone more meaningful.
7. Focus
We live in a world full of distractions. With all that noise, it is imperative that you learn how to focus.
Think of it like a muscle.
If you don’t train it, it will stay weak and frail. But if you practice it, you will be laser sharp and deliberate.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to getting more done with focus. Here is one awesome way that you can start improving your focus right now.
8. Block your time
Set time aside to work on a project or improve a skill. This can be especially helpful if you have a busy schedule.
Your time won’t magically open up. You have to make it available yourself.
Think of it as a meeting with yourself, dedicated to improving your future.
Related Reading: Genius Things To Do On A Sunday To Have A Productive Week
9. Take risks and experiment
We live in a fast-paced world. People constantly change jobs, create startups, and move to another city to start a new life.
Embrace your own experiences to really figure out what you want to do.
Make time to try out new things and activities. Your worst-case scenario is achieving goals that don’t matter to you.
Remember, you have time in your twenties. So make sure that what you do is fulfilling.
If you fail, it’s totally fine because this is the time to experiment, learn, and figure out the right path for you.
10. Figure out what you want then ask for help
You’ve got your first job? Great! Now, it’s time to think of what you want to achieve.
Don’t follow an ordinary life plan.
A lot of people in their twenties sit in an office for 8 hours a day, content and complacent just having a job.
But you’re different. You want more!
Take charge of your career development, create time to envision your goals, and figure out a plan for how to get there.
11. Establish a routine
Don’t look back a year from now and wonder where the time went.
Instead, create a daily routine that allows you to work towards a particular goal, project, or something you care about.
The time is going to pass either way. Might as well work towards something positive.
Whether that be exercise, reading, or writing, see each day as another step towards the direction you want to head.
Keep track of how you spend your time and check in with yourself every so often to make sure your activities still align with your goals.
Moving forward
So many people waste their time. Don’t waste yours!
A lot of these tips simply involve making time for yourself. And while time cannot be manufactured, you do have the power to reallocate it from other areas of your life.
Move your time around so that you can focus on the things that matter to you.
Learn as much as you can about yourself and the world around you. Recognize that time is finite and is also your most valuable asset.
Use it wisely and you will achieve what you’re after.
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