10大最有用的時間管理技巧 你都學會了嗎？

How well do you manage your time? If you are like many of us, your answer may be “Not too well.” You may often feel like there is not enough time in a day. Perhaps you even find you constantly have to work late hours to hit your deadlines. Maybe you even feel too busy that you miss meals and sleep. These are all classic signs that you may not be managing your time effectively.
你管理時間的能力如何？如果你和很多人一樣，那你的答案很可能是“不是太好。” 你可能經常感覺時間不夠用，也許還會發現自己總是經常加班到很晚才能在最後期限前完成任務。或許你忙得都廢寢忘食了。這些都是比較典型的現象，說明你可能無法有效地管理自己的時間。

Benjamin Franklin once said that time is money. Just like money, time must be managed properly. If you manage time properly you find the right balance between your work, leisure and rest time. You effectively accomplish the things that matter most in your life. On top of that, you reduce your stress level and feel a lot happier. To help you manage time more effectively, here are ten proven time management skills you should learn today.
本傑明·富蘭克林曾經說過，時間就是金錢。就像金錢一樣，時間也必須妥善管理。如果你能妥善管理好時間，你會在工作、休閒和休息之間找到適當的平衡。你能有效完成生活中最重要的事情。最重要的是，你能減輕壓力並感到特別開心。爲了幫你更有效地管理時間，下面給出了你應該學會的十條行之有效的時間管理技巧。

1. Set Goals
設定目標

Goals give you a vision, focus and destination to work towards. They help you have a clear mind on where you want to go and how best to manage your time and resources to get there. By setting goals, you are able to identify what’s worth spending your time on and what’s a distraction to avoid.
目標能給你遠景，讓你找到焦點朝目的地前進。它們能讓你清楚你想去哪裏、如何最好地管理時間和資源來到達那兒。通過設定目標，你能找出什麼事情值得你花時間去做，什麼事情會讓你分心而應該避免。

Start by asking yourself where you want to be in six months time. You can go further and look at where you want to be in the next year or even decade from now. Set personal and professional goals that are realistic and achievable. This is a crucial step toward ensure you manage your time better.
首先問問自己，你要在半年內的時間裏到達何種程度。你還可以進一步想想，從現在開始，在未來的一年後或十年後你想到達何種程度。設立符合現實的、能達到的個人和職業目標。這是讓你更好地管理時間的關鍵步驟。

2. Prioritize
設定優先級。

Prioritizing cannot be overemphasized when it comes to effective time management. It can be difficult to know what tasks to tackle first, especially when a flood of tasks all seem urgent. It is, however, relatively easy to prioritize activities if you have clear goals already set. Ask yourself three basic questions to know what tasks should take first priority:
說到有效的時間管理，我們就要重點強調設定優先級。哪些任務該先處理，這似乎很難區分，尤其是當大量的任務看上去都是緊急時。然而，如果你已經設定了清晰的目標，設定優先事項相對來說就很簡單了。問問自己三個簡單的問題，來弄清楚哪些任務應該先做。

Why am I doing this task or activity?
我爲什麼要做這項任務或活動？

How does this task help me achieve my goals?
這項任務如何幫我實現目標？

To what extent does this task I’m doing help me achieve my goals?
我做這項任務到什麼程度能幫助我實現我的目標？

Do the most important things first.
先做最重要的事情。

3. Keep a Task List
使用任務清單

A task list (or “to-do list”) is a reminder system that tells you when you need to do what. Keeping a to-do list helps you remain organized and on top of things. It helps break things down into small, manageable tasks or steps so that you never forget to do the important stuff. Don’t try to remember everything you need to do in your head. In most cases, trying to remember everything won’t work. Instead, keep a to-do list. A simple daily, weekly or monthly planner on a note pad or diary can do.
任務清單可以提醒你在什麼時間做什麼事情。使用任務清單可以讓你做事有條理，讓你能夠對事情加以控制。它能把事情分解成小的、可以管理的任務或步驟，這樣你就不會忘記做重要的事情。不要嘗試把要做的每件事情都記在腦子裏。在大多數情況下，想記住每件事情根本就行不通。你可以用任務清單來代替。可以在筆記本或日記本上做個簡單的每日、每週或每月的計劃。

Write down the things you need to do, including meetings, appointments and deadlines. Prioritize items on your list by listing items in order of importance from high priority to low priorities items or highlighting urgent or important tasks on your list with an asterisk. Cross out completed tasks as often as you add new tasks on your task list to ensure you keep moving forward.
寫下你所需要做的事情，包括開會、約會和最後期限。把列表上的待辦事項按照優先級從高到低的順序排序或把緊急、重要的事項用星號進行標註。把完成的任務從列表中花去，儘可能頻繁地在清單上加上新的任務來讓自己繼續前進。

4. Schedule Tasks
爲任務安排時間

“A schedule defends from chaos and whim,” says author Annie Dillard. If you are a morning person and find you are at your most creative and productive early in the morning, schedule high-value tasks in the morning at your peak creative/productive time. If your creativity and energy picks up when the sun is setting, schedule high priority tasks then. Your “down” time can be scheduled for less important tasks like checking e-mail or returning phone calls.
“計劃可以讓你遠離混亂和衝動，”作家安妮·迪拉德說。如果你是早起型的人，發現自己在早晨最有創造性、效率最高，可以把高價值的任務安排在早晨的尖峯創作/高效時間。如果當太陽下山時你的創造力和能量達到頂端，可以把高優先級的任務安排在那段時間。效率較低的時間可以安排像檢查郵件或回電話這樣不那麼重要的任務。

Understand your rhythm of peak and dead times and schedule tasks appropriately to make the most of peak times. Remember you don’t find time for important things; you make time for important things best by scheduling.
瞭解自己何時效率高、何時效率低，然後合適地安排任務來更好地利用自己效率最高的時間段。記住，你不是找時間來做重要的事情；你是通過計劃來爲重要的事情安排時間。

5. Focus on One Task at a Time
一次只專心做一件事情。

You get more done in the least time possible when you toggle between talking on your cell phone, browsing the internet and jotting down notes, right? Wrong! According to a study published by the American Psychological Association, you actually spend between 20 and 40 percent more time when you multitask. Besides costing you time and efficiency, multitasking can also reduce the quality of your work.
當你一邊打電話、一邊瀏覽網頁、一邊記筆記，你在最短的時間內完成了更多的事情。對嗎？錯！根據美國心理協會的發表的一項研究， 當你進行多任務處理時，你所花的時間多了20%到40%。除了浪費時間、降低效率外，多任務處理也降低了工作的質量。

Forget multitasking. You don’t get on top of your workload by multitasking. Focus more on completing one task at a time. Completing tasks in sequence one at a time leads to better use of time, says the study researchers. Switching from one task to another does not usually lend itself to good use of time.
忘記多任務處理吧。使用多任務處理，你無法掌握住自己的工作。一次只專注於完成一項任務。研究人員表示，一次完成一項任務，按照順序完成，會讓你更好地利用時間。從一項任務切換到另一項不會讓你更好地利用時間。6. Minimize Distractions
儘量減少干擾

Whether it’s client e-mail alerts, phone calls from friends or IM chats with prospects while working, distractions are a hindrance to effective use of time. Distractions break your concentration, lower your productivity and often prevent you from completing important tasks on time. They can also cause stress.
在工作時無論是客戶端的電子郵件提醒、或是朋友的電話、還是IM的聊天窗口， 這些干擾都阻止你有效地利用時間。分心會打斷你的注意力，降低你的效率，經常讓你無法按時完成重要的任務。這些也會導致壓力。

Identify what is distracting you from doing core tasks and put a stop to it. Kill that television and turn off your Internet connection and IM chat. Put up a “Do not disturb” or similar sign at the entrance of your dedicated work space to prevent interruptions. Just do whatever it takes to minimize distractions. This ensures you take control of your days and maximizes your productivity.
找出什麼事情阻止你做核心的任務，然後把它停下來。把電視關上、斷開網絡和IM聊天工具。在工作空間的入口處放置“不要干擾”或類似的標誌來阻止別人的打擾。這能讓你對時間加以控制，讓你的工作效率最高。

7. Overcome Procrastination
克服拖延症

Edward Young, the English poet best remembered for Night Thoughts, once said procrastination is the thief of time. Don’t put off tasks that you should be focusing on right now and let procrastination steal your time. Remind yourself that the best time to do somethings is usually NOW. Push yourself a little harder to beat procrastination and get what needs to be done DONE.
以《夜之思》而聞名的英國詩人愛德華·楊曾經說過拖延症是時間的小偷。不要把你現在該做的事情往後推遲，讓拖延症偷走了你的時間。提醒自己做事情最好的時間通常是現在。強迫自己，打敗拖延症，把該完成的事情都完成。

An effective strategy to beat procrastination is to tell yourself you are only going to embark on a project for a few minutes, say ten minutes. Once you start the project, your creative juices will start flowing. You will then find you want to continue with the task and quite possibly take it to the end. The trick to beat procrastination can be as simple as devoting a small amount of time to start. Just that！
打敗拖延症的一種有效的策略是告訴自己，你只打算工作幾分鐘，比如十分鐘。一旦你開始工作，你的創意就開始流動。接下來你會發現你想要繼續做這項任務，很有可能一直做完。打敗拖延症的技巧可以簡單到拿出一點兒時間來開始做。

8. Take Breaks
休息一下

Unless you are Superman, you can’t sustain working long hours on end without burning out and sacrificing on quality. However tempting it may be to work to a deadline for 8-10 hours straight, take breaks in between work. This way you give your brain valuable time to rest and recharge. Taking breaks from work is not time wasting. It is smart time management. You produce top quality work when you are well rested.
除非你是超人，否則你不可能一直長時間工作而沒有精疲力盡或犧牲質量。無論在最後期限前連續工作8-10小時有多麼誘人，也要在中間休息一下。這樣你能給大腦寶貴的時間來休息和恢復精力。工作時休息並不是浪費時間。這是一種聰明的時間管理方式。當你休息好的時候，你工作的質量也會較高。

Squeeze short breaks in between work for down-time. Ideally, take a five minute break every hour or two to rest and think creatively. You may set an alarm to remind you when your break is due. Stop working and just sit and meditate at your desk or go out for a cup of coffee or short walk. Don’t forget to give yourself ample time for lunch too. You can’t work optimally on an empty stomach.
在工作時，擠出短的時間來休息。理想情況下， 每一兩個小時拿出五分鐘來休息並進行創造性的思考。你可以設定鬧鐘來提醒自己休息一下。停止工作，僅在桌子前坐着進行冥想或出去喝杯咖啡或來一次短距離的散步。別忘了給自己充足的時間來吃午餐。餓着肚子工作時效果不可能很好。

9. Say “No”
說“不”

One skill that many high achievers like President Obama, Bill Gates and Richard Branson have mastered is the gentle art of saying “no” to things that are not a priority. Saying “no” to things that are not a priority allows you to focus on those things that are really important. You only have exactly 24 hours in a day to do the things that matter. If you don’t learn to say “no” to things that are not important, other peoples’ priorities will precede your own and you will be swamped with far too many projects and commitments.
像美國總統奧巴馬、比爾·蓋茨和理查德·布蘭森這些富有成就的人，所掌握的一項技巧就是對優先級不高的事情說“不”的技巧。 對優先級不高的事情說“不”能讓你關注真正重要的事情。你一天只有24小時來做重要的事情。如果你不會對不重要的事情說“不”， 其他人的優先事項會排在自己的優先事項之前， 你會淹沒在太多的任務和承諾中。

Say “no” amicably to everything that doesn’t support your values or help you achieve your goals. You have the right to say “no” no matter who you are talking to. When you get better at saying “no,” you put you time to good use and defend yourself from rushed work, poor performance and work overload.
友好地對那些不符合自己價值觀或無法幫你實現目標的事情說“不”。無論你和誰談話，你都有說“不”的權利。當你擅長說“不”時，你會很好地利用時間，遠離倉促的工作、表現不佳的工作和超負荷的工作。

10. Delegate Tasks
委託任務

The old adage by 17th century author John Donne that no one is an island still holds true today. You can’t manage everything on your own. Sometimes it is prudent to let other people help you with tasks, especially when you are swamped. You save time, reduce stress and accomplish a lot more when you assign tasks to the right people.
17世紀作家約翰·多恩的一句古老的格言“沒有人是座孤島”在今天仍然適用。你不可能一切都靠自己。有時讓別人幫你完成任務是聰明的舉措，尤其是當你有很多任務時。當你把任務安排給合適的人時， 你節省了時間、減輕了壓力，並能完成很多任務。

Relinquish your grip on the wheel and grant authority with responsibility to qualified people. Delegating is not dumping. Give tasks with consequences. This way you promote accountability and ensure goals and deadlines are met.
適時放手，把責任授權給合適的人。委託不是傾銷，委託任務時要說明後果。這樣能促進問責制，確保能達到目標和最後期限。