Do you know why cats are so happy? Because they always have time for things they really want to do. Are there any time management lessons we could learn from them?
In the cat world, there’s no such thing as “I don’t have time”. How do they achieve that? Let’s take a look at cats’ time management tricks – there’s definitely something for us to use in our everyday life!
1. Work Hard…
Sounds simple, but that’s the main time management secret. Work hard, get everything done, and… get another portion of work? Nope. Enjoy your free time. A good time manager never takes on anyone else’s assignments!
2. …but Don’t Forget to Relax
Know when it’s time to switch off from work and have a break! Don’t overwork, and never keep thinking about your work at home or when hanging out with friends. Otherwise, you’ll get tired and burnt out, and – have you ever seen a burnt out cat? That’s it!
3. Don’t Let Laziness Overpower You
As great as your laziness can be, never underestimate your willpower. This is your secret superpower to defeat idleness and sloth. And even if you feel it is almost depleted – try to ignore distractions, keep calm, and work on!
4. Stay Focused
The world is full of distractions, but when a cat has a goal, it just doesn’t notice anything else around. Distractions can wait, goals can’t. The cat method is: work done – have your fun!
5. Don’t Multitask
We all know that trap: the more you do, the less you get done. But we still fall into it. Cats, unlike us, don’t even try to do everything at once. This is one of the most obvious but tricky time management lessons – let’s learn it!
6. Don’t Allow Anyone to Rob You of Your Time
Seriously, other people often have no idea of how busy we are and come up with their questions and talks over and over again. That’s irritating, but how often do we say “Sorry, I’m really busy and cannot talk to you right now”? Bet you can’t even imagine a cat tolerating something like this in fear of acting “not nice enough”!
7. Be Kind and Friendly
Yes. Be hard when necessary, but never be that grumpy person nobody wants to deal with! Communicate with your colleagues in a friendly tone, and be kind to them. Remember that conflicts are the worst time wasters!
8. Delegate
If you’re a manager, don’t try to do all work on your own – it’s just not efficient! Trust your team, delegate responsibilities, and distribute work to get it done sooner (and then enjoy your free time, of course).
9. Use Technology
Automate everything you can! Manual work is cumbersome, so why waste your time on it? There are many tools and apps that collect data for you, remind you of important to-dos, block out distractions, and make your work more efficient.
10. Be in Tune With Your Team
Communicate with your coworkers and stay engaged! Inform your colleagues and boss about your progress, and stay updated on everything. This is the fastest way to achieve goals and solve problems.
11. Track Your Time
Keeping track of time you spend on your tasks helps understand what you can improve in your time management strategy. Sounds boring? Remember about technology! There are time trackers that make this process quick and easy – and give you an overview of your results.
