These days, we’ve all got busy schedules. From work to family and social commitments, it can be hard to fit in everything. Here’s where time management can help. Consider the following tips to tick more off your to-do list, daily.

Time block. Time blocking is one of the No. 1 metrics of successful time management, and it can make larger tasks feel less overwhelming. Each night before bed, look at your next day’s to-dos and chunk off sections of time for each project, from cleaning the house to tackling paperwork. Unsure how much time? Aim for 1 – 3 hours to avoid mental exhaustion.

Schedule the hard stuff first. To slay procrastination, schedule the things you’d prefer not to do, first. Getting the difficult or least-liked items done first will help you feel more productive.

Reward yourself. Sprinkle in 15 – 30 reward breaks throughout the day, like walking with the dog, reading a chapter of a book or calling a friend.

Be kind. Regardless of how diligently you planned to follow your daily schedule, sometimes things happen. A headache, family emergency or a task that proves more difficult than you expected. Even a terrible night’s sleep can throw off your flow. If this happens, be kind to yourself, pat yourself on the back for what you did manage to accomplish and promise to catch up tomorrow.

Published with permission from RISMedia.