Many of us have trouble with time management. We put things on our to-do lists, but those lists seem to just get longer. There are many different systems out there to help with time management, such as the Touch It Once Rule or the Eisenhower Matrix.

These strategies are useful, but really won’t be much help if we cannot take more control of our own motivation. Good time management essentially comes down to good self-discipline, and if we lack that vital quality, all the time management methods in the world won’t help us. So, here are a few ways to help maintain our willpower and get things done:

1. Take away temptation.
When you sit down to get something done, put your phone or iPad in the other room. Remove any other things that are likely to tempt you and pull you away from your work.

2. Don’t wait to get motivated.
You may not be in the mood, or you may feel a little out of sorts, and so put off doing what needs to be done. Don’t. There is never a just-right time to do things. There is only now, and how you feel now will have to do.

3. Take breaks.
This is important. You need to give yourself time to recover and reenergize. Build in breaks to your work period. One good method to use in taking breaks is the Pomodoro Method, where you work for 25 minutes, and then take a five-minute break.

When you take a break, don’t just sit at your desk. Get up and move around. Moving your muscles helps to clear your mind and get your blood pumping.

4. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
You are bound to backslide occasionally. Don’t let it get to you. It’s human to make mistakes. Failure is baked in. What is important is to get back on track as quickly as possible, rather than sitting around stewing because you couldn’t keep to your schedule.

5. Turn it into a habit
The ultimate goal is to make your time management routine habitual, so that you just do it automatically. Research has shown that it takes about two months for any new behavior to become a habit, so try to stick with it at least for that amount of time.

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