Time management is an everyday struggle for many of us, whether it’s about managing our time effectively with school, work, house chores or even just our day to day activities. Below are a few pointers on how to effectively manage your time so you do not feel under the pump all the time.

Balance your effort: Work on small portions every day of work that will be due by the end of the week, starting with the most important tasks first. Do today’s tasks. Concentrate on what is at hand, do not allow yourself to lose focus. Then move on to the next daily task. Once today’s tasks are completed, mark them as such, and proceed to tomorrow’s tasks.When tomorrow’s tasks are complete, work on the other tasks due by the end of the week, and when those are complete, work on the tasks due early next week. A small portion of each is better than one huge task and will keep your time managed more efficiently and reduce stress.

Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish: Before you can manage your time, you need to know what it is you must manage. A list of tasks, from the mundane to the critical, will help you get a handle on what needs to get done. The number one rule is to assign realistic priorities to each task.

Focus on your most productive time of day: Some people work better in the morning, and some are more focused in the evening. The secret to this is to know yourself, if you are a morning person and can get things done in the mornings do so. If you are an evening person and is therefore more productive in the evening, work in the evening. The point is to take advantage of your productive time and get your tasks done.

Keep track of your progress: Cross things off the list as they are completed. You’ll feel more relieved by getting through the daily tasks. Not only will you be getting things done, finishing tasks will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation.

Finally re-assess the list:  Rewrite and prioritize your list on a regular basis. Add new tasks to the list. This should be done on a daily basis, especially when you are just getting started with a time management regimen. Eliminate or adjust tasks that are completed, or fall in priority. Delegate tasks to others. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to do it all. You can be much more effective if you can delegate tasks as necessary.