Stress is typically defined as the emotional or mental strain evoked by demanding or adverse circumstances, many of which we now face daily. Our fight-or-flight response, which enabled our ancestors to handle these strains, is severely constrained in the modern world. Hence, a response that would normally take just a fraction of a second is suppressed, and worse yet, it persists in our minds, leading to headaches and other health conditions.

What many people misunderstand about time management is that it is simply concerned with proper scheduling and time allocation for tasks. The truth is that it goes beyond that, as it also involves setting boundaries to maintain a healthy work-life balance and learning to adapt to unforeseen situations. As such, if you wish to mitigate stress and enhance your overall quality of life, incorporating time management strategies can be genuinely transformative.

How Time Management Combats Stress

1) Makes you focus on what is important

Time management lets you recognize what matters to you, and once you get started on the plans that make the most efficient use of your time, you start to build up momentum that slowly but surely increases your productivity and saves you time. Saving time also keeps you from leaning towards the more negative way of managing your time effectively, which often involves somehow going “faster” with everything to get ahead of stressful situations or, more commonly, adding a few extra hours to your day at the expense of sleep.

It should go without saying that this latter approach does no favors in reducing your stress and preventing burnout. Therefore, try to manage your time well without sacrificing one of the most important factors that gives you the energy to keep up with the challenges that await you the next day.

2) Regain a sense of control

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial to keeping stress at bay, and honing your time management skills is the key to unlocking such a feat. Knowing that you are fully in control can do wonders in reducing the amount of unhealthy stress that comes your way, regardless of what demands or requests you must face. More importantly, it ensures you enjoy your life as you fulfill tasks that matter, when they matter.

3) Avoid being overwhelmed

We have all experienced that daunting feeling whenever we have to work on a big task, and suddenly, our body’s fight or flight response kicks in. Since we tend to go for the path of least resistance during these situations, we may shift our attention towards the many other unimportant things unrelated to our main workload instead.

While working on these tasks in an effort to feel productive, however, the previous responsibility still weighs on our mind and only serves to increase our stress the longer we put it off. With some compartmentalization and time management skills, tackling these difficult projects becomes easier and dispels one’s feelings of being overwhelmed.

4) Stop worrying about progress

Having a clear plan to accomplish your responsibilities and, if necessary, a timeline of milestones to go along with it contributes greatly towards mitigating the effects of stress. The ability to monitor your progress keeps you grounded in the sense that you have clear visibility of your next steps, which prevents you from feeling like you are directionless or chasing after goalposts that seem to move away the closer you get.

Becoming proficient in time management

A psychologist, counsellor, or psychotherapist can better understand your habits, personality traits, and behaviours that you may not be aware of and shed light on those that could be keeping you from managing your time well. If you prefer to discuss your issues in the comfort of your own home, you may also consider online counselling in Singapore. Upon zeroing in on these obstacles, we can then offer the appropriate solutions or workarounds until they no longer hinder your progress. Begin your journey today and book a session with The Counselling Place.