An aspiring actor's life is a difficult one. There are thousands of things to do. You have to wake up early, go to gym, acting class, auditions, rehearsals, photo shoots, etc. Not only this, you also have to do a job to pay your rent and buy yourself food. When there are so many things to do and you have only 24 hours per day, it become very difficult to manage everything properly. People often say that if they had more hours in a day, they could have accomplished more. What we do not realize is everyone gets the same 24 hours. How we utilize the time given to us is going to determine our destiny. If you are struggling to manage your time, like many of us, the following tips should help you out.

1. Wake up early: A very simple strategy which many of us overlook. If you get up early you will have more time throughout the day. You can get up early and utilize the extra time either in working out, rehearsing, or doing any other work which you won't be able to do afterwards. You can also utilize this time in creating a plan for the day. Waking up early will also help in managing your stress levels as you do not have to rush to things.

2. Analyze your habits: Take some time out to analyze your day-to-day lifestyle. Study your habits. Make note of what you do and how you do it. This exercise will help you in understanding how you are utilizing your time. Try to figure out unnecessary and unproductive habits which are taking up most of your time. Once you've done this, you'll be in a better position to bring changes in your life by eliminating time wasting habits and replacing them with useful activities.

3. Set goals for yourself: If you don't know what you have to do, how are you going to do it? Set specific goals for yourself so that you know what you have to accomplish and plan your schedule according to it. Don't set obscure goals such as ‘I will become a successful actor'. Try to set specific goals which you can measure, Such as, ‘I will spend X hours in my rehearsals.' Specific goals are easier to follow and you can measure their success.

4. Use time management tools: Using tools such as planners, diaries, etc., will help you in easily managing your time. You can carry these things with yourself and write down appointments, audition timings, etc. This will help you in giving different time slots to different activities. You can also use digital tools such as PDA or smart phones.

5. Go for freelancing: While you are struggling to find work, you also need to find a way to pay your rent. If you go for a regular 9 to 5 job, you may not have enough time to go to auditions and acting classes. Therefore, it is advisable to take up freelancing. This will help you in being flexible in your routine and you can easily take time out for auditions and appointments.

6. Take a margin of safety: If you live in a big city, there could be many things which can delay you reaching your destination on time. You could be stuck in a traffic jam; you may not be able to find a taxi, etc. To avoid such a situation, estimate how much time it is going to take you in reaching your destination and always leave ahead of your schedule. Always remember that reaching and audition early is not a crime, but reaching late is.

7. Don't be rigid- No matter how well you have scheduled your day, there is always a chance of an emergency happening. Acknowledge this fact and be flexible while planning your day. You may think you have a perfect plan, but life is never perfect so always be prepared for exigencies.

The above were some basic tips which can work wonders if properly applied in day to day life. Remember that there is no perfect time management plan. It takes time to learn these techniques and apply them your life. Be patient and focused on your goal and you can manage your time effectively.