We all get the same amount of time each day, but some people manage to get a lot more done than others. To maximize productivity, one must master effective time management. Highly productive individuals practice the skills needed to get more done in less time.
Good time management allows you to improve efficiency, leading to greater success and less stress. If you struggle to get everything done on your to-do list each day, don’t worry, as it’s never too late to learn new skills. Follow these time management tips to increase your productivity and obtain a better work-life balance.
You probably think you know where you spend your time and how much time you spend on each task, but you might be surprised. Most people don’t realize how much time they spend on simple or pointless things that take up their limited precious time each day.
Before you can determine how to manage time better, you must learn how you are currently using and wasting your time. There are many apps and devices you can use to track your time, so you know how long each task takes to complete and where you are wasting time. You might be surprised how long you spend reading (and re-reading) emails every day, taking personal phone calls, or scrolling through social media notifications that aren’t productive or adding to your success. A simple time audit can show you where these chunks of time are really going each day.
After a week of tracking your time using your timer, you will have enough data to understand how you spend your time and how much time you are wasting on pointless activities. Once you have this information, you can then make a plan of action to manage your time better. This time management technique will help you wisely allocate your time blocks each day so you can complete urgent tasks and take a longer break during the day.
After you determine where you are wasting time, you can plan to eliminate pointless tasks in your daily routine. Some of these activities may be a habit, and you will need to consciously learn to break them so you can stop letting them take up any more of your time.
Your action plan should include prioritizing your daily tasks. If you consistently have a lot on your plate, you must prioritize to ensure you get everything done and spend the right amount of time on the most important things. To prioritize, you should list out all of your daily duties and responsibilities and categorize them in one of time management’s 4 Ds:
-Do: These are tasks that are urgent and important.
-Defer: These are important tasks but can get put off until a later time.
-Delegate: These tasks can be reassigned to another person and taken off your plate.
-Delete: These are pointless tasks and should get deleted and taken off your schedule completely.
After completing this assignment, you should have a good idea of where you need to focus your time to increase your productivity and improve efficiency.
You should have all of your daily duties and responsibilities listed out prior to making an action plan. Now, it’s time to determine when you will complete each task and how much time you will devote to it.
For example, how much time will you spend handling emails each day? People, on average, spend 28% of their workweek reading and responding to emails. While it varies with each profession, spending that much time on emails is a waste for most professionals.
It’s best to set specific times of the day that you will handle emails, such as first thing in the morning and again before you end your day. Setting specific times and setting time limits will help you remain focused on other tasks rather than letting emails distract you throughout the day.
With your daily schedule, you want to factor in every little thing you do in a day, including lunch and coffee breaks. Having a schedule you live by will help you complete your top priorities and spend less time on less important or pointless related tasks.
Do you have several coworkers come into your office to chit-chat several times a day? Do you spend a lot of your day on Twitter? When you are strict with your schedule, you will help eliminate things like that when they are getting you off task.
To manage time better, plan your schedule for the month as well as weekly. Laying out the day-to-day tasks you will complete each day of the week on Sunday will help you get the essentials completed and know what you should be doing at all times.
You would probably be surprised how much time you spend thinking about what to do next or transitioning from one task to another. The speed of particles is critical to getting all the things done on your to-do list daily. Following the schedule you created for yourself will help you know what to do next, but focusing on how quickly you move from one task to another is something we sometimes have to make a conscious effort to do.
To manage time better, discipline yourself not to allow distractions to stop you in between tasks. Most of us let the simple distractions like talking to coworkers, checking our phones, or scrolling through social media take up valuable time.
We have to motivate ourselves to keep pushing on to maximize productivity. When one task is complete, quickly get started on the next one and so on. You’ll be surprised how much you get done when you simply move faster while maintaining efficiency.
Many people spend time reading an email but not handling it at that time, which makes them waste time re-reading it later to respond. The five-minute rule is if it takes you less than five minutes to handle, then do it then instead of putting it off.
That email might cause you to keep thinking about it while handling the next task, so it’s best to get it done the first time you touch it. Now, this five-minute rule isn’t just for emails. It’s for all things on your to-do list. If you touch it, handle it, so it’s done and over mentally and physically.
We’ve touched on distractions, but it’s worth having its own tip since they are the cause of a lack of productivity for many people. If you want to manage time better, you must cut out pointless distractions. Some professionals put away their phone or put it on do not disturb when they have focused time so it cannot be a distraction.
If coworkers are a common distraction for you, take the extra steps needed to avoid the interruptions during your focus time. For example, try shutting your office door or skipping the coffee break during that time.
If you’re working on your computer, limit the number of windows you have open, especially ones that you don’t need for the task you’re working on at the time. Don’t try to read emails or talk on the phone while working on other tasks, as it could lead to mistakes and wasted time fixing them.
Only a small number of people can multitask effectively. For most people, multitasking isn’t productive and wastes time and decreases efficiency.
Rather than shifting back and forth between multiple tasks, keep your focus on one at a time until completed and then start the next project. Rank your priorities based on deadlines, long-term goals, short-term goals, and urgency. Resist the temptation to do it all at once as it’s not productive and may raise your stress levels.
We do our best work when we remain focused on just that.
All humans don’t wake up hitting the ground running. Some people are super productive as soon as they wake up in the morning, others need a couple of cups of coffee to get moving, and others are most productive in the evening. Use your high productivity times to tackle your most important tasks or ones that require a lot of time and focus.
When making your calendars, be aware of the times you work your best and schedule your critical tasks during that time if possible, as it’s a great way to manage time better.
Time is a limited resource, so don’t waste it. To maximize productivity and improve efficiency, you must master better time management. Creating a schedule that gives the correct amount of time dedicated to everything on your to-do list and limiting distractions allows you to get more done in less time. Your days will run more smoothly and organized with good time management skills, and you will feel less anxiety since you will be more productive and efficient.
Sources:
The Best Time-Tracking Apps for Freelancers | NY Times Wirecutter
How to Spend Way Less Time on Email Every Day | HBR.org
Want To Be More Productive? Stop Multi-Tasking | Forbes