Every day, we’re challenged to keep our focus on a minute-to-minute basis. There’s never been a time in history that offers so many distractions in our daily lives. When this creeps into your professional life, it can feel overwhelming to do even simple tasks.
Procrastination sets in and you start feeling like you’re letting your team down. The further behind you feel, the harder it is to get started. It becomes a vicious cycle with you at the center.
Time management skills are one way to be proactive and either get ahead of it, or take back control. You can experience less stress while at the same time improving your work. Nobody likes feeling like they dropped the ball, especially when there’s nobody to blame but yourself.
There’s always more to learn about how to improve time management, but never fear! We’ve rounded up 10 of the best quick tips and tricks around so you can get the most out of every day.
1. Use a Planner
Planners were first invented in 1773, so they’re definitely not a new idea… But you still have to put in the time to keep it updated or it won’t do you any good. Every mobile device has a calendar and there are plenty of dedicated apps just for planning each day, week, or month.
2. Stop Multitasking
Everyone likes to think they’re a great multitasker, but the science says otherwise. Up to 20% of your time is lost when switching between two tasks. It just gets worse with each task you add. Task switching makes you less efficient and more likely to make a mistake.
3. Audit Your Time
It may sound tedious, but there’s a benefit to timing how long your tasks take. It can be a real eye-opener to discover how much time a task actually takes versus how much time you think it takes. This can give you a realistic assessment of how to plan your time and hit your deadlines.
4. Create a Routine
You can think of this as organizing your day in a broad sense. After you’ve audited your time, you can set aside specific blocks for recurring daily tasks. For example, set aside an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon for replying to emails. This can give you a sense of control over your day, especially if it’s a busy one.
5. Prioritize
After you’ve audited your time, you have a better idea of how you can prioritize. The idea isn’t to check off as many boxes as possible just to feel good about yourself. The goal is to know which tasks require your immediate attention and be able to allow enough time to get them done.
6. Delegate
It’s a strength to know how and when to delegate. If you have a lower priority task that doesn’t necessarily require your personal expertise, trust another teammate with it. You’ll do a better job on your higher priority tasks and your teammate might appreciate the chance to demonstrate their competency.
7. Avoid Distractions
If you’re honest with yourself, you already know what kinds of things distract you. Stay off of social media, turn off notifications, and save online shopping for later. Setting an alert to log in each half-hour can help keep you from obsessing when you have higher priorities.
8. Learn How to Say “No”
Now that you’ve audited your time, established your priorities, and created a routine, you should have a pretty good idea of how much more you can take on. Always saying “yes” is one of the fastest ways to turn your hard-won time management skills upside-down.
9. Discover Your “Peak” Hours
The clock may show each hour to be the same as the others, but your body has strong opinions about those differences. Maybe you do your best work in the morning. Maybe afternoons are when you’re most focused. Try to plan your routine according to when you’re most (and least) productive.
10. Take Breaks and Get Enough Rest
We need opportunities to turn our brains off from time to time. This not only includes regular breaks throughout the day, but also solid sleep in your off-time. You can manage your stress better, and return to your work with a fresher perspective and renewed focus. And don’t forget to take vacations!
Practicing time management skills can have other far-reaching effects besides increased productivity and improved quality of your work. Taking control of your workday can reduce your anxiety by keeping your workflow orderly and ensuring downtime.
You’ll also achieve greater work-life balance by making room in your life for hobbies and leisure activities. You need ways to occupy your time that are completely unrelated to work. This will also help you achieve your goals by allowing the spare brainpower to focus on your long-term goals, both personally and professionally.
