Are you struggling to find enough time in the day to get everything done? You're not alone! Lots of people have a hard time to manage their time, and for a good reason, because time management is a skill that requires lots of practice to master. But with the right strategies and techniques up your sleeve, you can start improving your time management today.
31. August 2022 • 6 minute read
Effective time management strategies are all about creating a system that works for you. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions, which means it's important to experiment with different management strategies until you find what works best for you. For example, students may choose to manage their time differently than a working parent whilst a tech savvy person may prefer to use a time management app instead of pen and paper. Long story short, the options are endless!
The seven-step time management strategy
Having effective time management strategies is important because, without one, it is very easy to get sidetracked and waste time. A time management strategy will help you stay focused and on track. There are many different strategies for time management, but we recommend using the seven-step strategy below as it's easy to adjust to your own preferences.
Goal setting
The first step is to set goals. This will help you determine which tasks are worth your time and which ones can be eliminated. When setting goals, it is important to make them specific, realistic, and achievable. This should be your first task of the day, as goal setting will ensure that you're spending your time wisely and keep your eyes on the ball.
A to-do-list
Once you've set your goals, it is time to make a to-do-list. This will help you create time constraints and ensure that you are working on the most important tasks first. Be sure to include both small and bigger tasks on your list. The way you keep your to-do lists is totally up to you. It can be written down or kept digitally. There are lots of time management apps and physical planners out there.
Bonus tip: start your day with the biggest/most confronting task. Getting the task you look up to the most out of the way will set you up for a highly productive day.
Narrowing down your tasks
The third step is to break your tasks into smaller steps. This will make them seem less daunting and more manageable. By taking small steps, you can slowly but surely work your way through your to-do list. Try to focus on high-value tasks that will move you closer to your goal. Prioritizing tasks is crucial to effective time management. This means that you will need to determine which are the most urgent tasks and should be completed first.
Focus on one thing at a time
The fourth step is to focus on one task at a time. This will help you avoid getting overwhelmed with the most challenging tasks and increase your productivity. When you are trying to do too many things at once, you are more likely to make mistakes and waste time.
Limit multi-tasking, as trying to do too many things at once can make it hard to maintain focus on completing one task before moving on to the next. When you try to multitask, you are more likely to end up with more errors and wasted time. It is important to focus on just one task at a time and give your full attention to that specific task. This will help you be more productive and get the task done more quickly. You will be surprised at how much more productive you can be when you give your full attention to one thing!
Establish routines
The fifth step is to establish routine tasks. Recurring tasks can help you use your time more efficiently by eliminating decision fatigue. Decision fatigue is the result of making too many decisions and can lead to poor decision-making.
By creating routines, you can automate some of your tasks and free up time for other things. Routines are conscious ways of doing tasks repetitively without having to think about them too much. Having strong routines has many benefits, such as saving time, reducing stress, and increasing productivity.
Be smart about the distribution and usage of breaks
The sixth step is to be smart about the distribution and usage of breaks. Breaks are important because they can help you avoid burnout and stay fresh. However, it is important to use your break time wisely. The need for breaks is mainly determined by energy levels and the difficulty of all your tasks.
If you are working on a difficult task, it is important to take more frequent breaks. This will help you to avoid burnout and stay fresh. Additionally, you can try working for shorter periods and taking longer breaks. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed.
Recovery
The seventh and final step is to recover, and take time off! This is important because it will help you recharge and come back refreshed. When you are burned out, you are less productive and more likely to make decisions that result in poor time management.
By taking time off, you can recharge and come back refreshed. Additionally, this will help you avoid burnout and stay productive in the long run. Try to take at least one day off per week to relax and rejuvenate.
Time management techniques
Achieving life-work balance is possible with the proper time management strategies in place. By following these management tips, you can increase your productivity, reduce stress, and achieve a better work-life balance. These techniques will not just help to effectively manage time better but also boost personal productivity. These are the best time management techniques:
The Time Blocking Method
The time blocking method is one of the many great ways to increase your productivity. The technique was invented by Elon Musk to help him work more than 80 hours a week (please don't aim for that yourself ;). The idea behind this technique is to break down your day into time blocks and assign tasks to each block. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed.
To use this technique, start by :
Divide a paper into two columns and in one column write down each hour of the day, then divide the time blocks of an hour into half hours.
Try to estimate how much time would each task take and divide it into time blocks.
Add some 'extra time' by designating some blocks for extra time in case of an unpredicted intervention or change.
This is a good technique for analytical thinkers like students and parents.
The Rapid Planning Method (RPM)
The rapid planning method is a great way to increase your productivity. This time management technique was invented by Tony Robbins, who is a well-known motivational speaker. The idea behind this technique is to have all of your tasks planned out in advance. This will help you have a structured schedule and not feel overwhelmed.
To use this technique, start by:
Capturing: List all the tasks you need to accomplish in the next week.
Chunking: Try to group all tasks based on commodities.
Make RPM blocks: create three columns, on the first write the task, on the second the result of the task, and on the third the purpose for completing it.
Give yourself a fun and empowering name. This name should make you feel like you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
This technique is mainly used for achieving long-term goals.
The Eisenhower Matrix or Urgent Important Principle
The Urgent Important Matrix is a great way to increase your productivity. This technique was invented by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the 34th president of the United States. During World war II he served as an Allied Forces Commander. He had to deal with many difficult decisions on a daily basis, which is why he developed the Urgent Important Principle to make decision-making more efficient. The idea behind this technique is to have all of your tasks planned out in advance and break them down.
To use this technique, start by:
Drawing a matrix with four boxes.
Label the first box “Urgent and Important”, the second box “Important but Not Urgent”, the third box “Urgent but Not Important” and the fourth box “Neither Urgent nor Important”.Then take all the tasks that have your attention and sort them into the appropriate boxes
The first box is for the specific tasks that need to be done immediately, the second box is for the tasks that are important but can wait, the third box is for the other tasks that are not important but need to be done urgently, and the fourth box is for the tasks that are neither urgent and neither important.
This time management technique is primarily useful for critical thinkers.
The Getting Things Done method (GTD)
The getting things done method is a great way to have more efficient time management. This technique was invented by David Allen, who is a productivity expert. The idea behind this technique is to have all of your tasks planned out in advance and to break them down into small and manageable steps. This will help you stay focused and avoid getting overwhelmed.
To use this technique, start by:
List all the tasks that have your attention.
Evaluate the task by what is actionable and what is not.
Prioritize your actions.
Update your list regularly and reflect on the changes.
Focus on doing the smaller tasks that you can easily take action on.
This technique is suitable for persons who struggle to focus on one thing at a time and struggle with being overwhelmed by their everyday life.
The Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique was invented by Francesco Cirillo, who is a time management expert. The idea behind this technique is to break down your work into small and manageable chunks. This will help you stay focused, avoid getting overwhelmed and save time.
To use this technique, start by:
Choosing a task that you need to accomplish.
Set a timer for 25 minutes and work on the task until the timer goes off.
Take a five-minute break.
Repeat this cycle four times.
After you have completed four cycles, take a longer break of 20-30 minutes.
This time management technique is suitable for persons who are creative thinkers that struggle with being burned out by their workplace/school.
Parkinson's Law
Parkinson's Law is a great way to create time limits. This technique was invented by Cyril Northcote Parkinson, who was a British historian and author. The idea behind this technique is that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. This means that if you have a lot of time to complete a task, it will take you longer to complete it. However, if you have less time to complete a task, you will be able to finish it quicker.
To use this technique, start by:
Identify the task that you need to accomplish.
Give yourself a deadline for when the task needs to be completed.
Working on the task until the deadline.
This time management technique is suitable for persons who need a sense of urgency to complete their tasks.
The Pareto Analysis / the 80/20 rule
The Pareto Analysis was invented by Vilfredo Pareto, who was an Italian economist. The idea behind this technique is that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. This means that you should focus on the tasks that will have the most impact and leave the rest.
To use this technique, start by:
Identify the tasks that you need to accomplish.
Identify the cause of each task.
Create a score for each task (more difficult problems get higher numbers).
Group certain tasks based on their cause.
Add up all the scores for each group.
Start by solving the tasks with the highest score.
This technique is suitable mostly for critical thinkers who want to get results quickly.
Summary
There are many time management strategies and techniques that you can use to increase your productivity. However, not all of these strategies will work for everyone. It is important to find a strategy or technique that works for you. The best way to do this is to try out different strategies and see which one has the biggest impact.
If you are looking for a way to gain more insight into your company's productivity, you can do this by weighing the time invested (the number of hours your employees work) against the results (the revenue). A handy tool for doing this is Workfeed. Workfeed allows you to accurately track all hours worked, then you can automatically see the percentage of work in real time.
Workfeed puts all your shift scheduling and timesheets into one tidy little app that help you engage staff, automate admin and take control of your time.
