Time is money, isn’t it?
If you learn to manage your time efficiently, you can conquer any task in the world. From inner peace to productivity to work efficiency, time management is the one skill that can help you achieve them all.
So what does all of this mean and how can you achieve it?
Read on to find out everything you need to know.
What is Time Management?
The term ‘time management’ is pretty self-explanatory:
It means managing your time.
At the end of the day, all you got are 24 hours.
Of these, at least 6 to 9 hours are spent sleeping, as recommended by experts.((HelpGuide: Sleep Needs)) A couple of hours are used to prep and eat meals. Add in 3 to 4 hours of commute, being stuck in traffic, and other minor unexpected challenges.
So, all you are left with is 10 to 12 hours or sometimes even less.
Within this time, you need to complete your work tasks, study, manage a hobby, take care of yourself, socialize, and spend time with your family. Events and special occasions are a whole other story.
How does one cope with so much in such little time?
The art of doing this without losing your mind is exactly what time management is.
Why Does Time Management Matter?
Fortunately, or unfortunately, you cannot choose to skip time management.
Living in a social world also means having some responsibilities. Without fulfilling these, you cannot survive.
You have to work to earn money. You need money to be able to eat. If you do not eat, you will starve to death. If you completely isolate yourself, your mental health will suffer. You have to have some source of entertainment to keep your mind fresh.
This is why time management matters. You have to learn to cope with time restraint for your own good.
Without time management, you will only stress yourself out. You will have to sacrifice a meaningful life, which results in everything going downhill, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Therefore, you are the one who needs to manage time like a pro.
Find out more about why time management matters: When Does Time Management Matter Most?
Time Management Techniques
No matter how elaborate your to-do list is or how minimal your time is, if you follow the right techniques, there is always enough room to fulfill your tasks in one day.
1. Delegation
Delegation is a remarkable technique to manage huge projects at work. It is specifically suited for work-related tasks. This technique requires the distribution of minor tasks among a group of people to achieve bigger goals in the end.
If you aim to create a digital marketing campaign, you can break the task down into several components. Assign individual, small tasks to different employees so that everyone can work simultaneously to produce a great campaign in minimal time.
If one person were to work on an entire project, it will take weeks to develop. However, with the delegation, this project can be done within hours.
Learn more about how to delegate effectively: What Is Delegation and How Does It Enhance Team Management?
2. Prioritizing
Sometimes, when you have a lot to do and little time to do it, you may dive right into the workload without thinking about it first.
Never do this.
First, go through your list of tasks for the day and prioritize. This way, even if you run out of time by the end of the day, you will not be missing out on anything super important.
The best way to use this technique is by learning how to prioritize, especially when everything seems to be equally important and you do not have hours to ponder on the list.
Take a look at how to prioritize right: How to Prioritize Right in 10 Minutes and Work 10X Faster
3. Block Scheduling
What is a better way to manage time than creating a schedule? And not just any schedule, but a block schedule.
So what you do it divide your time into blocks of hours or minutes however you want.
Then you assign one task to each block.
The main aim is to tackle fewer tasks per day but get done with them within the assigned time-frame. This is a method to keep the brain focused.
If you do a little bit of everything every day, your brain will be all over the place. Therefore, block scheduling technique recommends getting on with one thing, finishing, and then moving onto the next.
Learn more about block scheduling: How to Boost Your Productivity with Block Scheduling
4. Stay Focused
Truth be told, if you could keep yourself focused, you can finish any task faster.
A major part of time management is utilizing every single second productively. You can do this best if your mind is focused on the task at hand and without any distractions.
There are little things you can incorporate in your routine to improve your focus, such as choosing a structured environment to work on. Here’s how: How to Stay Focused and Not Get Distracted
5. Overcome Procrastination
Having 10 hours to do 10 things might sound impossible.
But the truth is that you can very easily squeeze in all the necessary tasks within this time-frame if you stop wasting your time.
Believe it or not, procrastination is the biggest enemy of time management.
You probably already knew that. But what you may not know is how to overcome this bad habit.
Well, you will have to start by identifying when you are procrastinating. You can follow guides available online to stop procrastinating and improve your productivity.
However, one thing you must keep in mind is that it takes a conscious effort to eradicate procrastination from your routine. You will have to figure out when you are doing it and then forcefully stop yourself from putting off important things.
Here you can learn some tips on overcoming procrastination: What Is Procrastination and How to Stop It (The Complete Guide)
6. Learn to Say No
Just because you are learning to tackle more in less time does not mean you should over-burden yourself.
Once again, prioritize what you are assigned with. If something is out of your job description, not your passion, or not manageable for you, simply say no.
It may come out as rude, and you may feel a pang of guilt. But, you can always learn to say no in a polite way to tackle both these issues without causing any extra stress to yourself.
Find it difficult to say no? This article can help: How to Say No When You Feel You Can Only Say Yes
7. Use the Pomodoro Method
The Pomodoro method is a technique of working in short intervals.((Francesco Cirillo: The Pomodoro Technique))
Basically, you set a 25-minute timer and focus on the single task at hand without any distractions.
After one Pomodoro, or 25-minute interval, is over, you take a break of no longer than 5 minutes.
The 5-minute break is enough to recharge your productivity but not long enough to break your work tempo. It gives your mind the satisfaction of taking a break without letting your brain lose its trail of focus.
Moreover, after 4 Pomodoros, you can treat yourself to a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. You can indulge in a small activity, eat a snack or simply relax. This is an excellent way to keep you from getting bored with tasks that you have been working on for a long time already.
By setting a timer, you are giving your brain a direction. Your mind knows that it has to focus on one thing for a set amount of time.
You can also view the 5-minute break as a treat for your mind looks forward to. Hence, you boost your overall focus and productivity.
Find out Why the Pomodoro Method Is the Best Productivity Timer.
Useful Tools and Resources to Master Time Management
Sometimes, just knowing is not enough.
Constant reminders, a budge here and there, and a support system are necessary to keep you pushing on the right track.
This is where time management tools come to the rescue.
Your brain may agree with everything you have read so far. But constant repetition is needed to imprint this on your mind to make it a habit. This is why time management guides and books are lifesavers.
Here is a long list of relevant time management books that can help you out in this regard: 10 Best Time Management Books for Maximized Productivity
Each one has a different approach and suits different individuals’ reading and learning styles. Choose whichever one you like best, and take advantage of an expert’s opinion.
Now, even when your mind has all the knowledge, you still might not be able to manage time well enough. This is why you need the help of applications.
Certain applications serve the purpose of accountability while others keep your to-do list organized to save you the stress.
Some apps, like Focus Booster, focus on the Pomodoro Technique. So, if you find that to be useful, an app like this one will help you save a lot of time.
Similarly, some tools will allow you to record how much time you are wasting and where you spend the rest of your time. Once you have this information in front of you, you can then prioritize and shift your routine to accommodate more productivity.
Summary
If you want an organized, stress-free life without compromising your relationships, work-life or mental health, you should start applying these recommended time management techniques in your work and personal life.
Download applications that will boost your productivity, and read books that encourage you towards a better life.
Conclusively, you are the one in control of how your life goes by.
Luckily, it is pretty easy to follow along with these tips, and anyone can avail of their benefits.
More Time Management Tips
- 7 Effective Time Management Tips To Maximize Your Productivity
- 18 Best Time Management Apps and Tools (2020 Updated)
- 10 Practical Ways to Improve Time Management Skills
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