What Is Time Management?

You may notice people around you who manage to get everything on their plate
done, and then some, with time to spare. How can they accomplish so much in
such little time? The answer lies in time management. 
Time management is the way we organize and distribute our time between
activities, with the result of maximizing productivity and achieving goals. Good
time management leads to lower levels of stress and higher levels of job
performance and life satisfaction.
High achievers are not born productive. Rather, they've learned and practiced the
skills needed to get more done in less time. Productivity is not a talent. It's a
learned skill that every individual will need to develop.
It is possible (and easy) to develop good time management skills. There are a wide
variety of tips, tricks and methods out there to help you do just that. We've
gathered our best 32 tips to help you make the most of your day.

Time Management Planning

Beginning your time management journey with a plan will create a strong
foundation for future habits, thereby increasing your chances of success. 

Tip #1: Create a time audit.

First things first: start by finding out where you're actually spending your time.
Often there is a discrepancy between what you think is taking up your time and
what actually is. This is because humans are bad at knowing how long tasks take. 
Say for example you need to write a 300 word email. You may think: "Writing an
email is simple. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes." However, it's likely you're
overestimating your speed and underestimating other smaller, related tasks you
need to do to accomplish your end goal; proof-reading, monitoring language
choice, and locating email addresses all can add to the task's time. With those
additions, that 5 minute email could actually take you 20 minutes, 500% more time
than you initially planned. 
Now say you have this same problem for multiple tasks on your plate. What was a
balanced workload when you first set out is guaranteed to balloon into a stressful
to-do list as the day goes on. You need to have a realistic idea of what you're able
to accomplish and what is truly taking up your time. This is why it's beneficial to
create a time audit. 
The simplest way to do a time audit is to use a time tracking application. Many
companies offer free versions of their software, but Toggl Track is the simplest,
free option, with apps available for all devices. To get an accurate picture of your
time usage, track everything you do for a week.
At the end of the week, look at the reports and evaluate the time you spent working
on different tasks. With this data, you can easily find areas to improve. For
example, you may spend too much time sitting in unproductive meetings or doing
busy work. Now with this knowledge, you're able to have an accurate picture of
how you spend your time and plan accordingly. 
This brings us to the next tip.

Tip #2: Set achievable goals and prioritize your tasks.

If you've got too much to do, no amount of time management will help you
accomplish it all. Now that you've created a time audit, you'll be able to see if you
simply need to better manage your time or if you've got too much on your plate. 
If you think your goals are achievable, skip to tip 3. If you think you're trying to
accomplish too much, try creating an Eisenhower matrix or using the 4 Ds of time
management: Do, Defer, Delegate and Delete. Both methods help prioritize by
having you put your tasks into one of 4 groups:
1. Do: Tasks that are important and urgent.
2. Defer: Tasks that are important but not urgent.
3. Delegate: Tasks that are urgent but not important.
4. Delete: Tasks that are neither urgent nor important.
Using these methodologies will help you determine what tasks you should
prioritize and what tasks you should schedule and plan for, delegate, or delete.
Whatever your goals are, they should also be SMART: Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. 

Tip #3: Create a daily plan or to-do list.

This can be made in either the first block of your workday or the last few minutes.
Use either of those chunks of time to create a daily to-do list. 
When you're creating your to-do list, make sure to keep it simple. Seeing a half-
done lists day after day can be disheartening. It's better to under promise and
overdeliver, even when it comes to personal productivity. 
Word your list items as if you've already completed them. Instead of "Submit
Report to Project Manager" write "Report to Project Manager Submitted." This
little trick will give you an extra boost of motivation when you go to cross the
tasks off your list.

Tip #4: Plan your week on Sunday.

Walking into your workweek with a plan will help you focus on your top priorities.
It also eases the transition from the carefree weekend mindset to a productive
Monday morning "work brain."
Take a few minutes on Sunday to create a plan for your whole week. Increase your
chances of success by breaking down your weekly goals into daily tasks. That way
you'll be able to see what you need to do every day at a glance.
Set yourself up for success by scheduling low-priority tasks for Fridays and other
low-energy times. Remember, your energy and creativity levels fluctuate
throughout the week. Complete creative and demanding tasks on Tuesday and
Wednesday. Schedule meetings for Thursday, when your team's energy starts to
decline. Use your Fridays and Mondays for planning and networking.
Time Management Strategies and Methods
There are hundreds of diverse approaches to personal productivity. We know that
everyone works differently, which is why a trial and error approach to these time
management strategies can help you find the best method for you.

Tip #5: Complete your most important and demanding tasks first thing in the
morning.
For most people, the first few hours of work are the most productive. 
Oddly enough, you can focus more easily when your brain isn't fully awake.
Booting-up brains have less excess energy for daydreaming and worrying about
other tasks.
Use this to your advantage and take on your most mentally demanding tasks first
thing after waking up.

Tip #6: Use the 80-20 Rule.

The 80-20 rule, also referred to as the Pareto Principle, was conceived by Italian
economist Vilfredo Pareto who observed that 80% of an outcome generally came
from only 20% of its inputs.
Take advantage of this knowledge and find out what that activities are a part of that
20 percent. 
For example, say you're an agency owner looking for clients. You spend 30
minutes a day emailing potential clients and 1 hour messaging and maintaining the
businesses social media account. Only 1 client was referred to you by social media,
whereas you have 5 clients were gained through email. It's clear that you should
shift your time to email outreach if you want to maximize your clients. 
Anyone can use the 80-20 rule to find out where to spend their time. If you're
unsure of what activities are in your 20%, you should do a time audit or use a time
tracking tool as this will give a better indication what actives are having the
greatest impact and taking up the most time.

Tip #7: Take advantage of golden hours or biological prime time.

Do you know what time of the day you do your most productive work? Knowing
this will help you optimize your workload. 
To find your golden hours or biological prime time, break your workday into 3-5
time slots. Keep track of your productivity for the week using a notebook or free
time tracking tool. At the end of the week, rank these time spots from most to least
productive. 
After you've found your golden hours you'll be able to plan out your weeks
accordingly. Schedule difficult or highly involved tasks for peak productivity
times.

Tip #8: Use the Swiss cheese method.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by large tasks. When you don't know where to start,
overwhelm can lead to procrastination or loss of focus. 
The Swiss cheese method, coined by Alan Lakein, argues that the best way to
overcome this is to break down larger projects into either smaller tasks or time
chunks. By completing a single, small task or a 15-minute time block, you'll make
the project less daunting and more likely to be finished on time. 

Time Management Tips and Tricks

We all could use a little boost from time to time. Use these small tips and tricks to
add a little extra oomph to your productivity strategy or method. 
Tip #9: Put a time limit on tasks.
Tasks expand to fill the time they're given, or so argues Parkinson's law. If you
give a task two hours rather than one, the amount of work you need to do to
accomplish the task will simply expand to fill the full two hours.
Take another look at your time audit and identify tasks that took longer than you
expected. Set a time constraint on those tasks. By setting constraints you will
improve your focus and work more efficiently. You will also avoid scope creep:
the expansion of a project that occurs when duties are not well-defined or
controlled. 
If you still find yourself going beyond these time limits, examine your workflow
and determine if you should assign more time to those tasks in the future. You can
also try eliminating little time-wasters like unscheduled breaks.

Tip #10: Add a "done list" to your to-do list.

No matter how well you plan, unexpected tasks will always pop up during the day.
Jot them down in a separate list next to your to-dos for some extra satisfaction at
the end of the day.
On Sunday, revisit your accomplishments from the previous week and congratulate
yourself on your successes. This review period will increase your confidence and
help you create the next week's schedule.

Tip #11: Be one day early.

Many people believe they work best under the intense pressure of a deadline and
will put off work until the day before it's due. However, for most this isn't actually
the case. Projects often take more time than initially thought making it difficult to
actually complete projects on time. 
Set an earlier deadline for yourself and stick to it. Plan to submit your work one-
day ahead of schedule.
Tip #12: Don't answer right away.
Don't automatically answer email or Slack messages the very second they arrive.
Batch process your emails and catch up on phone calls in your downtime. Close
email or messaging apps to avoid interruptions when working on high-focus tasks.

Tip #13: Before meetings, determine your desired results.

Although necessary and important, meetings are a well known time sink. Everyone
has been in a Zoom call that went on way longer than needed. To ensure
productive and timely meetings, make sure there is a clear purposed in mind before
the meeting. 
Make an agenda and share it with meeting participants in advance. You and your
team will waste less time and get back to work as sooner.
Tip #13: Schedule breaks between tasks.
During both waking and resting hours, the human brain goes through basic rest-
activity cycles or BRAC for short. The brain cycles between higher and lower
alertness every 90 minutes. After working at high intensity for more than 90
minutes, we begin to draw on emergency reserves of energy to keep us going. 
Scheduling a break at least every 90 minutes can help you maintain focus and keep
your productivity high throughout the day.

Tip #14: Make the most of waiting times.

It happens to everyone: we wait in lines, waiting rooms, airport terminals, train
stations, etc. Use these idle times to answer emails on your phone, catch up on
missed calls and messages, stretch/exercise, relax or meditate. 
Alternatively, you can carry a book or e-reader with you and squeeze in some
reading time. Even if the book isn't directly related to work, reading helps boost
concentration and improves brain connectivity. 

Time Management Tools

Need a little extra help. These time management tools are your new best
productivity pals. 

Tip #15: Use apps to block out distractions.

Use your computer and phone's "do not disturb" functions when working on
focused tasks. Tools like Self Control or Freedom can be used to block distracting
websites. Use these to block distracting websites like social media or news sites.
 Tip #16: Use time management apps.
The best way to manage your time is to know where your time is going in the first
place. Time management apps will allow you to monitor your progress and figure
out your procrastination patters. Starting a timer can help increase your focus and
works as a signal to your brain to switch into work mode.
We would recommend the free application Toggl Track, which is easy to use and
available on most devices. It also offers comprehensive reporting so you can easily
see your procrastination patterns. There are also many paid time tracking
applications available such as Clockify, Harvest, or Time Doctor. 

Tip #17: Minimize your open windows. 

Channel your attention by working at only one monitor and opening only one
window. Going offline might also be an option, but let's not go that far.

Tip #18: Organize your email.

Cluttered inboxes are time sinks. The best way to speed up email communication
and waste less time on exchanges is to organize your inbox. Gmail offers a variety
of features which will help you dominate your bottomless pit of incoming mail. If
you use some other client consider switching to Gmail (either through POP3,
SMTP, and forwarding) or using an external application like Airmail.
Here are some tricks that will help you sift through, organize, and answer emails
quicker:
 Archive emails that might contain some important info but don't need an
immediate answer.
 Create actionable labels like URGENT, WAITING, NEEDS ACTION.
 Use filters to automatically assign labels to incoming mail based on sender or
some other information/keyword they contain.
 You can even label all newsletters by setting up a filter for every email that
contains the word 'Unsubscribe'.
 Enable Canned Responses and create templates from emails that you have sent
more than twice. You can customize these before sending them out but having a
general outline before you start will speed up the process considerably.

Time Management Learning Skills

We're never done learning, and time management is no acceptation. Wether you're
just starting with time management or you're a seasoned professional, these tips
will help you move forward in your journey of learning.

Tip #19: Turn your system into habits.

It is necessary to form the above ideas into sustainable habits. Continuing to
practice these time management tips will help foster a productivity mindset.
Set a reasonable schedule you can maintain over the long term (at least a month).
These behaviours will become increasingly automatic over time. A study published
in the European Journal of Social Psychology found it takes more than 2 months
before a new behaviour becomes automatic—66 days to be exact, so don't beat
yourself up if it takes a while to form these habits. 

Tip #20: Let go of bad habits in the meantime.

The best way to break bad habits is to start small. Break larger bad habits into
smaller chunks or focus on your smaller bad habits in the beginning. Smaller
changes are less likely to trigger physiological stress responses, making them
easier for your body and mind to accept and repeat. 
Pick a habit, set a schedule and stick to it. As you follow this plan, it will become
easier to shed more of your old, unproductive habits.
Tip #21: Don't multitask.
Multitasking has a negative impact on productivity. Research has found that those
who multitask have greater difficulty averting distractions than their focusing
counterparts. Additionally, multitasking can impact your cognitive ability. 
Pick one thing to do, set a timer and work on only that thing until either you finish
or the timer goes off. This will help ensure both your focus and your quality
standards. 

Tip #22: Don't wait for inspiration—do it now.

Some artists wait for inspiration to strike, some writers wait for writer's block to
subside and some businesspeople wait for the perfect, silent work environment to
accomplish tough tasks. If you're always waiting for the right time, you won't be
prepared for it when it comes. 
Inspiration and focus can also be gained through the attempt to work through
periods of low inspiration. As artist Chuck Close said, "Inspiration is for amateurs;
the rest of us just show up and get to work."

Tip #23: Don't strive for perfection.

Perfect is the enemy of good, or so the saying goes. When everything must be
perfect, can anything ever be good enough? Probably not. Done is better than
perfect. 
To become exceptional, you must fail repeatedly and learn from your mistakes.
Look at every effort as an experiment—a valuable step on your journey, no matter
what the outcome.
Tip #24: Don't get hung up on small details.
Instead of indulging in perfectionism, keep the big picture in mind. Focus on your
priorities, not the minute details of your work. Address the most important tasks on
your to-do list and don't sweat the small stuff.

Tip #25: Use your calendar.

A calendar is good for so much more than just scheduling meetings. You can use
your calendar for time blocking your focused work, keeping track of deadlines, and
automatically adding locations to events.
Actively using a calendar will help you take responsibility for your time. If you
think that a scheduled entry will not advance your plan for the day, just cancel it.
Better time management with Toggl Track

Time tracking can transform the way you work. Track time, get and share
insightful reports and stop wondering where your day went.
Try Toggl Track for free today
Time Management and Work-Life Balance
Work and life may seem separate, but what you do in one side of your life will
have a profound impact on the other. Keeping healthy life habits will help you
achieve more when you get to work.

Tip #26: Exercise often.

Physical activity has a major impact on productivity. One study's participants noted
a 72% improvement in time management and work load completion after adding
workday exercise to their routines.
Researchers have shown that short and intense exercise sessions can be as
beneficial as longer ones. Set some time aside for at least a short workout every
other day.

Tip #27: Sleep well.

Thinking of sacrificing some of your sleep hours to that project with a quickly
approaching deadline? We would recommend against it. 
Scientists have found sleeping less to create more time for tasks actually has a
negative impact in both the short and long run. Tired people procrastinate more
and get distracted more easily. Give your brain at least eight hours of sleep every
night even if that deadline is coming up soon. 

Tip #28: Schedule relaxation time.

When we work our bodies go through a process called the Effort-Recovery model. 
During a regular workday, we all do tasks that require effort. Our bodies respond
to this output of effort by accelerating the heart rate, elevating blood pressure
levels which increase fatigue and put stress on the body.
When you make time for recovery at the end of the workday, these physiological
reactions will return to their base levels. If you don't make time for recovery, there
can be adverse physiological and mental impacts.
It's crucial to turn off your work brain for your healthy and future productivity.
You will be surprised about the positive effects some quiet time can have on your
creative processes. Try activities like yoga or meditation to help relax your body
and calm your mind. 
Tip #29: Learn to say no.
Your time is precious. Don't waste it on tasks and projects that don't align with
your mission and goals. Instead of automatically accepting invitations and offers,
say, 'I'll check my schedule and get back to you'. This simple phrase will buy you
time to evaluate offers and make smart decisions.

Tip #31: Train the other side of your brain.

Productive hobbies engage parts of your brain you may not exercise during your
workday but are still important for high mental functioning. By developing these
parts of your brain you'll be able to solve problems faster and have more creativity
at your disposal.
Additionally, spending time outside your comfort zone can increase your
confidence and help you develop new skills. Find a productive activity you enjoy
and you'll be able to stick with over a period of time. Some popular hobbies are:
reading, cooking, dancing, gardening, meditation, language learning, volunteering
and improv.

Tip #32: Have a great time—no matter what.

Don't obsess about checking off all the items on your to-do list. Everyone needs an
appropriate work/life balance. Finishing an oversized workload today isn't worth
an unproductive, burnt-out day tomorrow.
Work steadily and stay at your best pace. Rushing through tasks reduces work
quality and creates stress.
Now go and start your time audit by clicking on the button below. With these time
management tips, you will put an end to procrastination and start taking control of
your time.
10 Time Management Skills Every Employee Needs

Poor time management skills can result in missed deadlines, dissatisfied clients, and increased overtime costs. These concerns may be compounded in light of the new
overtime rules (effective December 1, 2016), especially for employees who are reclassified as non-exempt. To help avoid unnecessary overtime costs and improve
performance, here are 10 time management techniques to share with your employees:

#1: Plan and set goals.

Supervisors should work with their employees to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals. For each goal, set a timeline for completion and break the goal down into
small, manageable assignments. Consider providing employees with task management tools, such as online calendars, project management programs, or a simple to-
do list.

#2: Prioritize.
Help employees evaluate their responsibilities based on importance and urgency and encourage them to complete tasks with the highest priority first. This process
requires effective communication between the employee and his or her supervisor to ensure that priorities are properly aligned with department and company goals.
#3: Organize.
Every minute lost because of a misplaced file, tool, or document is a minute that could have been spent completing a task. Emphasize the importance of an organized
workspace to help maximize efficiency.

#4: Streamline.
Evaluate processes and procedures regularly to ensure efficiency. Managers should have regular discussions with their employees to get their insight on more efficient
methods for completing their job responsibilities.

#5: Delegate.
Proper delegation can ensure the right tasks are assigned to the right people. But, there is more to delegating than simply assigning a task. Managers must explain job
duties thoroughly, work with their employees to develop a plan for completing the task, monitor progress, and provide the resources and support necessary to reach
assigned goals.

#6: Dedicate time for less pleasant work.

It's human nature to sometimes procrastinate, especially when a difficult or undesirable assignment presents itself. To help employees stay focused, break large
projects into smaller parts and schedule specific time (such as the beginning of the workday) for the larger or more unpleasant projects.

#7: Manage communications.

For employees on a tight deadline, answering phone calls and emails can be distracting. Consider establishing guidelines for responding to these types of
communications. For example, when employees are on a tight deadline, ask them to check voicemail and email at set intervals and respond to urgent communications
first. All other communications can be put on hold until after important projects have been completed.

#8: Avoid interruptions.

Whenever possible, schedule important job duties for a part of the day when there are fewer disruptions. For example, if an employee is the first one in the office in
the morning, this may be a good time to work on assignments that require more concentration. Also, remind employees that interruptions are inevitable, and for
planning purposes, they should allow a little extra time for unexpected interruptions.

#9: Schedule tasks for peak performance.

If possible, physically or mentally demanding work should be scheduled for when workers are at peak performance. This may vary depending on the employee.
Encourage employees to consider when they have the most energy and ask them to focus on bigger or more important projects during that time.

#10: Ensure proper balance.

No matter how well employees manage their time at work, they are unlikely to perform at their best if they return to work each day stressed or lacking energy.
Encourage employees to take regular rest breaks throughout the day and consider a wellness program that encourages healthy habits.

Conclusion:
Effective time management is important for any business. Provide your employees with the training and tools they need to optimize their performance.
Important Time Management Skills For Workplace Success
 •••

BY 

ALISON DOYLE



 

Updated on December 16, 2021

What are time management skills, and why are they important in the workplace? Employees who manage their time well are more productive, more
efficient, and more likely to meet deadlines. They focus on the most important and time-sensitive tasks and limit the amount of time wasted on non-
essential duties. 

Time management skills, like other soft skills, such as organizational skills, are in high demand. Employers will be assessing your ability to manage
your time, and the effectiveness of your team to reach department objectives.

Learn about time management skills, understand why they are valuable in the workplace, review the different types of time management skills, and see
examples of how they are used on the job.

What Are Time Management Skills?

Time management involves both managing your own time and the time of the others. 1  Time management means working efficiently, and employers in
every industry look for staff that can make optimal use of the time available to them on the job. Saving time saves the organization money
and increases revenue.

Effective time management requires staff to analyze their workload, assign priorities, and maintain focus on productive endeavors. 

Employees who are excellent time managers can eliminate distractions and enlist support from colleagues to help accomplish their goals.

Types of Time Management Skills

The Balance

Prioritizing
It might be impossible to do every single minute task expected of you. You also might want to do everything all at once. But you must prioritize so that
you are able to complete the most important tasks in an order that makes sense. When assigning priority, consider such factors as when each task
needs to be done, how long it might take, how important it might be to others in the organization, what could happen if a task is not done, and whether
any task might be interrupted by bottlenecks in the process.
  Allocation
 Managing Expectations
 Waste Prevention
 Prioritizing requests and demands
 High-Value Activities (HVAs)
 Performance Reviews
 Goal Setting

Scheduling
Scheduling is important because some tasks have to be done at specific times. Scheduling affects your day, your week, your month, as well as other
people’s workflow. Most have specific times of the day when they are more or less productive as a result of energy levels and demands of the day.
Schedules can be a good way to avoid procrastination, too.

 Scheduling Software
 Intentionality
 Punctuality
 Breaking broader goals into milestones
 Breaking up milestones into projects

Task Management
To-do lists (properly prioritized and integrated with your schedule) are a great way to avoid forgetting something important. They are also a great way
to avoid spending all day thinking about everything you have to do. Remembering tasks takes energy and thinking about everything you have to do all
week can be exhausting and overwhelming. Split all the necessary tasks up into a list for each day, and you won’t have to worry about all of it all at
once. Just take your tasks one day at a time.

 Proactive
 Batching
 Creating daily, weekly, and monthly to do lists
 Multitasking
 Thoroughness
 Organization
 Email Management

Workload Management
Pacing your work, even though it may seem an odd thing to call a skill, is an important time management concept. Although working long hours or
skipping breaks can sometimes improve productivity in the short term, your exhaustion later will ensure that your overall productivity actually drops.
Except for rare emergencies, it is important to resist the temptation to over work. Include necessary breaks, and a sensible quitting time, in your
schedule.

Knowing and enforcing an optimum workload for yourself ensures consistency in your performance and avoids burnout. Employers want to be able to
count on you for the long-term.

 Process Management
 Assertiveness
 Eliminating Waste
 Taking Breaks
Delegation
Depending on what type of work you do, you may be able to delegate some tasks. Knowing what and when to delegate is an important skill. Some
people resist delegating, either because they want to maintain control or because they want to save money by not hiring assistants. Both approaches
ultimately hurt productivity and raise costs.

Remember, however, that if you practice time management diligently and still can’t get everything done, you may be trying to do too much. It is better
to succeed at a few tasks than to attempt and fail at many.

 Seeking Expert Assistance

 Moderating Meetings
 Presentation
 Teamwork
 Leadership
 Collaboration
 Motivation

More Time Management Skills

Here are more time management for resumes, cover letters, job applications, and interviews. Required skills will vary based on the job for which you're
applying, so also review our list of skills listed by job and type of skill.

 Auditing
 Self-care
 Openness
 Productivity Software
 Communication
 Adaptability
 High Stress Tolerance
 Dependability
 Attention to Detail
 Deductive Reasoning
 Inductive Reasoning
 Critical Thinking
 Evaluating
 Ongoing Improvement
 Risk Management
 Troubleshooting
 Quality Assurance
 Project Management
 Conflict Management
 Discernment
 Compliance
 Articulating
 Brainstorming
 Efficiency
 Diligence
 Problem Sensitivity

Examples of Time Management in the Workplace

This list provides examples of effective time management at work.

A-E

 Adapting plans to changing circumstances.

 Allocating time for specific tasks.
 Analyzing processes and selecting the simplest way to accomplish a task.
 Asking for help when overwhelmed with demands.
 Assertiveness to say no to inappropriate demands that distract from central duties.
 Attacking more complex tasks when you have the highest energy and sharpest concentrations.
 Auditing how time is spent.
 Avoiding excessive small talk with co-workers.
 Avoiding procrastination; acting instead of worrying.
 Breaking broader goals into smaller parts and focusing on one step at a time.
 Breaking up projects into manageable parts.
 Creating daily, weekly and monthly “to do” lists.
 Creating schedules.
 Delegating more routine tasks to lower level staff.
 Eating well to maintain energy.
 Eliminating time wasters.
 Exercising and participating in other stress-reducing activities during leisure time to maximize energy when at work.

F-Z

 Facilitating efficient meetings; sticking with time frames for meetings.

 Grouping similar tasks together to limit transition time.
 Maintaining an organized work area.
 Multitasking; shifting smoothly from one task to another.
 Openness to more efficient ways of doing things.
 Organizing digital files for easy retrieval.
 Planning your day the night before or first thing in the morning.
 Prioritizing requests and demands.
 Prioritizing a list of projects and focusing on higher value tasks with more immediate deadlines.
 Punctuality.
 Putting cell phones aside to eliminate the distraction of personal messages unless required for work.
 Reviewing performance and eliminating deviations from priorities.
 Setting daily, weekly and monthly goals.
 Setting realistic standards for quality and avoiding perfectionism.
 Setting specific times for responding to email.
 Taking short breaks to restore energy.
 Touching each piece of paper or reading each email just once, whenever feasible.
Time Management: 10 Strategies for Better Time Management
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VIEW PDF picture_as_pdf

The term Time Management is a misnomer. You cannot manage time; you manage the events
in your life in relation to time. You may often wish for more time, but you only get 24 hours,
1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds each day. How you use that time depends on skills learned
through self-analysis, planning, evaluation, and self-control. Much like money, time is both
valuable and limited. It must be protected, used wisely, and budgeted.

People who practice good time

management techniques often find that they:

 Are more productive.

 Have more energy for things they need to accomplish.
 Feel less stressed.
 Have more free time to do the things they want.
 Get more things done.
 Relate more positively to others.
 Feel better about themselves. (Dodd and Subdheim, 2005)

Finding a time management strategy that works best for you depends on your personality, ability
to self-motivate, and level of self-discipline. By incorporating some, or all the ten strategies
below, you can more effectively manage your time.
1. Know How You Spend Your Time

A time log is a helpful way to determine how you use your time. Record what you are doing in
15-minute intervals for a week or two. Evaluate the results:

 Did everything you needed to do get done?

 Which tasks require the most time?
 What time of day when you are most productive?
 Where is most of your time is devoted (i.e. job, family, personal, recreation)?

Identifying your most time-consuming tasks and determining whether you are investing your
time in the most important activities can help you to determine a course of action. Having a
good sense of the time required for routine tasks can help you be more realistic in planning and
estimating how much time is available for other activities. Many apps exist to help you keep
track of your time, as mentioned in Strategy 3.

2. Set Priorities

Managing your time effectively requires a distinction between what is important and what is
urgent (MacKenzie, 1990). Experts agree that the most important tasks usually aren’t the most
urgent tasks. However, we tend to let the urgent tasks dominate our lives. Covey, Merrill, and
Merrill (1994) categorize activities into four quadrants in their Time Management Matrix: urgent,
not urgent, important, and not important. While activities that are both urgent and important
must be done, Covey et al. suggests spending less time on activities that are not important
(regardless of their urgency) to gain time for activities that are not urgent but important.
Focusing on these important activities allows you to gain greater control over your time and may
reduce the number of important tasks that become urgent.

  Urgent Not Urgent

Important Do these tasks Defer these tasks

as soon as until all urgent
possible. and important
Examples: tasks have been
 Submit job completed.
application Examples:
by 5 p.m.  Schedule
 Pick up dentist
sick child appointment
from  Reply to
school coworker’s
 Call email
plumber regarding
 to fix future event
leaking  Plan family
toilet reunion

Delegate these
tasks to the
Delete these
appropriate
tasks – they are
people who can
often time
manage them.
wasters.
Examples:
Examples:
 Help son
Not  Respond to
with
Important social media
homework
comments
 Pull weeds
 Online
from
shopping
flower
 Finish
beds
watching TV
 Make
show
dinner for
family

Creating a "to do” list is an easy way to prioritize. Whether you need a daily, weekly, or monthly
list depends on your lifestyle. Be careful to keep list-making from getting out of control. List
manageable tasks rather than goals or multi-step plans. Rank the items on your “to do” list in
order of priority (both important and urgent). You may choose to group items in categories such
as high priority, medium priority, or low priority; number them in order of priority; or use a color-
coding system. The goal is not to mark off the most items, but to mark off the highest priority
items (MacKenzie, 1990). A prioritized “to do” list allows you to set boundaries so you can say
“no” to activities that may be interesting or provide a sense of achievement but do not fit your
basic priorities.

3. Use a Planning Tool

 Time management experts recommend using a
personal planning tool to improve your productivity. Personal planning tools include planners,
calendars, phone apps, wall charts, index cards, pocket diaries, and notebooks. Writing down
your tasks, schedules, and items to remember can free your mind to focus on your priorities.
Auditory learners may prefer to dictate their thoughts instead. The key is to find one planning
tool that works for you and use that tool consistently.

When using a planning tool:

 Always record your information on the tool itself. Jotting notes elsewhere that must be
transferred later is inefficient and wastes more time.
 Review your planning tool daily.
 Keep a list of your priorities in your planning tool and refer to it often.
 Keep planning tools synchronized. If you keep more than one, make sure your phone,
computer, and paper planning tools match.
 Keep a back-up system.

Apps on your phone can be great planning tools. Apps typically fall into one of the following
categories:

 Time Trackers – Gain an awareness of how you spend your time.

 Time Savers – Increase productivity and break time-wasting habits.
 Task Managers – Prioritize and organize tasks to improve time management.
 Habit Developers – Create healthy habits to encourage time management.

4. Get Organized

Disorganization leads to poor time management. Research has shown that clutter has a strong
negative impact on perceived well-being (Roster, 2016). To improve our time management, get
organized.

Set up three boxes (or corners of a room) labeled "Keep," "Give Away," and "Toss." Sort items
into these boxes. Discard items in your “Toss” box. Your "Give Away" box may include items
you want to sell, donate, or discard.
The next step is to improve the time you spend processing information. For example, tasks such
as email can eat up your day. To combat wasted time, implement an email organization system
that allows you to process the information in each email as efficiently as possible. Use folders,
flagging, or a color-coded system to keep track of what’s what.

5. Schedule Appropriately

Scheduling is more than just recording what must be done (e.g., meetings and appointments).
Be sure to build in time for the things you want to do. Effective scheduling requires you to know
yourself. Your time log should help you to identify times when you are most productive and alert.
Plan your most challenging tasks for when you have the most energy. Block out time for your
high priority activities first and protect that time from interruptions.

Schedule small tasks such as drafting an email, creating a grocery shopping list, reading,
watching webinars or listening to podcasts for long commutes or when waiting for a call or
appointment. Capitalize on what would otherwise be time lost. Avoid nonproductive activities,
such as playing games or scrolling through social media. Limit scheduled time to about three-
fourths of your day to allow for creative activities such as planning, dreaming, and thinking.

6. Delegate: Get Help from Others

Delegating means assigning responsibility for a task to someone else, freeing up your time for
tasks that require your expertise. Identify tasks others can do and select the appropriate
person(s) to do them. Select someone with the appropriate skills, experience, interest, and
authority needed to accomplish the task. Be specific. Define the task and your expectations
while allowing the person some freedom to personalize the task. Check how well the person is
progressing periodically and provide any assistance, being careful not to take over the
responsibility. Finally, reward the person for a job well done or make suggestions for
improvements if needed. (Dodd and Sundheim, 2005). Another way to get help is to “buy” time
by obtaining goods or services that save time. For example, paying someone to mow your lawn
or clean your house, or joining a carpool for your children’s extracurricular activities frees time
for other activities. The time-savings from hiring someone for specialized projects is often worth
the cost.
7.  Stop Procrastinating

People put off tasks for a variety of reasons. Perhaps the task seems overwhelming or
unpleasant. To help stop procrastination, consider “eating the big frog first.” A quote commonly
attributed to Mark Twain says, “If it’s your job to eat a frog today, it’s best to do it first thing in the
morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the big frog first.” Unpleasant tasks
we procrastinate completing are “big frogs.” Complete these tasks as your first action of the day
to get them out of the way. Another option is to “snowball” your tasks by breaking them down
into smaller segments, completing preparatory tasks, and eventually completing the larger task
at hand. Whether you choose the “big frog first” or “snowball” method, try building in a reward
system for completed tasks to help stay motivated.

8. Manage Time-Wasters

Reduce or eliminate time spent in these activities by implementing some simple tips.

Handheld Devices

 Take advantage of voice-to-text features such as transcribed voicemails or to make

notes or draft emails and text messages when you are on the go.
 Avoid small talk. Stay focused.
 Take any necessary action immediately following a call.
 Impose screen time limits and regularly monitor your digital wellness (see Strategy 10).
 Schedule breaks from your devices.

Email

 Set aside a specific time to view and respond to email, but don’t let it accumulate to the
point it becomes overwhelming to sort.
 Turn off notifications for email.
 Handle each item only once if possible.
  Immediately delete or unsubscribe from junk emails.
 Keep address books up-to-date and organized.
 Utilize built-in shortcuts to sort email.

Unexpected Visitors

 Schedule time for face-to-face visits.

 Inform visitors of your time constraints and politely offer to reschedule.
 Set a mutually agreeable time limit for the visit.
 When someone comes to the door, stand up and have your meeting standing to help
keep it brief.

In-Person and Virtual Meetings

 Know the purpose of the meeting in advance.

 Arrive early.
 Start and end the meeting on time.
 Prepare an agenda and stick to it. Use a timed agenda, if necessary.
 Don’t schedule meetings unless they are necessary and have a specific purpose or
agenda.
 Use recording software or designate a note-taker.

Family Obligations

 Use and sync virtual calendars for easy sharing between busy family members.
 Make each family member responsible for consulting the master calendar for potential
conflicts.
 Create a central area or agreed upon app for posting communications such as
appointment reminders, announcements, and messages.

9. Avoid Multi-tasking

Psychological studies have shown that multi-tasking does not save time. In fact, the opposite is
often true. You lose time when switching from one task to another, resulting in a loss of
productivity (Rubinsteim, Meyer, and Evans, 2001). Routine multi-tasking may lead to difficulty
in concentrating and maintaining focus. Do your best to focus on just one task at a time by
keeping your area clear of distractions, including turning off notifications on your devices, and
set aside dedicated time for specific tasks.
 10. Stay Healthy

The care and attention you give yourself is an important investment of time. Scheduling time to
relax or do nothing helps you rejuvenate physically and mentally, enabling you to accomplish
tasks more quickly and easily. Be sure to monitor your screen time as a part of your digital
wellbeing, setting boundaries to stay healthy. A study conducted by Google showed that four
out of five study participants who took steps to improve their digital wellbeing believe their
overall wellbeing was positively impacted as well (Google, 2019). To improve your digital
wellbeing, set time limits or utilizing built-in software on electronic devices such as phones and
tablets to help maintain your digital wellness. Blue light blockers and grayscale mode may also
help you improve your digital wellbeing. Set a time each night to shut off all digital devices to
give your mind time to relax; this can also help improve your sleep schedule.

Unfortunately, poor time management and too much screen time can result in fatigue,
moodiness, and more frequent illness. To reduce stress, reward yourself for time management
successes. Take time to recognize that you have accomplished a major task or challenge
before moving on to the next activity.

Conclusion

Whatever time management strategies you use, take time to evaluate how they have worked for
you. Do you have a healthy balance between work and home life? Are you accomplishing the
tasks that are most important in your life? Are you investing enough time in your own personal
well being? If the answer is “no” to any of these questions, then reevaluate your time
management strategies and transition to ones that will work better for you. Successful time
management leads to greater personal happiness, more accomplishments at home and at work,
and a more satisfying future.