As a busy professional, you probably struggle daily with juggling all of your responsibilities effectively. Time is your most valuable and scarce resource. There will always be only 24 hours in the day, but you can learn to get more done with the time you have by using effective time management techniques.
When you can increase productivity and efficiency, success will follow.
8 Time Management Techniques
You may feel overwhelmed some days and wonder how you could get everything done. It can make you feel stressed and unable to focus, which leads to decreased productivity.
Finding the right time management tools and techniques that work for you and them using them religiously is key to maximum productivity. It’s not about working harder; it’s working smarter by getting things done faster.
Have a Plan
Planning your day, week, even month out in advance will save you time, stress and keep you focused.
Having a plan is our most impactful time management tip for you.
When you have your tasks planned out, you can disperse them accordingly to avoid being overwhelmed on certain days.
To get started, make a long list of all of the tasks you need to complete. Then, break them down into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. Lastly, make a schedule for each day for exactly what you will be doing at all times. Start with 30-minute increments or whatever time frame is needed for each task.
When you know what you should be doing each hour, it is easier to stay focused and meet your goals.
Moving quickly from one task to another will also increase your productivity; limit the unnecessary lag time between projects. When you have a precise plan and stick to the schedule, you will accomplish significantly more without working longer hours.
Prioritize
Take a close look at all of the tasks you need to complete and start working on your top priorities first. The tasks that add the most to your success are the ones you want completed on time and efficiently.
Also, working on the most important tasks first will help you feel more accomplished and less stressed. Once you have those out of the way, you can fill in your extra time completing less pressing but required duties.
If needed, delegate simple but time-consuming tasks to an assistant or a lower level associate or even outsource it to a third party to complete.
Delegating some of your workloads will free up time to work on other more pressing activities to add to your success.
Say No
When you are overwhelmed or handling too many tasks, you may have to say, “No,” if someone asks you to take on more responsibilities.
Taking on additional work when you are already busy will typically result in added stress and lowered efficiency.
It’s also a good idea to say no to coworkers asking you to take additional breaks to chat or do other things that are not productive and are not going to get you to your end goal of maximum productivity and success.
Remove Distractions
Distractions happen throughout the day more often than most people realize, and they can be highly costly.
Research from Basex shows interruptions cost the US economy $588 billion a year. Working in an office has its challenges due to the numerous distractions. You may have experienced a talkative coworker that you meet at the watercooler or that comes in your office daily to chat or receive many unnecessary emails. Some also have the habit of checking social media timelines throughout the day.
All of this takes away from your precious time at work and decreases your productivity.
Being aware of your distractions will help you eliminate them. After a distraction, it takes an average of 23 minutes to regain focus at work.
Paying close attention to where you spend and waste your time daily can eliminate unproductive time. If you can, close your office door, put your phone and any extra electronics away, or put on earbuds with noise-canceling music. Try out different distraction eliminating techniques to see what works best for you, and then stick with it.
You will find yourself getting more done throughout your workday by making a few changes.
Clear Your Mind
If your mind is overwhelmed or stressed, you cannot think clearly and focus, which leads to decreased production. Having a healthy work-life balance should be a priority since it adds to your overall happiness and reduces stress.
Taking the time to do what you enjoy and activities that clear your mind will pay off for your overall health but increase your productivity and mood. Some people do yoga, exercise, or reading as a stress reduction.
Take the time to do what works for you, as it will have a positive impact on your health and professional success. Taking breaks throughout the day to rest your mind will recharge your batteries and help you stay focused when you return to your desk to pick up where you left off.
Know What You Spend Your Time On
You might think you know what you spend your time on daily, but you may be surprised. Many people don’t realize how much time they spend on simple things like taking personal calls or checking social media notifications while in the office and the negative effects those have on their work.
Setting strict rules for yourself on what is acceptable during working hours will help you eliminate wasting valuable production time.
There is time tracking software that will show you precisely what you are spending your time on to know when you are productive and when you may be wasting valuable time. When you have a clear picture of your time spent, you can manage it more effectively.
You could also use a productivity app to monitor your phone activity.
Peak Production
You may be a night owl where you are most alert and focused then, or you may be the early bird that wakes up ready to hit the ground running. You will be most effective during your peak times, so scheduling your planning sessions and your top priorities during this prime time will increase efficiency and productivity.
Getting more done in less time is the ultimate goal for time management. During your peak time, hit the timer and stay focused without allowing any distractions. By using a timer, you are committing to that specific timeframe to focus solely on completing required tasks and avoiding any distractions during this time.
Emails
Managing your inbox can feel like a full-time job. While some emails are urgent, many are not, and some are just a waste of time. It’s important to control when and how often you check your emails.
Depending on your job, checking your emails 2-3 times a day is enough. When checking emails, delete ones right away that you don’t need.
If not, you will spend time later rereading the same email and possibly deciding to put it off again – it’s a vicious unproductive cycle. A good rule to use is if it takes less than 2 minutes to handle it, don’t procrastinate, do it now.
The Bottom Line
Busy professionals are constantly struggling with getting everything done with the limited time we have. Things may slip through the cracks, or deadlines will be missed if time isn’t managed correctly.
It takes a little effort to manage your time to complete the workload you have effectively. Using these techniques and figuring out what works best for you will help you get more done in less time. Working smarter, not harder, will add to your overall happiness and success. When you use these techniques enough, they will become second nature and become part of the way you operate.
Distractions at the office are incredibly costly and lower production. Learning what your biggest distractions are and eliminating them will save you the time you need to focus and be productive. If your cell phone is a huge distraction for you and you don’t need it to work, you may consider silencing it or hiding notifications, so you are not tempted to allow it to distract you.
If you are looking to expand your team with stellar professionals, contact Pocketbook Agency today!
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