During the pandemic, many of us had to learn how to work from home. And in the future, many employers are looking to offer their employees the option to primarily work home office. This is why great time management skills are more important now than ever. As home office might have sounded great at first, many of us discovered that it is actually more difficult to manage time efficiently and stay motivated throughout the day.
If you are one of us who try to do it all, but end up completing little, keep reading further to discover 10 Time Management Tips that will help you to accomplish your daily tasks without adding any unnecessary stress. There are plenty of further resources online to help you improve your time management skills and teach you How To Become And Stay Motivated. And if you want to dive deeper you can try one of Time and Priority Management online courses.
The core of time management is learning how to prioritize, here are The 10 Time Management Tips You Have to Try:
#1 Plan ahead and determine how much time do you have
Know your deadlines and create a timeline, so you can clearly see when each of your tasks is due.
#2 Use a diary or organiser
This is a necessary tool for effective time management. You can use an electronic calendar or organizer apps, or a fancy paper diary – or combination of both! The advantage of apps is that you can share your calendar and to-do lists across devices and also receive notifications about upcoming tasks.
#3 Define your goals and divide them into small bite-size tasks
It is good to establish the end goal and then create a list of small actions in order to achieve it. When you see all the bite-size tasks you are achieving, you will instantly feel more productive and less stressed.
#4 Create To-Do List for the day ahead
When you break down the overall goal into smaller tasks, you should create a To-Do List for every day. This will help you to keep on track and ensure you do not miss anything.
#5 Set a time limit
Set a deadline for each task on your To-Do List and create a time frame that is realistic. You should always keep in mind the deadline for your overall goal or project. For future planning, keep a log of your activities, which will give you a better idea how you use your time.
#6 Prioritize and remove the non-essential
When you create your To-Do List for the day, you should focus on tasks that require immediate attention. Even though these urgent tasks might often be difficult, it is good to get them out of the way first before you waste your mental energy on tasks that can wait.
#7 Delegate tasks
Think if there are any tasks that you can delegate. Depending on what the task is, try to ask your co-workers or other members of your family if they can help. But do not forget to be respectful and considerate of their time needs as well.
#8 Focus and eliminate distractions
Once you set up a time frame for each task, find a quiet and comfortable place where you can stay focused on the task during the dedicated time. It is also a good idea to put your phone away, unless you need it for the job of course. If you need to keep your phone with you, many smartphones have a function such as ‘Focus Mode’ – which will turn off all apps and notifications, except those you allow. This will hopefully help you to eliminate the temptation to scroll through social media.
#9 Take breaks
Taking a short break in between the tasks may seem like a waste of time, but in fact – it can make you more productive. Take a coffee break and take your mind off work for a short period of time to allow your mind to switch from one task to another. This will also help you to reduce stress. You will be surprised that your brain can come up with new fresh ideas and solutions faster if you allow it to rest for only 10 minutes!
#10 Overcome procrastination
Procrastination is productivity killer. People usually procrastinate when they feel overwhelmed, therefore it is important to follow the previous steps such as break down your workload into smaller tasks, set up a timeframe, create To-Do Lists and do not forget to be kind to yourself and give yourself little breaks throughout the day!