TIME MANAGEMENT – BEST TIPS
For each of us, the day lasts the same – 24 hours. However, we can safely say that some people do much more in that time than others. Is it so they can slow heartburn? Or do they work much harder and faster than you? Or maybe they have talents you don’t know about? Of course not! These people are simply well organized and have excellent time management skills.
Do you want to become a person who can do more things in a day? If the answer is YES, then this article is just for you.
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LET’S START WITH WHAT IS TIME MANAGEMENT ALL ABOUT.
If you think about it, when you hear someone talk about “managing this” or “managing that”, the theme is organization. So, time management refers to planning and organizing our time.
- How to sequence tasks to save time;
- Estimating the time needed to complete the task;
- Knowledge and ability to take effective breaks;
Good and skillful time management is not about working faster or harder, but about working smart and being able to increase efficiency.
The benefits of time management
Good time management increases productivity and ensures that tasks are completed on time.
A 2019 study of students found that students with better time management skills not only had better academic performance compared to those who lacked time management skills, but their mood and mental state were also in better shape.
They showed lower levels of anxiety and depression and greater satisfaction with their work-life balance. What turned out to be the most important factor for students who were successful in this study was the ability to control their time.
This means that if you have control over your time, you also gain more control over your life.
Time management importance:
- no stress due to meeting deadlines, as time management helps you be realistic about tasks and keep up, reducing stress in the process;
- more time for yourself and loved ones, due to skillful work;
- lack of monotony - instead of struggling with the same problem many times, it opens up space to look for new opportunities;
- achieving goals, because instead of feeling incompetent, it helps to pursue the set goal;
Here are some tips that will get you on your way to better time management. The list goes on, but you don't necessarily have to implement all the tips. Especially not right away. However, if you start consistently working on improving your time management skills, you may find yourself slowly implementing them one by one.
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Analysis of the current state of how you currently spend your time?
Before you start implementing something new, take some time to reflect and find out how you are doing at the moment.
How do you spend your days? When do you take breaks and for how long? How much time do you spend on your phone and social media? e.t.c
Now you are probably wondering how to measure it. One way is to set reminders, let's say every hour, and write down what you're doing at that moment. However, a better way is to download a time management app and track your behavior.
Here are some time management tools
Price: $4 to $8 per month (for pro or business versions)
Free version available: Yes
Available on: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, web browser, Apple Watch
Price: $9 to $18 per month
Free version available: Yes
Available on: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and web browser
Price: Free
Free version available: Yes
Available on: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and web browser
Price: $5 to $10 per month
Free version available: Yes
Available on: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and web browser
Price: $6 to $8 per month
Free version available: Yes
Available on: iOS, Android, and web browse
Price: $40 annually for pro
Free version available: Yes
Available on: iOS, Android, macOS, Blackberry, Windows, web browser, Apple Watch
When you're done tracking your behavior, download the reports and evaluate them. Then figure out how much time you spend on each task, do some analysis and decide what's important.
Setting clear goals
It's important to plan your daily and weekly tasks, but have you ever tried to align your life with bigger goals and plans? Like for a year or 5 years?
I know that creating goals isn't always easy (don't fall into the trap of creating goals that are too specific or too general, losing perspective and justification for each goal). Therefore, the best recipe for achieving goals is the SMART method.
Let's consider it with an example: Increase website traffic by 20% by the end of the year
SPECIFIED- I will increase website traffic by at least 20% by the end of the year.
MEASURABLE – I will use standard website traffic monitoring tools, such as Google Analytics, to measure progress on an ongoing basis.
ACHIEVABLE – The task has priority status over others. The goal is achievable.
RELEVANT – Increased website traffic can help a business increase revenue and reach.
TIME-BOUND – A specific deadline for achieving the goal is set – the end of this year – and monthly milestone campaigns that will facilitate the monitoring of progress.
Division into stages
Once you have established your most important goals, it is time to plan them in such a way that they are achievable. This is similar to creating a shopping list. Will you put “go shopping” on your list, probably not. You just enter all the specific things. So why would you do any differently with your life goals? To achieve something, you usually need clear and specific directions to take action.
For example, if your goal is to complete and defend your thesis, here's how to break it down into stages:
divide the goals into milestones - in this case, it is e.g. writing a thesis proposal, completing the research process, creating an outline, writing the thesis, proofreading and editing the document, submitting the thesis, preparing an oral defense;
set time limits for each milestone;
create an outline of the task - dividing the goals into milestones is great, but it's still too general an approach, so it's best to break each milestone into tasks. That way, when you're ready to move on to the next stone, you'll know exactly where to start
An extremely helpful tool, in this case, will be the NOTION application, which allows
Setting task priorities
A helpful tool, in this case, is a planner (one of them, prepared by me, can be found here). Thanks to this tool, you can create a clear vision of the week, outline your weekly tasks and selectively assign them to the appropriate days of the week. There are types of important tasks, so only after completing all of the most important columns, you can move on to the secondary ones, and so on.
A tip from me - I recommend starting work on the most important tasks early in the morning.
Christopher Randler found that people who get up in the morning are more productive than those who get up late. They can anticipate problems better, are proactive and are more successful. This is because the part of the day when we have the most energy is in the morning (an hour or two after waking up) and usually lasts until 3:00 PM. After that, our concentration decreases.
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Using pomodoro techniques
I reply to one email. I'm writing a few sentences and now I need an attachment that I received in another email. I switch to inbox view and see that two new messages have arrived in the meantime. I glance at both - nothing urgent. I forgot what I was doing. So I go back to the email I was writing and remember that I was supposed to look for the attachment. I go back to the main view of the mailbox again and [...]
Does this sound familiar to you? Constant distractions, doing many things at once, and frequent changes of context not only cost us a loss of productivity but also destroy the sense of job satisfaction. To help people stuck in this situation comes to a technique called "Pomodoro", after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer, which was first proposed by the Italian Francesco Cirillo.
What is a pomodoro?
- Creating a clear list of tasks to be done shortly, e.g.: I will write back to a friend, I will make a shopping list, I will clean the desk, I will vacuum the room;
- Set the timer to ring after 25 minutes. It can be an alarm clock, a kitchen timer, or a special application;
- Turn off all distractions and work on the tasks on your list;
- If a new idea or any distraction comes up, we write it down so we don't forget and get back to work as soon as possible;
- When the alarm rings, we finish work and take a 5-minute break and it's good when it requires physical movement.
- After these 5 minutes, we can do another "Pomodoro", which is 25 minutes of focus, but after four Pomodoros in a row, you need to take a longer break.
What it looks like in practice:
- Uninstalling Facebook and similar applications from the phone (thanks to this, we avoid the flood of notifications, you can always enter via the browser);
- Closing the e-mail or working in "offline" mode (so as not to see incoming e-mails and not be distracted unnecessarily);
- Switching all instant messengers to "do not disturb" mode (so that they do not "blink" when a new message arrives).
- Silence the phone (avoiding texts and calls) you can write back and call back later when you are available;
- using applications that monitor the time limits spent on certain websites on the Internet;
- If only work does not require it, disabling Internet access on a laptop or other device;
- Arranging distraction-free working hours in the office or with household members, when interactions and mutual disturbances are specifically minimized.
Use of the calendar
This is one of the oldest foundations of good time management. As Tim Ferriss, Master of Productivity (The 4-Hour Work Week) suggests, "If you want to do something, put it on your calendar."
Currently, many powerful applications help you keep your calendar data. Digital calendars are great because you can access them at any time. You can use them to easily schedule meetings, one-off events, or reminders to drink another glass of water.
Ability to say "NO"
Surely you know the feeling when you are extremely busy and a friend asks you for help and knows that no one can do it as well as you. Or you get an extremely good project offer from a client.
Well, you have to learn to say NO and set boundaries, Remember that you can only do as much as you have limited time. If you have priority tasks, you will know if you have the opportunity to start something new. When you feel full of tasks, instead of accepting more, say no.
Healthy habits
If you spend 10 hours a day in front of a computer screen, without walking, exercising, eating healthy, and socializing - you can do yourself more harm than good. Is it possible to continue on this path without burning out? And how long can you go like this?
That's why it's important to instill self-care habits and grounding techniques into your busy schedule.
HABITS OF SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
Years of practice, several failures, efforts, lessons, and accomplishments are required to become successful. Success is a combination of personal…
Your productivity level also depends on what you eat. Healthy habits are not just about physical health.
It is equally important to take care of your mind. One way to take care of your mental health is to practice gratitude and keep a journal. Simply putting thoughts, challenges, happy moments, or ideas onto paper can be nurturing and healing.
Seizing every moment
Remember tip1? Analysis of the current state?
Well, after recording, how much time do you spend doing something completely unrelated to work, but still necessary, such as waiting in line for shopping and commuting to work?
Why are these situations important?
Because they are hard to avoid, yet they take up so much of our time. However, there is a way to use this time to our advantage. Instead of staring at the ceiling, scrolling through Instagram, or wondering what to eat for dinner, you can use this time to do something productive.
Here are some recommendations:
- Reply to your emails;
- Clean up phone memory;
- Pay your bills;
- If you study, keep notes with you so you can review them;
- Listen to an inspiring podcast;
- Read the book.
Eliminate all forms of distraction
Productivity and good time management are synonyms of efficiency. If your workplace is an overly cluttered desk, how can you expect productivity from yourself?
Cluttered space means that any search for something as simple as a pen will turn into a journey of rummaging through things until you forget what you're looking for.
Cluttered space is inefficient space.
The same applies to the digital environment. If the documents on your computer are not organized in folders and properly marked, you can spend up to hours looking for what you need.
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Why is clutter bad?
Our brain deals with this in two ways: it either filters out unnecessary objects to protect focus and stay on task, or directs focus directly to an object in the form of an emotion, thought, or feeling.
While the former is much more common, the filtering process drains energy from our brains. The more clutter we encounter in our physical or digital environment, the more energy our brain uses for the filtering process!
If there is nothing to filter out - you can direct your mental resources only to what is important to you.
Another source of distraction is the procrastinator's biggest obstacles - social networks and instant notifications. However, dealing with them is simple: log out of your accounts while you work, set screen usage limits, or install a blocker and control your access and time spent on them.
PERFECTIONISM – NOBODY IS PERFECT WHY YOU SHOULD?
I don’t want to be perfect. I just want to live and enjoy this life, and the constant pursuit of… Read More »PERFECTIONISM – NOBODY IS PERFECT WHY YOU SHOULD?...
"If you spend too much time thinking about something, you'll never do it."
Bruce Lee
While the word "perfectionism" may conjure up something positive, such as hard work, high standards of execution, an excellent eye for detail, etc., it can stifle productivity.
As leading experts in the field, Gordon Flett and Paul Hewit, explain, perfectionism is not about perfecting things like your job, relationship, project, or body. It's about making your inner self more perfect, which is an endless and unhealthy process.
Why?
Because it stresses you out, you don't like the work, and the end product is never good enough, you're either unhappy or the repair process never ends.
Because perfectionism usually comes from that dark place where we don't appreciate and care enough about ourselves, it's hard to overcome. It takes a lot of self-acceptance, compassion, and work on ourselves to accept the fact that we're not perfect and that it's okay.
Whenever you get stuck perfecting one task, remember that to become exceptional you have to keep failing.
Just because the phone rings doesn't mean you have to answer it
Yes, it's true. The same goes for emails, Facebook Messenger notifications, text messages, DMs, or other community distractions.
If you're working on a very demanding task, grab your phone and who knows how long a conversation can completely kill creativity and concentration. The same goes for answering emails and messages: once you open that door, it's hard to regain your focus.
The journey is more important than the destination
Now that you have all these time management tips in mind, it's time to start implementing some of them into your daily routine. However, it is important not to overdo it. Obsessing over a schedule and a to-do list isn't good either. Checking off your to-do list is a great motivation boost, but much more important is having a good work-life balance.
Moreover, don't expect to be able to implement them all at once. Mastering time management takes time, and it's perfectly normal if you have to make modifications along the way.
"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely" - Auguste Rodin
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