People who manage their time well often find that they are more productive, have more energy, feel less stressed, enjoy more free time, accomplish more, relate better to others, and feel better about themselves (Dodd and Subdheim, 2005). Determining an effective time management strategy is contingent upon individual personality, self-motivation, and self-discipline. By incorporating some or all of the ten strategies outlined below, one can enhance their time management capabilities.
Here are some tips for managing your time:
1. Know How You Spend Your Time
A time log helps track how you spend your time. Record activities in 15-minute intervals for one to two weeks. Then evaluate: Did you complete necessary tasks? Which tasks took the most time? When are you most productive? Where do you devote most of your time (job, family, personal, recreation)?
2. Prioritize: Rank tasks in order of importance
Effective time management involves distinguishing between important and urgent tasks (MacKenzie, 1990). Experts note that important tasks are often not urgent. However, urgent tasks tend to dominate our attention. Covey, Merrill, and Merrill (1994) categorize activities into four quadrants in their Time Management Matrix: urgent, not urgent, important, and not important. Covey et al. recommend prioritizing important over unimportant activities, regardless of urgency. By focusing on important tasks that are not urgent, you can better manage your time and reduce the likelihood of urgent important tasks.
People delay tasks for various reasons. The task might appear overwhelming or unpleasant. To help prevent procrastination, consider “eating the big frog first.” A well-known quote often attributed to Mark Twain advises, “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.” Tasks we avoid completing are “big frogs.” Start your day by completing these tasks to get them done quickly. The “snowball” method breaks tasks into smaller steps, while the “big frog first” method tackles the biggest task first. Use either approach and add a reward system to stay motivated.
3. Plan: Create a schedule and stick to it
Experts suggest using personal planning tools like planners, calendars, apps, wall charts, cards, diaries, and notebooks to boost productivity. Jotting down tasks, schedules, and reminders can help you focus on priorities. Auditory learners might prefer dictating thoughts. The key is to find a planning tool that suits you and use it consistently.
Disorganization hampers time management. Clutter negatively affects well-being (Roster, 2016). To manage time better, get organized. Label three boxes or corners as "Keep," "Give Away," and "Toss." Sort items accordingly. Discard the "Toss" box contents, and decide whether to sell, donate, or discard items in the "Give Away" box. Improve your information processing time. For instance, emails can waste hours. To avoid this, set up an email organization system for efficient information handling.
Scheduling involves not only noting down tasks like meetings but also allocating time for personal interests. To schedule effectively, understand your own needs. Use your time log to find when you're most productive. Schedule tough tasks for those times. First, allocate time for your high-priority activities and ensure that this time is free from interruptions. Plan to complete small tasks such as drafting an email, creating a grocery shopping list, reading, watching webinars, or listening to podcasts during long commutes or while waiting for a call or appointment. Make use of otherwise wasted time. Avoid unproductive activities like gaming or social media scrolling.
4. Take breaks: Set aside time to rest
Allocate approximately three-fourths of your day to scheduled tasks, leaving time for activities like planning, dreaming, and thinking. Maintaining health is important. The effort and time dedicated to self-care are valuable. Allocating time for relaxation or inactivity can help improve physical and mental well-being, potentially allowing tasks to be completed more efficiently. Monitor your screen time for better digital well-being. A Google study found that four out of five participants who took steps to improve their digital habits saw a positive impact on their overall well-being (Google, 2019). Improve your digital well-being by setting time limits on devices and using built-in software. Blue light blockers and grayscale mode can help too. Turn off all devices at a set time each night to relax your mind and improve your sleep schedule. Poor time management and excessive screen time can lead to fatigue, moodiness, and frequent illness. To reduce stress, reward yourself for managing your time well and acknowledge major accomplishments before starting the next task.
5. Avoid distractions: Manage distractions to stay focused
Manage time-wasters by applying simple tips to reduce or eliminate these activities.
- Use voice-to-text for transcribed voicemails, notes, and drafting emails or texts on the go.
- Avoid small talk; stay focused.
- Act immediately after a call.
- Set screen time limits and monitor digital wellness. Schedule device breaks.
- Set aside a specific time to view and respond to email, ensuring it does not accumulate excessively.
- Turn off email notifications.
- Handle each email only once if possible.
- Delete or unsubscribe from junk emails immediately.
- Keep address books up-to-date and organized.
Unexpected Visitors
- Schedule time for face-to-face visits.
- Inform visitors of your time constraints and offer to reschedule.
- Agree on a time limit for the visit.
- Stand when someone comes to the door to keep the meeting brief.
In-Person and Virtual Meetings
- Know the meeting's purpose beforehand.
- Arrive early. Start and end on time.
- Prepare and follow an agenda.
- Schedule meetings only if needed with a clear purpose or agenda.
- Record the meeting or assign a note-taker.
Family Obligations
- Use and sync virtual calendars for easy sharing among family members.
- Have each person check the master calendar for conflicts.
- Set up a central location or app for communication, including reminders, announcements, and messages.
Avoid multitasking. Studies show it actually wastes time and reduces productivity (Rubinsteim, Meyer, and Evans, 2001). Frequent multitasking can impair focus. Concentrate on one task at a time by eliminating distractions, turning off notifications, and allocating specific times for tasks.
6. Ask for help: Don't be afraid to ask for help when needed
Delegating involves assigning responsibility for a task to another person, allowing more time to focus on tasks that need specific expertise. It is important to identify tasks that can be handled by others and select the appropriate individuals to complete them. Choose someone with the right skills, experience, interest, and authority. Clearly define the task and your expectations, but allow some flexibility for personal input. Periodically check progress and offer help without taking over. Reward good work or suggest improvements if necessary. (Dodd and Sundheim, 2005). Another way to save time is by paying for goods or services that free up your schedule. For instance, hiring someone to mow your lawn or clean your home, or joining a carpool for your children's activities. The time saved from delegating these tasks is often worth the expense.
Conclusion
Evaluate your time management strategies regularly. Ensure you maintain a balance between work and home life, accomplish important tasks, and invest in your well-being. If not, adjust your strategies to improve. Effective time management enhances happiness, productivity, and future satisfaction.
References
Covey, S. R., Merrill, A. R., & Merrill, R. R. (1994). First things first: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy. Simon & Schuster.
Dodd, P., & Sundheim, D. (2005). The 25 best time management tools and techniques: How to get more done without driving yourself crazy. Peak Performance Press, Inc.
Google, Global (DE, ES, FR, IT, PL, U.K., U.S.). (2019). Digital wellbeing survey (General population, 18+ years, n=97).
MacKenzie, A. (1990). The time trap; (3rd ed.). American Management Association.
Roster, C., Ferrari, J., & Jurkat, M. (2016, March 16). The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology,46, 32–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.03.003
Rubinsteim, J., Meyer, D., & Evans, J. (2001). Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27(4), 763–797. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.27.4.763