Wouldn’t we consider those lucky who can say, “I have nothing but time”? Time is one major resource we all, as humans, have in common. This non-renewable resource has helped some people coin the phrase “Time is of the essence”. Actually, it is TIME MANAGEMENT that is of the essence.
All of us have the same 24 hours in a day. But knowing how to utilise those hours makes all the difference between us. While some procrastinate, others know well the art of squeezing the juice of out every minute. Understanding our time will help us decide what we can do with it.
With that, here are 12 tips for better time management:
- Set goals
Quite surely, each of us knew this point would be making the list. Setting goals allows us to assess the importance of tasks, and then prioritise them accordingly. This ensures maximising time spent on high-priority tasks, while sticking to each deadline. Lowering procrastination helps boost productivity and enables us to see the bigger picture.
It is also important to remember to reward yourself (in a way you deem fit) upon successfully completing your goals. - Delegate tasks
Once you have listed the tasks you need to complete, it becomes easier to realise which ones you cannot do by yourself – either due to the constraint of time, or simple because it is lower on the priority list. Such tasks should be delegated to someone else. It could be a junior, or a colleague who has time to spare. If these aren’t the cases, hire someone to do it for you. [Remember, low priority tasks could also include picking your laundry or grocery shopping. So why not hire someone to do these for you?] - Small changes matter
making small changes to your schedule, could be better than trying to switch up your entire schedule at once. Small changes seem doable and are more likely to be achieved by us. But when these changes are added up, they can make a large difference to the entire week. Besides, making small changes can save up a decent amount of time, which can be well-used for personal development. - Meal planning
Yes, this is a very solid part of our days that takes up time. We spend roughly 1-1.5 hours a day making our meals, while it takes us another half hour a day, on average, to decide what to eat. Planning your meals in advance, will not only save you time, but also force you to revaluate if you can switch to options that are better for your health (and time). - Multitasking is a myth
We have seen people brag about being “multitaskers”. We have also come across companies putting up job advertisements, requiring candidates to be efficient at multitasking.
Let’s burst the bubble! Multitasking does not exist. Our brain can only focus on one task at a time. What is generally meant by “multitasking” is the ability to switch between tasks. Technically, you are still doing one task at a time, but only trying to juggle between two or more. The issue that lies with switching rapidly between tasks is that you cannot focus on either properly. This does not save you time. Rather, it divides your attention, resulting in a loss of efficiency and crushing creativity.
Next time, try focusing on one task at a time and see how better your productivity is. - Actions have consequences
As stated in point number 1, once you have set your goals and prioritised them, it is time to check your actions towards those goals. Make a list of your actions currently being taken towards those goals. This allows you to track your progress, while also giving you a chance to recalibrate your efforts towards achieving your goals.
If you are an entrepreneur or a founder, setting business goals is the key to start.
Click here to book a session with us. - Cut out distractions
Distractions are huge “time-mongers”. You pick up your phone, open a social media app, begin scrolling, and before you know it, a half hour is gone. This can slowly turn into a habit, where each time we wish to escape something, we turn to distractions.
Cut out all distractions – television, phone (or pagers, if you’re old school), and any other activities that could consume your valuable time.
Rather, use these distractions as a reward for completing tasks. If you have successfully completed a task that was heavy, give yourself a bit of screen time, or talk to a friend. When used as a reward, it will induce dopamine (the hormone related to happiness) in your body at the right time. - Plan your day
Planning your day in advance is an excellent trick for time management. You could either do this the night prior or plan your week ahead over the weekend. This will help you mentally prepare for the time slots and the tasks you are supposed to complete, while also saving you those small amounts of time each day, which you could utilise for yourself. - Know the value of breaks
All work and no play will surely make you dull. You deserve to unwind and spend the much needed time for yourself. Use the time before bed to reflect on your day and think of the day ahead.
In between your tasks and chores, take tiny breaks to replenish yourself, to avoid burnouts. You like ice cream? Why not go for a little ice cream after lunch/dinner? - “NO” is your friend too
Saying “yes” to everything will add up to your chores and tasks, especially with those that sprung up at the last moment. Analyse the importance of the task and then see how it will impact your current schedule. If you cannot accommodate it, refuse. There is no harm in refusing anything that will affect the timeline of your current list of tasks. Learning when and how to say “no” can be a very useful and powerful tool in your arsenal. - Don’t be a perfectionist
Perfection, yet again, is also a myth. If we keep chasing little details that we think will make something ‘perfect’, we will never finish it. It could be difficult for our brains to comprehend completion if we keep thinking of ways to make something perfectly. This will only lead to us finding reasons to put the task off until we find the sweet spot. And then we will repeat it.
Avoid this loop by simply putting a stop to the chase for perfection. - Why overwhelm?
I will keep going back to point number 1, purely because it is that important. If we do not set goals, we will see all our tasks as a whole and get so overwhelmed that we will begin procrastinating. Not only will this affect the productivity of each task, but also add unnecessary stress.
Save the stress by not getting overwhelmed, because that will lead to a further loss of time, which is what we aim to avoid with time management.
Time management is a very important skill to learn and must be developed by us as early as possible.
Irrespective of what your age is, or what position you hold professionally, it is never too late to start.
It is YOUR time, so take control over it and choose carefully what you wish to do with it.
Bonus tip: Stay connected with people who inspire or motivate you. This will help you cut back a lot of time spend in motivating yourself at times when you are just not driven enough to pursue your deadlines.
When are you going to start with your time management? Let us know in the comments below.
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