Time management is the mindful decision to start allocating your time effectively to maximize productivity and reach goals. By implementing time management best practices, you gain control over your schedule, reduce clutter, increase efficiency, and improve your work-life balance. Living in the digital age means tasks, meetings, and deadlines are coming through our emails at an overwhelming rate, both in our work and personal life. Avoid burnout by getting the most out of every moment with the Best Planner Ever’s time management hacks.
Set Goals
Establishing a clear direction and purpose for your actions will allow you to focus on your outcome, motivate you to work efficiently, and help you prioritize tasks. Define both short-term and long-term goals and utilize the Goals feature in Best Ever Planner to track your performance. Setting goals will give you a sense of accountability, both to yourself and others.
Create a Schedule
Use our Best Ever Planner to allocate different time slots for various work-related and personal tasks. Additionally, make sure to schedule breaks in increments, depending on how busy your day is. Having a structured schedule will reduce stress and anxiety by providing you with a sense of control. It will also enable you to make the most of your time and allow you to accomplish more in a day, leading to greater success and satisfaction.
Time Block
Time blocking consists of dedicating specific periods of time to do certain tasks, whether it be everyday or just a few days a week. Figure out when your most productive time of the day is and use those hours for your most important tasks or activities. As you block out this time, be sure to eliminate all other distractions. For example, many of us are more productive after we’ve had our morning coffee. If you want to devote post-coffee hours to making business development calls, it’s best to log out of your email, avoid social media, and simply pick up the phone and dial.
Limit Distractions
To maintain your concentration throughout the day, limit unnecessary distractions. This includes social media, texting, internet surfing, and engaging in activities that have nothing to do with your tasks. It’s okay to put your phone on “do not disturb” and silence other notifications while you work on certain things. Limiting distractions go hand in hand with learning how to say “no”. Having the courage to turn down additional work and other favors empowers you to make intentional decisions. Declining tasks and commitments that don’t align with your own goals allows you to focus on the activities that are more meaningful to you.
Delegate Tasks
Utilize other tools and resources to delegate tasks to others, even if you have to outsource help. Identify which responsibilities need your direct attention and which don’t. From there, trust your team or family to handle these tasks responsibly while also remaining available and providing support. Effective delegation will not only allow you to focus on the bigger picture but also empower those around you.
Utilize Time Management Techniques
Several techniques that have been developed to help individuals manage their time. The Pomodoro Technique is a method that involves breaking work into intervals, usually 20-30 minutes in length. Each interval is dedicated towards a task followed by a 15-30 minute break. This technique aims to enhance focus and productivity. Additionally, the Eisenhower Matrix is a prioritization tool that categorizes tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important; important but not urgent; urgent, but not important; not urgent and not important. This allows individuals to focus their time and energy on tasks that align with their goals.
Remain Organized
Organization is more than just blocking off time in your calendar and writing down a list of priorities. It also involves keeping your workspace clean, being on time and prepared for meetings, and having a structured filing system for important documents and notes. Utilizing multiple organizational tools will help keep you on track. This includes cloud-based software and a tangible planner that gives you a birds-eye view of your day.
Celebrate Progress
It is important to acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments — even the small ones. Doing so will help you stay motivated and recognize the strategies that are working and the ones that aren’t. Practicing self-care is a part of celebrating your wins. Schedule a massage, get enough sleep, and participate in activities you love to ensure you are getting a healthy work-life balance.
Research shows that handwriting information versus typing improves spelling, accuracy, memory, and conceptual understanding. Viewing these images and words daily on something that you can physically hold in your hands will help you stay aligned with your goals as well as reinforce positive thinking. Our Best Ever Planner is equipped with many powerful tools including a vision board to help turn your dreams into a reality.