In our life, we all have faced time management issues someday or the other. And it is a primary concern for everyone, be it a student or a millionaire. Managing our time is a crucial skill that everyone should excel in. But, the main question is how? How are we supposed to increase our productivity? That is why in this article, we’ll answer all of your questions and give you 15 practical time management tips and techniques.
That is helpful and could be implemented by anyone in their life. These practical time management tips apply to both students and professionals. You’ll find that the following information will make your life easier and help to ease a lot of work. So, let us learn all these in detail.
15+ Effective Time Management Tips to Boost Your Productivity
Effective planning and scheduling of your tasks are critical, and they can bring wonders to your life. Time management is extremely important for each of us, and developing a habit is the only key to success. Remember the old days when we used to be in schools, and our parents and teachers used to ask us about maintaining a daily routine and then sticking to it! But, how many of us did continue implementing it when we grew up? Hardly any, isn’t it?
1. Planning
“An hour of planning can save your hours of doing.” We all can relate to this quote because, at some point, we all have worked without planning. We all know planning is the prime step of management. And time management is the one. Planning your day will give a great start to your day. It can lay down as a base for your other works.
Whether you are planning daily tasks or goals for the long term, planning is key. Planning indeed saves you time in the end. You can prepare for hurdles and unforeseen changes that may occur, and you can prioritize appropriately based on your plan. So, always plan your work beforehand.
2. Organizing
The next vital step to do after planning is organizing. Now we all sometimes interchange the words planning and organizing. But, these two words are very different. Planning is more focused on thinking. On the other hand, organizing is more on the implementing side, where you put your plan to action.
In organizing, you try to bring resources together to achieve your required goal or target. For example, if you have to create a balance sheet for this financial year. The initial step would include planning. How are you going to do it? The next step would be organizing, that is, selecting all the data to complete your work. That is what organization is.
3. Prioritizing your work
After organizing, the next step is prioritizing your work accordingly. Make sure that you complete the crucial task first. It will motivate you to complete the other tasks as well. Prepare SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable, and Time-bound.
It will help to prioritize your work in a better manner. PRO TIP: make sure that you start the critical task in the morning as you are more energetic during that time.
4. Put it out on the calendar
When you have some important dates to remember, all you do is write them down on the calendar. Then why not put your task on the calendar. Many online calendars allow you to mark and schedule your day correctly. Make sure to put down your plan on your digital calendar.
5. Note Down Tasks
Writing down all the small and crucial tasks will help you to increase time efficiency. When you write down all the works, you tend to remember all the tasks properly. It will help you to complete them on time.
6. Take a break
Taking a break in between your work will help you to boost your mood. Continuously working on the computer can harm your health and eyesight. Make sure you plan your day in such a manner where you give yourself at least a break of 10 min after every 2-3 hours.
Besides, taking breaks makes sure you feed yourself properly. It will allow you to work continuously for an extended period. Breaks should be scheduled, and you should set rules to prevent interruptions.
7. Learn to Say “No”
Saying NO is not always easy but, it is one of the most vital things for effective time management. You can not keep taking tasks from your superior when you have not completed the previous one itself. You won’t have much energy or time to do what you love whenever you say yes to everything and everyone. So rather than seeing No as a negative thing, consider it as saying Yes to your family and to the other commitments you cherish.
8. Block out distractions
Social media, talking to your colleagues, checking your email, and notifications are some of the biggest distractions anyone faces. Blocking them out will help you in completing your work faster. Make sure you either keep your phone on silent or far away from yourself while working.
9. Be flexible but realistic.
Sometimes we plan out everything but, our plan does not go according to our schedule. Due to some reason, it either gets delayed or is pushed over to the next day. And that is ok everyone has a setback. The important thing is how you overcome those setbacks. Make sure while planning your day you consider some buffer time. It will make it easier for you to stick to your goal despite setbacks.
10. Set Reminders 12 Minutes Before
We all know the importance of setting reminders. This reminder reminds us about birthdays, anniversaries, and many more. You can use this reminder to remind yourself about the important work which you want to complete.
When you have too many things to do, setting a reminder 12 minutes before will help you finish what you have on your plate first and prepare you for the crucial task.
11. Focus
No matter how much planning you do. The only way to achieve your targets or goals is to focus on them. Being able to focus on your work is difficult if you have lots of distractions around you. Make sure that you work in a peaceful environment without much distraction.
When you are focused on your work, you tend to deliver better results and work faster than others. The best way to focus is using the 90-minute approach. With the help of this approach, you have to work constantly for 90 minutes without any distraction, after which you can take a break. It will help you to focus better.
12. Good Sleep
A good night’s sleep is essential for the health of your mind and body. As per doctors, a person should at least sleep for 7-8 hours. Good sleep will help you to concentrate better on your work. Research indicates that when a person has slept well, he is better able to solve problems. Make sure you plan your day and have a correct sleeping schedule as well.
13. Avoid multi-tasking
To complete our work early, we tend to perform too many tasks at the same time. According to research, only 2% of people can multi-task. Rest everyone is either wasting their time or increasing their workload. When you do many tasks at the same time, you are diverting your mind to 10-different things.
Instead of doing that, make sure you are focusing on one job. It will also give you a sense of satisfaction that you have completed your work correctly without any mistake. Always choose quality.
14. Plan Hourly Schedule
As mentioned earlier, planning is one of the most vital tasks before working. And if you are a person who has to accomplish several tasks on the same day. Then an hourly schedule is a must for you. The hourly plan will give you a clearer idea. It helps you to plan your work in an organized manner.
15. Make To-Do List
Writing a to-do list does not take much time but is very important. In this list, you write down all of the tasks you need to complete for that day. It will allow you to properly organize your work and give you an idea to structure your day in a better manner.
Conclusion
“Time is not the main thing; it is the only thing.” This quote by Miles Davis defines the importance of time in everyone’s life. It is essential to learn about time management to not waste your time on things that won’t have any meaning to your life.
When you are trying to manage your time carefully, you will reap huge benefits. We hope that these tips will help you to manage your time effectively. Thank you for reading.
