Effective Time Management Strategies

Are you always running behind schedule? Sleeping far too little, drinking one coffee after another? Grabbing a bite between one meeting and the next instead of having a proper lunch? You're not alone!

Think of time as money and your daily activities as items in a store. Which items do you pick off the shelf when you go shopping? If by the end of the day your cart is overflowing, it's probably time to consider opening up a savings account… or in other words — it's time to save time.

Don't beat yourself up for being too busy — look for solutions. Try some of the most effective time management strategies to change your life for the better.

1. Focus on the end-game

If you're always rushing from one task to the next, you may need to sit down and think about ways to improve your time management. If staying motivated is an issue, think of the big picture instead of worrying about the details.

What would you do if you had some more spare time? Would you use it to advance in your career, or perhaps to spend some more time with your family? Let your biggest goal be the driving force behind your change.

Set yourself a couple of clear goals, write them down, and keep them on hand when you proceed with the next time management activities.

2. Find out what you spend your time on

Having just thought about your goals, you may want to jump right to the scheduling — but we're not quite there yet.

If you're familiar with the Lean methodology, you may know that one of the first steps to time management is to track where your time is currently being spent. This will allow you to find potential time sinks and eliminate them.

Start your workday by writing down every single task you do — even if it's something so short as writing a quick email to a coworker. Write down the activity, how long it took (don't forget a stopwatch!), and whether it was urgent. Remember: don't try to alter your day just because you're tracking it!

The same can be done at home. If you feel you spend too much time on procrastination rather than your own personal projects, write down everything you do during a weekend and then analyse it. Be honest with yourself - it's your own time that you are trying to save.

3. Set your priorities

Once you've tracked your workflow for a few days, you will begin to see a pattern. Some of your tasks will be repeated, while some others will be one-off things that your boss dropped onto your desk ten minutes before you were due to go home. Not all of these can be avoided, but they can certainly be improved.

Write out all of your daily tasks and organise them in order of importance. Put random, unexpected but urgent tasks in a separate row. Once you're done, ask yourself: how often do the urgent things pull you away from the ones that are important? It's probably more often than you'd like.

Create a new list, but this time, make it a list of priorities. The most important items on your list should be prioritised over even urgent tasks. As long as you tend to them regularly, you won't fall behind schedule.

4. Set your schedule

The reason why a lot of people fail to reap the benefits of time management is that they jump the gun a little too quickly. Setting your schedule is important, but the most important thing is knowing about your worst time sinks.

Once you have a list of priorities, work on setting a schedule for each and every day. We recommend that you use a planning tool of your choice. Don't force yourself to use an old fashioned pen and paper if you prefer to use an electronic planner or an app.

Remember:

• Try to prepare a schedule for the next day before you head home from work.
• Don't plan out every hour. Account for unexpected, urgent tasks that may occur during the day.
• Update your planner immediately - don't leave things for later.
• Similarly, review your planner whenever you're done with a task.
• Set yourself goals for the day and reward yourself when you meet them.
• Take breaks! You're not a machine - respect your body and its boundaries.

5. Minimise time wasters

You know what that means, don't you? We all do. Just as we all breathe, we all procrastinate and waste time. It's easy to pull out your phone and lose yourself in scrolling down social media, but ask yourself - is it really worth it?

This will require a lot of willpower, but try not to check your phone, watch TV, or browse the web when you're trying to work. If you cannot focus, stand up and take a short walk, look out the window, and let your mind rest. You will thank yourself later.

6. Don't let others control your time

We know what you must be thinking - it's easier said than done! While you can't control other people, you can — and should — set your own boundaries.

Don't let your coworkers ask you for yet another favour if you're already running behind schedule. Similarly, while it's good to help others, don't allow them to take advantage of your kindness. If you're tired, take some time to rest and stick to it. You've earned it.

The key to being organised

Effective time management strategies are not magical tools. It's very possible to take charge of your time, but it takes work, consistency, and dedication.

As you try out the above methods, remember one thing: it's not a crime to fail. There will be days when you discard your planner and come home as exhausted as before. However, these days will happen less and less as you gradually adapt to your new lifestyle.

Keep at it, respect your own time, and don't be afraid to rest. With proper time management, you may soon find your life transformed for the better!