Mastering Time Management
Came home after a busy work day with very little to show for your time, having ticked off all the items on the ever-growing to-do list but have yet to really do much of anything of substance? Last Month: Spend many hours at the projects but accomplish nothing…If this resonates then I have news.
Only one in six people are efficient and productive time managers, and the others are wasting time.
This is exactly what happened when I started writing on Medium. I enthusiastically dedicated my normal writing time to crafting articles and forgot all other tasks. My passion took over my rhythm of the day which is unacceptable. Then I outlined the time slots that should definitely be spent on writing, engaging, and reading. When exactly? I wake up two hours earlier than normal and focus on writing to kickstart the day. While at work, I am the manager and this should not be affected in any way. At the end of the day, I set aside time for reading and engaging. I learn new things and develop my network. Now there is a balance. Huge passion, and a great outlet, but everything else is fully taken care of.
However, the good news is that, by learning what balance is, and then how to achieve a better work-life balance, you can lead a more productive and less stressful life.
Implications of Poor Time Management
It’s not merely that you will have wasted a day. There are other, more important downsides to poor time management:
Poor Workflow
Without planning, efficiency takes a hit. If you do not make a plan, it can result in the performance of tasks in an unstructured fashion, bouncing back and forth between them, as exemplified in the chart, wasting time and leading to a low level of productivity. It is worth noting that efficient planning is characterized by clustering related classes of work and carrying them out sequentially.
Wasted Time
Social media can take up a large part of your day. A lack of time planning often results in distractions becoming more important than doing the essential jobs and, as a result, you use up your time and nothing gets finished.
Loss of Control
The absence of a plan makes you feel as though you are always just a half-step behind, and this lack of control also increases stress and anxiety, which hampers focus.
Poor Quality of Work
To complete tasks at the last minute means that you have not planned your time properly, and your work will never be of the highest standard.
Poor Reputation
Setting a weak precedent of constantly missing deadlines, and falling short of rising to meet the deadline consistently over time, can cost you in terms of professional credibility, and mar your ability to develop strong relationships with the clients and employers who entrust you with work.
A Brief Guide to Time Management
Time management in short means setting yourself times for different activities, thus helping you to perform and complete what to do when. Great time management will help you accomplish more in a shorter time, it decreases stress and it’s another step towards a successful career.
Benefits of Time Management
Good time management skills bring numerous benefits:
Stress Relief
Sticking to a task schedule means that no one is keeping track (except you). It also means less anxiety, because you have a routine to follow, and as you tick off completed items, you can see that you’re not doing too badly.
More Time
Effective time management allows time for your hobbies and pastimes which will in turn improve your well-being.
More Opportunities
Good time management skills are valuable to employers. Working in an efficient way gives more career opportunities to people.
Ability to Realize Goals
Those who manage their time well can achieve their goals more quickly and effectively.
Tips for Effective Time Management
Here are some strategies to help you manage your time better:
Set Goals Correctly
Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely) goals, so that you understand what you want to achieve, how you will determine success, and when that success will be measured.
Prioritize Wisely
Classify your tasks by importance and urgency:
Important and urgent: Do these tasks right away.
Important but not urgent: Schedule these tasks.
Urgent but not important: Delegate these tasks.
Not urgent and not important: Set these aside.
Set a Time Limit to Complete a Task
Setting deadlines for yourself when it comes to various tasks ensures that you stay on task, and gives you an early warning system so that you can perhaps change plans when it starts to veer off track.
Take Breaks Between Tasks
You need short breaks between tasks. Walking or even meditating can help you restore your focus and your motivation.
Organize Yourself
Plan ahead on a calendar for the long term (such as for the week ahead or even a month) and plan your days by allocating time to certain tasks.
Remove Non-Essential Tasks/Activities
Identify the non‑value‑added activity and get rid of it. It will save time for more important things.
Plan Ahead
Plan each day, with a checklist of what you will be accomplishing. Then prepare that checklist at the end of your workday for the next day, so you can start fresh knowing what you are going to do.
When you enact these time management approaches, you will not only get lots of work done. You’ll also make time for self-care, manage stress effectively, and move your life forward with a sense of calm and positive energy.
An approach to time management is not just a means to getting things done. More importantly, it is also a vehicle for living a balanced, gratifying life, where you are in charge and also more likely to be successful.